AI search isn’t coming – it’s already here. From ChatGPT and Perplexity to Google’s AI Overviews, large language models (LLMs) are changing the way people find, use and trust online content.
That shift means businesses can’t rely on traditional SEO alone. To stay visible, you need to show up not just in search engine rankings – but in AI-generated answers. And that’s where LLM Optimisation comes in.
That shift means businesses can’t rely on traditional SEO alone. To stay visible, you need to show up not just in search engine rankings – but in AI-generated answers. And that’s where LLM Optimisation comes in.
You may have seen our recent blog on ranking in LLMs where we explored the rise of LLM-led search and explained how AI visibility works differently to classic SEO. But what does that actually mean in practice?
In this blog, we’ll take a deeper dive into how LLM Optimisation compares with SEO, and what needs to change in the way we research, structure and present content to meet the demands of AI search.
We’ll cover:
- What LLM Optimisation is – and how it works
- How research, sources and schema need to adapt
- What pitfalls to avoid when targeting AI search
- And why a combined approach still offers the best results
Let’s start with a quick recap.
LLM Optimisation vs SEO – what’s the difference?
| SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) | LLM Optimisation (Large Language Model Optimisation) |
| Optimises content for search engine rankings (mainly Google) | Optimises content to appear in AI-generated answers (e.g. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google SGE) |
| Aims to rank pages in organic search results | Aims to have content cited, quoted, or used as a source by AI tools |
| Relies on Google’s core ranking factors: content quality, backlinks, user signals, technical SEO | Relies on how AI interprets trust signals, clarity, authority, and structure |
| Prioritises keyword targeting, metadata, on-page structure | Prioritises topic coverage, sentence clarity, structured blocks, and citations |
| Success = higher positions in search results | Success = content used, linked or mentioned in AI answers |
| Tools: Google Search Console, GA4, keyword research tools | Tools: AI search tools (e.g. Perplexity), content clarity and EEAT audits, brand visibility trackers |
A quick recap: what is SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your website so it shows up more prominently in traditional search engine results – particularly on Google.
It involves:
- Creating high-quality, relevant content
- Using the right keywords in the right places
- Structuring your pages clearly and effectively
- Earning backlinks from trustworthy sites
- Making sure your site is technically sound and easy to navigate
When done right, SEO helps search engines understand your content, rank it appropriately, and deliver it to users when they search for related topics.
It’s still one of the most powerful ways to get found online – and it’s not going away. But with AI changing how people access information, SEO on its own is no longer enough.
What is LLM Optimisation – and how does it work?
LLM Optimisation is about making your content more visible in AI-generated answers.
Instead of trying to rank a webpage in Google, the goal is to have your content cited, quoted, or summarised by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews.
That means shifting your focus from keywords and rankings to clarity, credibility, and structure.
Large language models don’t “rank” content in the traditional sense. Instead, they pull from a wide range of sources they deem trustworthy, relevant, and easy to interpret. These models are trained on vast datasets, often including public web pages, structured data, and other high-authority content.
To show up in those answers, your content needs to:
- Be clearly written and easy to summarise
- Show strong trust signals (like author bios, external citations and brand reputation)
- Include real-world insight and evidence (not vague generalities)
- Be structured in a way that AI can easily extract key information
💡 Tip: Think about how your content might be quoted in an answer box or summary. Would a single paragraph or list from your page give a confident, clear response to a user’s question?
LLM optimisation vs SEO: what really changes?
If you’re already investing in SEO, you’ve got a strong foundation. But optimising for large language models means looking at your content through a different lens – and making some key shifts in your strategy.
Here’s where things change:
1. Research: From keyword targeting to topical authority
Traditional SEO starts with keyword research – identifying the phrases your audience is searching for and building content around those terms.
LLM Optimisation starts with intent. What are people really trying to understand? What questions do they want answered? AI tools don’t just match keywords – they summarise concepts.
This means your content needs to show clear depth, structure, and understanding of the topic.
✅ Instead of… writing one article per keyword
✅ Try… building a cluster of interlinked content that answers related questions and shows topical depth
💡 Tip: Use tools like AlsoAsked, Perplexity or ChatGPT to explore the real questions people are asking in your niche – and build structured, helpful content around those.
2. Sources: From backlinks to trust signals
In SEO, backlinks still matter. A link from a reputable site can boost your authority and help you rank higher.
In LLMO, it’s more about being the source.
AI tools often draw from high-authority, publicly available content – but they prioritise pages that feel credible, recent, and clearly written.
This includes things like:
- External citations to trusted sites
- Author bios that show expertise
- Mentions in third-party sources or directories
- Real data, examples and case studies
- Clean, consistent branding across your site
LLMs are also influenced by where your content has appeared off-site – so digital PR, expert interviews, and guest features all contribute to your visibility in AI-generated answers.
✅ Instead of… chasing backlinks for SEO value alone
✅ Try… becoming the quoted expert in your field – and showing why your insights are worth including
3. Schema and structure: From search signals to extractable content
Schema markup has always helped search engines understand your content. It still matters – but in LLMO, structure goes beyond code.
