AI SEO requires a longer investment horizon than traditional paid advertising, but builds compounding authority over time. Here's what to expect.

Quick Answer

Meaningful ROI typically appears in 6-12 months, with early signals at 3-4 months. Unlike paid ads (immediate results), AI SEO builds authority that:

• Takes longer to establish initially
• Compounds and strengthens over time
• Creates durable competitive advantages

Timeline Breakdown

Months 1-2: Foundation Phase (Investment, No ROI Yet)

What's happening:

• Schema markup implementation
• Content optimization for AI extraction
• Baseline measurement established
• Technical infrastructure in place

Business impact: None yet. This is pure investment.

Costs: Strategy, technical implementation, content optimization labor

Months 3-4: Early Signal Phase (5-15% ROI)

What's happening: