The verdict in three sentences
For a Geneva firm specialising in investor visas and citizenship, SEO captures families actively looking for a lawyer, while AEO/GEO (visibility in the answers of AI assistants like ChatGPT) works earlier, while they are still comparing countries and programmes. Both rest on the same foundation: factual, dated, careful pages, because programmes change often. The choice depends on your profile, budget and ability to measure, and neither guarantees a ranking or a recommendation.
SEO and AEO/GEO: two levers, one clientele
Your clients are families and entrepreneurs, often outside Switzerland, comparing Swiss residence, residence in Portugal or the UAE, Caribbean citizenship programmes, the US EB-5. They ask Google lawyer residence permit Geneva lump-sum taxation and ask an AI which countries still offer residence by investment in 2026 and what the risks are.
| Criterion | SEO | AEO/GEO |
|---|---|---|
| What it targets | Google positions for precise queries | Presence and accuracy in AI answers |
| Stage of the journey | Looking for a firm, comparing lawyers | Exploring, comparing countries and programmes |
| Time to effect | Usually 4 to 9 months | 2 to 6 months for first changes, variable |
| Monthly market budget (2026 ballpark) | 2,500 to 9,000 CHF | 2,500 to 8,000 CHF |
| One-off audit | 3,000 to 10,000 CHF | 2,500 to 8,000 CHF |
| Indicators | Clicks, consultations, qualified enquiries | Share of answers naming the firm, accuracy |
| Main risk | Content frozen on a closed programme | An AI repeating outdated information about you |
These ranges reflect typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages in Geneva and Zurich, not a survey. The AEO/GEO market is young and the spread is wide.
Where to invest depending on your situation
| Firm situation | Suggested priority | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New firm, little profile | Local SEO first, light AEO/GEO | AI assistants rarely quote an entity seldom mentioned elsewhere |
| Established firm, cited in the press | AEO/GEO first, maintenance SEO | Your mentions exist; AI assistants need to connect them correctly |
| Highly regulated content, shifting programmes | Shared foundation: dated, reviewed pages | Both levers punish outdated information |
| Limited budget (under 3,000 CHF/month) | One lever, plus a yearly audit of the other | Spreading thin makes measurement impossible |
| Clients mostly outside Europe | AEO/GEO and language versions | These families ask AI assistants in their own language |
| Launching a new country offering | SEO on precise queries | More predictable effect on existing demand |
One point applies to both levers: date every statement. Canada's federal Immigrant Investor Program closed in 2014, the US EB-5 was reformed by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, and several European golden visas have closed or changed. An undated page on any of these topics works against the firm, on Google and in AI answers alike.
Professional rules for lawyers in Switzerland restrict advertising to objective information: no promise of obtaining a permit or passport, no superlatives. On data, the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (revFADP), in force since 1 September 2023, applies to your forms, and the GDPR also applies if you target EU residents. This is not legal advice.
How to measure each lever
SEO is measured with established tools: Search Console for clicks and impressions, your CRM for consultations, and the conversion rate into mandates. AEO/GEO is measured with a dated record: the same list of 25 to 40 questions, asked every month to AI assistants like ChatGPT, in French, English and your clients' languages, with answers archived.
| Indicator | Lever | Frequency | What it reveals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clicks on programme pages | SEO | Monthly | Demand captured |
| Qualified consultations | Both | Monthly | Commercial effect |
| Share of AI answers naming the firm | AEO/GEO | Monthly | Presence |
| Accuracy of answers (programmes, languages, fees) | AEO/GEO | Monthly | Reputation risk |
| Enquiries mentioning an AI assistant | AEO/GEO | Monthly, via the form | Attribution |
| Programme pages updated in the last 6 months | Both | Quarterly | Freshness of the foundation |
A serious diagnostic covers, in broad terms, the state of your programme pages, the consistency of your public information (directories, bar listing, press), a first record of AI answers and a review of your Google visibility. At Kolonell, it is priced on quote.
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Illustrative example: Rhône Residency Avocats, two partners, average fee of 30,000 CHF per file. Available budget: 5,000 CHF a month. Option A: all SEO. Option B: 3,000 CHF on AEO/GEO and 2,000 CHF on maintenance SEO. The first record shows the firm in 3 answers out of 30, 10 %, and two answers credit it with a programme it no longer handles. The firm picks B. Over 12 months the spend is 60,000 CHF: two extra files, 60,000 CHF in fees, reach break-even. That is a threshold, not a promise.
FAQ
Do we have to choose between SEO and AEO/GEO?
Not necessarily, but under 3,000 CHF a month, one main lever plus a yearly audit of the other is wiser. Both share the same foundation of factual pages.
How long before we see results?
Allow 4 to 9 months for SEO and 2 to 6 months for first changes in AI answers, with no guarantee. Updates to external listings act quickly, press mentions more slowly.
Can an AI give wrong information about our firm?
Yes, often from old pages or outdated directories. A monthly dated record spots those errors so the sources can be corrected.
Should we publish our fees?
A dated range, such as from 15,000 CHF per file, helps AI assistants and clients qualify. That choice remains subject to your professional rules.
Can we be sure an AI will recommend us?
No. No provider controls those answers; you make the information reliable and consistent, then track change over 6 to 12 months.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. A dated record of 30 questions and a review of your Google pages will show which lever to fund first. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
