Nearly Two Decades of SEO. Built for What's Next.
LA&CO Content Agency is a specialist AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) agency that creates content engineered for citation by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude, and Gemini. Based in South Africa with a global client base, we combine 19 years of search and content strategy experience with a deep focus on AI search visibility.
We've Navigated Every Major Shift. This One's No Different.
LA&CO was built on a simple observation: the way people find information is changing faster than most agencies can adapt. We've been ahead of that curve before, and we're doing it again.
Our founder brings nearly 19 years of content and SEO experience, built across some of the world's leading digital agencies. That background — spanning semantic search, structured data, content architecture, and AI workflow development — is what now drives LA&CO's approach to Answer Engine Optimization.
Before launching LA&CO, our founding team developed AI workflows and optimised content for AI visibility at companies including SmythOS and a number of global digital agencies. We didn't pivot to AEO — we built toward it. Everything in our methodology is the product of years of applied experience in how AI platforms actually evaluate and cite content.
We're based in South Africa and work with clients across the globe. Our team is small by design — a tight group of people who know this space deeply and care about the work they produce.
The Name Means Something
LA&CO isn't random. It's a reflection of how this agency actually works. A small team of people who genuinely know their craft and genuinely like working together.
Lorien — Founder & Lead Strategist
Nearly 19 years in SEO and content strategy. Built AI workflows and AEO systems at SmythOS and global agencies before founding LA&CO to focus on doing one thing exceptionally well.
Angelique — Content Strategist
Co-founded and strategist, with a background in travel and tourism who moved into content strategy several years ago. An integral part of the LA&CO approach to AEO-optimised content.
The Rest of the Team
A small, trusted group of writers, researchers, and specialists — many of whom have worked alongside Lorien for years — who joined to build something worthwhile together.
How We Got Here
Nearly two decades of adapting before the industry catches up.
Started in SEO & Content Strategy
Began building search-optimised content strategies at a time when keyword research meant manual spreadsheets and content quality was still a differentiator, not a baseline.
Panda, Penguin & the Quality Shift
Google's algorithm updates reshaped the industry. Agencies built on shortcuts collapsed. We thrived because we'd always prioritised genuine authority and content that actually served readers.
Semantic Search & Entity Optimization
Shifted methodology toward entity-based optimization and topic clustering. Stopped chasing individual keywords and started building the kind of topical authority that compounds over time.
Structured Data as Standard
Started implementing schema markup as a baseline requirement on all content — Article, FAQ, HowTo, Author — and optimising for featured snippets. The precursor to everything AEO.
AI Workflows & Citation Optimization
Developed AI content workflows and citation optimization systems at SmythOS and leading digital agencies. Built the methodology that would become LA&CO's AEO framework.
LA&CO Content Agency
Launched as a dedicated AEO content agency — purpose-built for AI search optimization, with an async-first model, a team of trusted collaborators, and a single focus: getting clients cited.
The Principles Behind Every Piece We Create
Quality Over Volume
One AEO-optimised piece that gets cited by AI platforms is worth more than ten generic articles. We don't produce filler content and we don't work with clients who need it.
Radical Transparency
Itemised quotes, clear deliverables, documented processes. You always know what you're paying for, when you'll receive it, and exactly what's included — before we begin.
Respect Your Time
No discovery calls. No status meetings. Our async-first model exists because your time is better spent on your business than on calls about content strategy.
Data, Not Guesswork
Every strategic recommendation is backed by citation data, competitive analysis, and multi-platform testing. You can verify our results — you don't have to take our word for it.
Technical Excellence
Schema markup, entity optimization, and structured content architecture aren't add-ons — they're built into everything we do from day one. It's the standard, not the upgrade.
Built for the Long Game
We build content assets that compound. Today's AI-cited article becomes tomorrow's authoritative source. We're not optimising for this quarter's traffic — we're building lasting visibility.
Ready to Get Your Content Cited by AI?
No calls. No meetings. Just content that gets your brand recommended by the tools your customers already use.