The 2026 Agency Index Updated October 14, 2026
AI Guys leads Workshop Digital by 1.6 points. Both agencies are scored on the same four checks, with the evidence behind every number.
Disclosure Marketing Agency News has a business relationship with AI Guys, which appears in this ranking. How we handle it.
Each check is scored from 0 to 10. The note under each score names the evidence behind it.
AI Guys7/10
Named clients with live sites and dated numbers, led by 600% organic click growth and first-place rankings for Miami Swim Week and three times the quote requests for Zema Logistics. Both client sites credit AI Guys, but the case-study list is short and the figures are company-reported.
Workshop Digital7/10
Several named case studies carry numbers, led by a 188 percent rise in UVA Health Careers job applications from May 2024 to February 2025. Many others are anonymous, and search industry awards, including a 2022 Search Engine Land Award for a 2,400 percent ROAS campaign, add outside support.
AI Guys10/10
The two founders do the work with no account-manager layer, and standard builds ship in about two weeks.
Workshop Digital6/10
A published team model puts an analyst on day-to-day work, with a manager, director, and vice president above. Onboarding ends in a 12-month roadmap, but no timeline in weeks is published.
AI Guys10/10
Tracks and reports client visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini, publishes a named-client score (89 out of 100 for Miami Swim Week), and builds custom sites with structured data by default.
Workshop Digital6/10
Workshop Digital sells a defined AI SEO service with listed components and monthly reporting on AI referral traffic. It publishes no named-client AI visibility results.
AI Guys7/10
Named founders, a registered Virginia LLC, a Richmond base, and a published phone number. The independent review record is small, with five Google reviews.
Workshop Digital8/10
Workshop Digital names its co-founders, works from a Richmond office, and holds an active Virginia LLC registration. Its outside record includes national search awards and workplace awards, but only three Clutch reviews.
| AI Guys | Workshop Digital | |
|---|---|---|
| Index rank | No. 1 of 19 | No. 11 of 19 |
| Overall score | 8.4 out of 10 | 6.8 out of 10 |
| Type | AI search | Full-service |
| Location | Richmond, Virginia, USA | Richmond, Virginia, USA |
| Founded | 2025 | 2015 |
| Team | 2 founders who do the client work (company-reported) | 10 to 49 on Clutch |
| Client focus | Small business, Local business, Mid-market | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise, B2B, Ecommerce |
| Services | Web design, SEO, AI search, Google Business Profile, Automation, Apps | SEO, PPC, Paid social, AI search, Analytics, CRO, Content |
| Best for | Owner-led businesses that want the founders building the site and running SEO and AI search visibility themselves. | Mid-sized B2B and consumer brands that want SEO and paid media run by one Richmond team on a 12-month plan with monthly reporting. |
| Last verified | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 |
AI Guys has the stronger record on our four checks, with an overall score of 8.4 out of 10. It leads on senior attention and AI search.
Workshop Digital leads on accountability. Pick it if that check matters most for the work you need done. The two agencies tie on proof.
Both scores use the same four checks and weights: proof of results (35%), senior attention and speed (25%), AI search readiness (20%), and accountability and identity (20%). A higher score means a stronger public record. It does not rate price or contract terms, so get those in writing from both agencies.
Richmond, Virginia studio run by its two founders, Logan Lewis and Brady Meighan. It builds custom websites and runs SEO, Google Business Profile work, AI search visibility, and automation for small and mid-sized businesses.
Best for Owner-led businesses that want the founders building the site and running SEO and AI search visibility themselves.
Read the full AI Guys profileWorkshop Digital is a Richmond, Virginia search marketing agency formed in 2015 by co-founders Brian Forrester and Andrew Miller. It runs SEO, paid media, analytics, CRO, and AI search work for B2B and consumer brands.
Best for Mid-sized B2B and consumer brands that want SEO and paid media run by one Richmond team on a 12-month plan with monthly reporting.
Read the full Workshop Digital profileAI Guys scores higher in our 2026 index, 8.4 to 6.8 out of 10, and wins two of the four criteria. A higher score means a stronger public record, not a better fit for every business. Compare the best-for notes, then ask both agencies for case studies from businesses like yours. Marketing Agency News has a business relationship with AI Guys, which appears in this ranking.
The widest gap is senior attention and speed. AI Guys scores 10 out of 10 there and Workshop Digital scores 6. That check carries 25% of the overall score.
Both agencies get the same four checks, each scored from 0 to 10: proof of results (35%), senior attention and speed (25%), AI search readiness (20%), and accountability and identity (20%). The overall score is the weighted total. Each agency profile links the public sources behind its scores.
Ask both agencies who will do the work each week, and ask for case studies with numbers and dates. Then ask for the minimum term and who owns the site, the ad accounts, and the data if you leave. Get each answer in writing.
