Short answer

A free GEO audit is usually a lead magnet: a few quick queries, a score and a sales call. That does not make it bad; it is useful as a first orientation. What it usually lacks is what makes a diagnosis reliable: questions agreed with you, full answers, sources, two dates, competitors and an export. Accept it knowing what it is, and always ask to see the original answer behind every figure they show you.

What it usually includes

  • Between three and ten queries chosen by the agency, often with your name in the question (which inflates the result).
  • One or two platforms, on a single day.
  • A score or a traffic light.
  • A call to “explain the results”, which is where the service gets sold.

What it lacks to be a diagnosis

  • Unbranded questions, agreed with you and with a stated origin.
  • The full answer to each query, with its sources.
  • A second date, to know what is stable.
  • A comparison with specific competitors.
  • A definition of each metric, with its numerator and denominator.
  • Exportable data you can take with you.

What to ask before you accept it

  1. Which questions will you use, and can I change them?
  2. Do they include my brand name? (If they do, it does not measure discovery.)
  3. Will you show me the full answer and the sources for each query?
  4. What happens afterwards: a written proposal or a call?
  5. Can I keep the data even if I do not hire you?

How to make use of it without committing

Before it arrives, run your own twenty-minute measurement with six unbranded questions. When you receive the free audit, compare: if it matches what you saw, the agency measures well; if it shows you a much better or much worse result, ask why. And if they show you a score with no rows behind it, you already have your answer.

Our version

Our free review is small, and says so: three questions from your category, two platforms, and a reading by email of what we observed and where we would start. No compulsory call and no score. The full AI diagnosis costs €149 + VAT, and you know what you get before you ask for it.