Last Updated on September 18, 2025 by Ian Naylor
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, it’s redefining how search engines deliver information and how businesses need to optimize their digital presence. While traditional SEO remains critical, it no longer guarantees success in AI-driven search results. ChatGPT, Google’s AI Search Mode, Perplexity, and other large language models (LLMs) have introduced a new paradigm for search optimization that demands a more expansive strategy.
This article explores the essential steps and strategies you need to optimize for AI search and LLM results, based on insights from a detailed video on this critical topic. Whether you’re an SEO professional, digital marketer, or small business owner, this guide will help you adapt to the evolving digital landscape.
Why AI Search Optimization Isn’t Just Traditional SEO
Traditional SEO focuses on improving rankings in search engines like Google and Bing by targeting keywords, optimizing website content, and building backlinks. While these remain foundational practices, they don’t necessarily ensure visibility in AI-generated search results. AI search results are a complex synthesis of multiple data sources, including traditional search rankings, directory citations, social proof, and first-party content.
Key Insight: Success in AI search requires more than ranking well in Google – it demands visibility across multiple platforms, directories, and content types.
The Critical Role of AI Search Results
AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Search Mode don’t just pull data from traditional search engines. They aggregate information from a variety of sources, including first-party websites, third-party directories, and even social media platforms. This creates opportunities for brands to show up in different ways but also poses challenges for those relying solely on traditional SEO tactics.
Step 1: Audit Your AI Search Presence
The first step toward AI search optimization is understanding how your brand currently performs across AI-driven platforms. Here’s how to conduct a thorough audit:
- Test Queries Across AI Platforms: Run targeted queries related to your business, services, or products on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Search Mode.
- Analyze Brand Mentions: Identify whether your brand appears as a citation or in response summaries. If it doesn’t, note the gaps.
- Identify Key Directories: Pay attention to the third-party platforms frequently cited in AI results, such as Yelp, Angie, and Better Business Bureau.
By auditing your AI presence, you can identify where you’re visible, where you aren’t, and the sources AI platforms prioritize.
Step 2: Strengthen Your Third-Party Citations
Third-party citations play a significant role in AI search results. In many cases, LLMs rely on these external sources to validate and synthesize their responses.
Focus on High-Priority Directories
Based on the video content, 72% of third-party citations in AI queries come from directories. The most frequently cited platforms include:
- Yelp
- Angie
- Better Business Bureau
- Home Guide
To perform well in AI search, ensure your business is accurately listed and optimized on these directories. Here’s how:
- Create or Update Your Profiles: Ensure your business’s name, address, phone number (NAP), and website URL are consistent across all directories.
- Enhance Profiles With Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as these are often factored into AI-generated results.
- Add High-Quality Photos and Descriptions: Make your listings comprehensive and visually appealing.
Pro Tip: Focus on platforms that dominate your industry or vertical. For example, plumbers should prioritize directories related to local home services.
Step 3: Build Out First-Party Content
First-party content – material you publish on your own website – can significantly improve your visibility across AI platforms. According to the video, 43% of AI citations come from first-party sources. This represents a massive opportunity to control your narrative and establish authority.
Best Practices for First-Party Content
- Create Service-Specific Landing Pages: Build localized and service-specific pages for each offering. For example, a Chesterfield plumber could create pages like "Toilet Repair in Chesterfield" or "Water Line Installation Costs in Chesterfield."
- Publish Data-Driven Posts: AI platforms prioritize unique, original data. Use internal business data to publish statistics or insights not available elsewhere. For example, "Average Plumbing Costs in Chesterfield in 2025" could serve as citation bait for AI models.
- Cluster Content Around Core Topics: Develop content clusters to support high-priority commercial pages. For example:
- A blog post titled "17 Common Plumbing Issues in Chesterfield" could support a service page for plumbing repair.
- A resource guide on "How to Prevent Water Line Breaks" could add authoritative context.
Key Tip: Use natural language processing (NLP) tools to identify related keywords and questions your audience is searching for. Build dedicated pages or blog posts around these gaps.
Step 4: Optimize for On-Page SEO and AI Relevance
While AI search optimization extends beyond traditional SEO, the foundational practices of on-page SEO are still critical. Pages that appear in AI results consistently demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Keyword Optimization: Include primary keywords in the URL, title, meta description, first sentence, and H2 tags.
- Comprehensive Content: Cover topics deeply and answer all potential user questions. Use NLP insights to structure your content.
- Data Markup: Use structured data (schema) to help search engines and LLMs understand your content.
Additionally, AI platforms favor fresh, high-quality data. Regularly update your pages with new insights or findings to remain relevant.
Step 5: Broaden Your Platform Presence
AI tools create "soup-like" responses by aggregating multiple data sources. To improve your chances of being cited, expand your presence across these platforms:
- Social Media: While only 12% of citations come from social platforms, they still play a role in AI results. Keep your profiles active and professional.
- Reddit and Forums: Participate in industry-relevant discussions to build authority.
- Google Business Profiles (GBP): Optimize your GBP for local queries. Most AI-driven local search results heavily rely on Google’s local pack.
Being visible across multiple platforms increases your chances of being included in AI-generated answers and citations.
Step 6: Prioritize Holistic Search Everywhere Optimization
The future of search isn’t limited to traditional engines or AI platforms; it’s about being discoverable everywhere. Whether it’s a Google search, a ChatGPT response, or a citation in Perplexity, your goal should be to create a seamless, omnichannel presence.
The Big Takeaway
"Search Everywhere Optimization" is not just a buzzword but a necessary strategy in today’s digital ecosystem. The brands that thrive will be those that embrace a multi-platform approach and consistently fill gaps in their online presence.
Key Takeaways
- AI Search Optimization is Distinct from SEO: Traditional SEO alone won’t guarantee AI search visibility. Broaden your strategy to include directories, social proof, and first-party content.
- Audit Your Performance: Regularly test your brand’s visibility across various AI platforms to identify opportunities and gaps.
- Leverage Third-Party Platforms: Ensure your business is listed and optimized on high-impact directories like Yelp, Angie, and Better Business Bureau.
- Invest in First-Party Content: Build localized, service-specific pages and publish unique data that AI models prefer to cite.
- Apply On-Page SEO Principles: Use traditional SEO practices like keyword-rich titles and comprehensive content to enhance AI relevance.
- Be Everywhere: Expand your presence across social media, Google Business Profiles, and relevant forums to strengthen your AI signals.
- Focus on Topic Authority: Create content clusters and additional pages to cover all potential user intents and keyword variants.
By implementing these strategies, you can position your brand as a leader across both traditional and AI-driven search ecosystems.
Conclusion
The rise of AI in search is both a challenge and an opportunity for SEO professionals and digital marketers. While it requires rethinking traditional SEO approaches, it also opens new doors for visibility and engagement. By embracing this new era of search optimization, you can ensure your brand remains competitive and visible across all platforms. Optimize for AI search – your digital future depends on it.
Source: "The Truth About AI SEO" – Nathan Gotch, YouTube, Aug 12, 2025 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfc5AZdNAwk
Use: Embedded for reference. Brief quotes used for commentary/review.