AI tools favour content that’s clear, skimmable and extractable. That means:
- Short paragraphs and bulleted lists
- Clear subheadings (in plain English)
- Defined sections that answer common questions
- FAQs, takeaways, quotes and stats
- Author and organisation schema where appropriate
You’re not just helping Google – you’re helping AI models find the bit they want to quote.
✅ Instead of… long-form content with buried insights
✅ Try… modular content with clearly signposted, reusable blocks
💡 Tip: Structure every blog as if it might be read by both a person and an AI assistant. Make it easy to scan, split, and share.
Common pitfalls in LLM Optimisation
LLM Optimisation is still a new discipline – and with that comes a lot of confusion, guesswork – and often a fair few half-baked tactics.
Here are some of the most common mistakes we see businesses make when trying to optimise for AI search:
Chasing citations without substance
Some agencies focus on being quoted at all costs, even if the content isn’t particularly helpful or relevant. But AI tools are getting better at spotting fluff. If your content lacks real value, it won’t get surfaced – even if it’s technically well-structured.
Over-optimising for AI instead of users
Clunky sentence structures, awkward phrasing and overly templated writing might work for crawlers – but not for credibility. Remember, humans still read AI-generated answers. If your content feels robotic, it won’t earn clicks or trust.
Relying solely on one-off tools
Prompting ChatGPT to “rewrite this for AI visibility” won’t cut it. LLM Optimisation is about a broader strategy – research, structure, evidence and authority – not just tweaking wording on a page.
Ignoring technical SEO
Just because LLMs don’t rank pages the same way doesn’t mean you can abandon the basics. A poorly structured site, broken links or missing schema can still undermine your visibility across all platforms. Not to mention annoying your visitors.
Treating LLMO as a replacement for SEO
LLM Optimisation complements SEO – it doesn’t replace it. If you focus only on AI, you risk losing visibility in Google’s core search results, which are still the backbone of organic traffic.
💡 Tip: Any agency offering “LLMO-only” strategies without solid SEO and content experience probably isn’t thinking long term.
Why you need both SEO and LLM optimisation
It’s easy to think of SEO and LLM Optimisation as two separate strategies. But in reality, they’re two sides of the same coin – and the best results come when they work together.
SEO still matters. Google’s traditional search results remain the main way people discover websites. Ranking well in organic search means more visibility, more traffic, and more opportunities to convert.
LLM Optimisation is about future-proofing. It helps your content show up in AI-generated responses, summaries and conversational tools – the places people are increasingly turning to for quick answers and trusted recommendations.
Together, they form a holistic search strategy that covers both human and AI-led discovery. One strengthens the other.
- SEO builds your foundation – technical strength, content quality, site authority
- LLMO builds your reach – trust signals, quotable content, topic coverage
- Both are built on clarity, credibility, and content that serves your audience
💡 Tip: Don’t split your strategy. Blend it. That’s how we help our clients build visibility that lasts – wherever the search journey starts.
SEO and LLM optimisation: What Figment does differently
At Figment, we’re not chasing buzzwords. We combine trusted, human-led SEO fundamentals with forward-thinking AI strategies. This way, our clients’ content performs across both traditional search and AI-powered discovery.
Here’s how we make that work in practice:
1. Strategy comes first
We begin with a deep dive into your competitive landscape and search visibility, across both Google and AI platforms.
From there, we build a content strategy that aligns with your business goals and reflects the questions your audience is already asking.
2. Content for real people
Every piece of content is written for real people, but optimised so it shows up where it matters most.
Whether it’s a blog, landing page, product description or e-book, we craft it with both usability and AI visibility in mind.
3. Smart structure and schema
We use clean, human-readable writing and the right schema markup to improve your chances of appearing in featured snippets, map packs, carousels, and AI answers alike.
4. Prompt optimisation – without the tech nonsense
We shape the way AI tools interpret your content through natural phrasing, consistent framing, and carefully signposted sections, without forcing your content into robotic templates.
5. Flexible creation backed by smart systems
We pair in-house SEO know-how with trusted freelance storytellers and our proven workflows. That lets us keep content impactful, well-structured, and evolving as search platforms do.
6. A one-to-one partnership – not just another agency
We’re not a one-size-fits-all digital agency. We work closely alongside our clients with honest communication, proactive support and proven strategies built with long-term results in mind – not short-term boosts.
In short: with Figment, you get a modern, blended approach that’s built to help you rank today, and stay trusted into the future.
LLM Optimisation vs SEO: Why the smartest strategy blends both
Search is changing – and it’s changing fast. While SEO still plays a vital role in getting your brand seen, AI-generated answers are becoming a growing part of how people discover and trust businesses online.
The key? Don’t choose between them.
SEO and LLM Optimisation work best when they work together – combining structure, substance and credibility to build visibility in all the places your audience is searching.
At Figment, we help expert-led businesses adapt to the new search landscape with a human-first, results-driven approach. That means smart SEO foundations, clear content strategy, and trust signals that work for both search engines and AI tools.
Want to make sure your business shows up – whether it’s Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity or any other online platform?
Talk to Figment today about building a strategy that blends SEO and AI optimisation, and gets you found where it matters most.
