Fiverr’s survey of search freelancers finds {that a} better variety of respondents have seen a rise in consumer requests for generative engine optimization (GEO) in comparison with Google-ranking duties. This perception is a part of Fiverr’s 2026 Vacation Advertising and marketing Index, launched on September 21.
Sixty-seven p.c reported an increase in GEO requests over the previous 12 months, whereas 56% noticed a rise in requests to reinforce Google rankings. When contemplating long-term investments, 61% imagine Google search engine optimization is the strongest, and the report advises funding each. These specialists additionally observe that shoppers are inclined to anticipate decrease costs when AI is concerned.
The index polled a whole bunch of Fiverr’s top-rated freelancers within the classes of search, user-generated content material, and e-commerce throughout eight nations. Fiverr notes that the outcomes are “self-reported and never projected towards the final inhabitants.”
What Search Specialists Advised Fiverr
Sixty-one p.c of surveyed search specialists reported that shoppers anticipate decrease costs merely due to AI involvement of their work. The report notes that search specialists use AI extra typically than different surveyed teams and expertise the best pricing stress.
Eighty-three p.c of search specialists say shoppers are “more and more hiring them for recommendation and experience versus easy execution,” which is larger than the 79% in e-commerce and 76% in user-generated content material (UGC). Half of the specialists imagine that companies underestimate how lengthy it takes for the work to repay. Sixty-one p.c of search specialists report typical venture prices starting from $150 to $300.
Other than the survey, the report additionally mentions that GEO companies within the market grew by 29% from November 2025 to April 2026, based on inside market knowledge.
What The Report Doesn’t Say
Each the report web page and the September 21 press launch omit key particulars reminiscent of the overall pattern dimension, variety of search specialists, survey intervals, exact query wording, and whether or not outcomes had been weighted by nation. The discharge mentions that the survey was carried out “forward of the 2026 vacation season” within the U.S., Canada, the U.Okay., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia.
Earlier Fiverr vacation surveys supplied extra transparency concerning methodology. For instance, their 2024 survey, run with the analysis agency Censuswide, specified pattern sizes and assortment dates. Their June 9 press launch in regards to the Enterprise Tendencies Index states that demand figures stemmed from thousands and thousands of searches on Fiverr, evaluating knowledge from Could to October 2025 with November 2025 to April 2026. However, the vacation report doesn’t make clear if its 29% GEO determine was derived from the identical search-based methodology.
I’ve contacted Fiverr for particulars on the pattern sizes, dates, query wording, and the way the 29% determine was calculated. As of publication, the corporate has not responded.
Funding Forward Of Outcomes
In accordance with Search Engine Journal’s State of Search 2027 report, printed on September 18, 2026, 43% of these surveyed shared that they plan to put money into or prioritize GEO within the coming 12 months. And 14% highlighted optimization for AI reply engines as one issue contributing to their greatest outcomes.
That survey polled search professionals reasonably than freelancers, and it requested about their very own plans and outcomes reasonably than consumer requests, so the 2 units of numbers can’t be set towards one another. Each surveys present GEO transferring up the agenda, with SEJ respondents planning to put money into or prioritize it and Fiverr freelancers reporting extra consumer requests for it.
Why This Issues
The survey exhibits a stress for search freelancers. On one facet, extra of them report rising demand for GEO, and pricing is below stress round AI-assisted work. Then again, 89% of surveyed search specialists talked about that shoppers prioritize outcomes over whether or not AI was concerned.
The survey measures consumer requests, freelancer perceptions, and venture charges, but it surely doesn’t consider if GEO work results in elevated visibility or improved enterprise outcomes.
Trying Forward
Fiverr recommends beginning search work a number of months prematurely, with 28% of surveyed search specialists advising a lead time of a minimum of three to 4 months. The report emphasizes that search actions must be prioritized first, then creator hiring ought to run by way of November, and store-related work must be scheduled from October to December.
