How LLM Optimization Differs from SEO
Brands have always sought to improve their visibility across every platform, from Google Search to social media to email inboxes. Now, AI tools have entered the picture, offering a new way for users to discover brands and products.
With ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other tools becoming increasingly popular and used alongside (sometimes replacing) traditional search engines, AI search visibility has never been more valuable and attainable. Enter LLM optimization.
In this guide, we’ll:
- Highlight the goals and processes of LLM and Organic Search optimization
- Identify key differences and areas of overlap between the two strategies
- Discuss ways brands can use SEO for LLM to increase their AI visibility
What Is LLM Optimization?
LLM optimization (LLMO) helps ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and AI-powered search features discover, feature, and cite your content. It shares many of the same principles as Generative Engine Optimization, focusing on shaping how these tools understand, prioritize, and present your site’s content.
What Goes Into LLM Optimization?
- Technical Optimizations: Indexability, crawlability, site performance
- On-Page Extractability: Proper heading hierarchy, clear structure, direct answers
- AI Content Strategy: Intent mapping, FAQs, How-Tos, and decision-supporting content
- Authority Building: Sourced claims, citations, and demonstration of topical authority
What Is Traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO is the process of optimizing a website to improve its Organic Search rankings. Organic Search strategies have long been a cost-effective way to enhance a brand’s online visibility, driving traffic and conversions. The primary goal is to rank highly for relevant, high-intent keywords.
What Goes Into Organic Search Optimization?
- Technical SEO: Site performance, crawlability, architecture
- On-Page Optimizations: Titles, headings, internal link structure
- Content Strategy: Product descriptions, blog posts, keyword mapping
- Link Building: Authority building, content syndication, backlinks
How Are LLMO and SEO Different?
While they share a similar goal of improving a brand’s visibility, LLMO and SEO differ in several key ways, most notably in the optimization work behind each strategy, how success is measured, and the primary goals.
Goals: Clicks vs. Inclusion
- SEO: Improve Organic Search rankings, leading to better search visibility and increased clicks
- LLMO: Inclusion and citation in AI answers delivered by ChatGPT, Google Gemini, AI Overviews, and others
The primary benefit of investing in Organic Search is the ability to appear in front of motivated searchers. Every click is a chance to make a sale, and Organic Search is far more cost-effective over time compared to paid media.
LLM SEO shares a similar visibility goal, but the end result might not always be a click. Instead, it’s about building your brand awareness and establishing trust with users.
Success Metrics: Rankings vs. Citations
- SEO: The higher the Organic Search ranking, the better, especially for high-value commercial intent keywords
- LLMO: The more AI tools cite your brand, the more you put yourself in front of relevant audiences.
SEO and LLMO utilize different success metrics. While you may closely monitor the keywords your site ranks for and how highly you rank in SEO, in LLMO, brands monitor how often they appear in AI search results, the quality of those mentions, and direct business impacts.
Content Creation: Pages vs. Passages
- SEO: The entire page has value, encompassing content, UX, and internal links.
- LLMO: AI systems pull smaller passages of text directly related to a user’s question or topic. These passages can typically stand alone without context from the rest of the page.
Traditionally, website pages are written as the best destination for a given search query, whether someone is shopping for a product or looking for an in-depth product guide. In LLMO, however, you want to provide the best extractable answer for a given question, typically related to your products or services.
Strategy: Keywords vs. Intent Resolution
- SEO: Targeting specific keywords based on relevance, volume, and difficulty, and then creating content around them.
- LLMO: Identifying a user's intent and then crafting content that provides a clear and final resolution, such as answering a question or comparing different products.
Keywords have long been the building blocks of any successful Organic Search strategy. Keywords still matter in Organic Search, but LLMO requires marketers to think beyond the query and instead focus on the questions their audience might ask an AI chatbot.
Optimizations: Relevance vs. Extractability
- SEO: Content and websites are optimized for relevance and authority signals to support higher Organic Search rankings.
- LLMO: Content is optimized to be crawled, trusted, and retrieved by AI chatbots.
While Google and other search engines reward relevant and authoritative sites, AI tools reward content that is easily understandable and trustworthy enough to be used (and reused) in user answers. All of the core tenets of Google E-E-A-T still apply; however, vague, overly promotional content may not perform as well in LLMs as it might in Search.
Can Organic Search and LLM Optimization Work Together?
Yes, LLMO and SEO strategies can be combined to ensure your brand is visible across all major search and discovery platforms.
While the two may differ in how they surface content, both require a clear strategy, high-quality content, and on-page technical optimizations.
Think of it this way: SEO makes you eligible for LLM retrieval, while LLMO improves your chances of appearing within real-world answers and conversations.
Here are a few tips to start using SEO for LLM optimization.
Start with Revenue-Driving Pages
From product pages to buying guides, if a page generates leads or revenue, it should be optimized for both Organic Search and LLMs.
- Select your top 10 to 20 pages based on views, leads, or conversions.
- Identify pages or passages that answer direct, high-intent questions or assist in making a decision.
- Add internal links to relevant blog posts, product guides, or other informational content to strengthen the page’s discoverability.
Write Clear, Authoritative Content
Once you’ve identified your priority pages, ensure that there is sufficient content on these pages to make them worth being crawled, indexed, retrieved, and cited.
- Use key terms within the first two to three sentences and define them where it feels relevant and natural.
- Implement a question-answer structure to support the overall topic, including follow-up questions a user may have.
- Add source links, case studies, or other applicable data to build credibility.
Be Direct with Answers and Advice
While we all love a cleverly-written blog post, AI values clarity and direction. Don’t beat around the bush and get to the point quickly.
- Provide a clear, tangible answer shortly after presenting a question.
- Adjust the formatting for scannability by utilizing bullets, strategic line breaks, and numbered steps.
- Incorporate decision-support blocks (Use X when, X vs. Y, avoid X when Y, etc.)
Implement All Technical Optimizations
If your site is already technically sound from an SEO perspective, you’re ahead of the curve. Technical LLM SEO is fairly similar, with a greater emphasis on structured data and site hierarchy.
- Ensure your pages are crawlable and indexable
- Utilize descriptive titles and headings with appropriate tags
- Add structured data to help AI systems understand a page’s purpose (Product, HowTo, FAQPage, etc.)
- Add and strengthen internal links to connect relevant pages of your site
Keep Your Content Fresh
If an LLM retrieves and cites your content, it’s crucial that it’s up to date with the latest product and pricing information. Google’s algorithms have long favored fresh content, and LLMs are the same.
- Conduct periodic content audits to ensure that information is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant.
- Add “Last Updated” notes where appropriate for content covering fast-moving topics.
- Periodically refresh statistics, graphics, and recommendations.
Partner with VELOX for Organic Search and LLM Optimization
Whether you’re targeting Organic Search or LLMs, visibility is the primary goal. As user discovery expands beyond traditional search and social media, now is an ideal time to incorporate LLMO practices into your overall marketing strategy.
Contact us today to learn more about our GEO services and how we’re leveraging our experience in Organic Search to help brands appear in AI Overviews, ChatGPT answers, and other AI features.
