Sixty-seven percent of search freelancers surveyed by Fiverr report a rise in client requests for generative engine optimization (GEO) over the past year, compared with 56% who saw increased demand for Google ranking work. The finding comes from Fiverr's 2026 Holiday Marketing Index, released on September 21.

The index polled hundreds of Fiverr's top-rated freelancers in search, user-generated content, and e-commerce across eight countries: the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia. Fiverr cautions that the results are "self-reported and not projected against the general population."

Freelancers still see Google SEO as the safer long-term bet. Sixty-one percent of respondents consider Google SEO the strongest long-term investment, and the report advises brands to fund both disciplines.

Pricing Pressure Follows AI Involvement

AI is reshaping how clients value the work. Sixty-one percent of surveyed search specialists said clients expect lower prices simply because AI is involved. Search specialists use AI more often than any other surveyed group and report the greatest pricing pressure.

Yet clients care more about outcomes than tooling. Eighty-nine percent of surveyed search specialists said clients prioritize results over whether AI was involved in producing them.

The survey also captures a shift in what clients are buying. Eighty-three percent of search specialists say clients are "increasingly hiring them for advice and expertise versus simple execution." That figure exceeds the 79% reported in e-commerce and 76% in user-generated content. Half of the specialists believe businesses underestimate how long search work takes to pay off. Typical project costs fall between $150 and $300, according to 61% of respondents.

Marketplace GEO Services Grew 29%

Beyond the survey responses, the report cites Fiverr's internal marketplace data showing GEO services grew 29% from November 2025 to April 2026.

The methodology behind that figure is unclear. Neither the report page nor the September 21 press release specifies the total sample size, the number of search specialists surveyed, the survey periods, the exact question wording, or whether results were weighted by country. A June 9 press release for Fiverr's Business Trends Index explained that demand figures came from millions of searches on Fiverr, comparing data from May to October 2025 against November 2025 to April 2026. The holiday report does not say whether the 29% GEO figure used the same search-based method.

Earlier Fiverr holiday surveys were more transparent. The company's 2024 survey, conducted with research firm Censuswide, disclosed sample sizes and collection dates. Search Engine Journal has contacted Fiverr for details on sample sizes, dates, question wording, and the calculation behind the 29% figure. As of publication, Fiverr has not responded.

GEO Momentum Extends Beyond Freelancers

Separate data points in the same direction. Search Engine Journal's State of Search 2027 report, published on September 18, 2026, found that 43% of surveyed search professionals plan to invest in or prioritize GEO in the coming year, and 14% cited optimization for AI answer engines as a factor behind their best results.

The two surveys are not directly comparable: SEJ polled search professionals about their own plans and results, while Fiverr surveyed freelancers about client requests. Read together, they show GEO climbing the agenda from both the supply side and the demand side.

What Brands Should Do With This

The Fiverr data reveals a genuine tension for the freelance search market. Demand for GEO is growing faster than demand for traditional Google SEO work, while pricing around AI-assisted deliverables is under pressure. The survey measures requests, perceptions, and rates, but it does not evaluate whether GEO work actually delivers increased visibility or improved business outcomes, a gap brands should weigh before reallocating budgets.

Timing matters too. Fiverr recommends starting search work months in advance, with 28% of surveyed search specialists advising a lead time of at least three to four months. The report prioritizes search activities first, creator hiring through November, and store-related work from October to December. Brands that wait until the holiday quarter to brief specialists may find the payoff arrives after the season ends.

Source: Search Engine Journal (https://www.searchenginejournal.com/fiverr-survey-search-freelancers-geo-demand/590403/) / Source: fiverr.com (https://www.fiverr.com/resources/guides/reports/holiday-marketing-index-2026)