A Sheffield agency is quietly winning one of the fastest-moving races in digital marketing. MarGen has been named Agency of the Week by Digital Agency Leaders and recognised as the UK’s fastest-growing AI SEO agency for 2026 — and, notably, ranked second nationally for getting businesses cited by AI systems while keeping their visibility in traditional Google search.
The recognition matters because of what MarGen does. Founded by Leeroy Powell, the agency is a specialist in Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) — the emerging discipline of making sure a brand gets named and cited inside AI answers from tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews, not just ranked in a list of blue links.
Why AI search changes the game
The numbers behind the shift are stark. According to figures cited in the recognition, ChatGPT now handles around a billion queries a day from more than 900 million weekly users, and Google’s AI Overviews appear in over 40% of UK searches. Critically, an estimated 93% of AI search sessions end without a click to any website. If a brand isn’t cited inside the AI answer itself, it can become invisible — regardless of how well it ranks the old way.
That is the problem MarGen has built a methodology around. Rather than retrofitting traditional SEO, the agency has developed a proprietary “Synaptic Authority Engine” approach aimed specifically at AI visibility, reporting that client citations typically begin appearing within four to eight weeks. The pitch is dual results: getting cited by the machines while holding ground on Google.
A Northern story worth telling
What makes this a story for the North is the geography. MarGen is deliberately positioned outside London, building a category-leading capability from Sheffield and serving sectors from advanced manufacturing and healthcare to legal, financial services and B2B SaaS. AI search converts, by the agency’s account, more than four times better than traditional organic traffic — which means the firms that get this right early will compound an advantage.
It is a reminder that the next wave of high-value digital expertise doesn’t have to cluster in the capital. As AI rewrites how customers find businesses, a Sheffield agency is helping write the playbook — and being recognised nationally for it.
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