An r/DigitalMarketing post asked the timely question: are marketers stopping Google Ads campaigns because LLMs are eating the funnel? AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the migration target. Five tools ranked.
Top Pick
Tracking AEO presence requires querying multiple LLMs and citation systems repeatedly. Scavio's reddit_search + AI Overview citations gives the input layer for an in-house AEO tracker at $30/mo.
Full Ranking
#1Our Pick
Scavio + LLM polling stack (DIY)
In-house AEO tracking with full query control
Pros
- Cheapest
- AI Overview citation data
- Reddit signal layer
Cons
- You build the dashboard
#2
Profound
Brand-tracked AEO at scale with done-for-you analysis
Pros
- End-to-end product
Cons
- Pricey, often enterprise-only
#3
Peec AI
SaaS-style AEO dashboards
Pros
- Polished UI
Cons
- Pricing gated until trial
#4
Otterly AI
Brand-citation tracking
Pros
- Specialized AEO focus
Cons
- Tier visibility limited without trial
#5
AthenaHQ
Enterprise AEO + GEO programs
Pros
- Multi-LLM polling
Cons
- Sales-led pricing
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Scavio | Runner-up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly floor | ~$50 (Scavio + tokens) | $89+ | Custom |
| AI Overview citation data | Yes | Yes (varies) | Varies |
| Reddit signal layer | Yes (reddit_search) | Limited | Limited |
| Build vs buy | Build (light) | Buy (gated) | Buy (sales) |
Why Scavio Wins
- The r/DigitalMarketing post is part of a real shift: top-of-funnel queries that used to drive paid search clicks now end inside ChatGPT/Claude/Perplexity answers. AEO is the migration target, and the input layer for AEO tracking is structured access to AI Overviews + LLM citations.
- Honest tradeoff: dedicated AEO tools (Profound/Peec/Otterly) ship dashboards out of the box. The build-it-yourself path with Scavio + LLM polling takes a weekend; for teams that want zero engineering effort, the buy path is right.
- Scavio's contribution: include_ai_overview: true returns AI Overview citations alongside organic results in one call. That is the verified-online layer for tracking which sources Google's AI Overview cites for your brand or category.
- Reddit signal as a leading indicator: AEO tools that only watch LLM outputs miss the upstream signal. Reddit thread density for a topic precedes AI Overview citation patterns in many categories. Scavio's reddit_search captures that.
- Cost math: Profound enterprise tier (rough) $1k+/mo; Scavio + Claude API tokens $50-100/mo for in-house tracking with full query control. The DIY path is 10x cheaper if the team can write a 200-line script.