Effective Content Strategy for LLM SEO: Insights from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Beyond
In recent months, our digital marketing agency has seen encouraging growth through targeted SEO efforts. Since initiating our SEO campaigns in May and June, we’ve experienced a notable increase in impressions and click-through rates, signaling that our content is resonating with the right audiences.
However, as we continue to refine our approach, we’ve encountered some intriguing challenges related to leveraging Large Language Model (LLM) SEO strategies on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others. Specifically, our observations include:
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Dominance in Local Search Results
Our agency’s articles optimized for location-specific keywords are now ranking prominently, at times surpassing high Domain Rating directories for particular cities or regions. This indicates that well-structured, localized content can effectively compete in SERPs, even against established players. -
Limited Brand Visibility in AI Overviews
Although our content is being cited in Google’s AI-generated summaries and overviews, our brand name rarely appears. Despite applying common optimization techniques for LLM SEO, our presence in these AI-generated snippets remains limited, suggesting that current strategies might need adjustment to influence AI recognition effectively. -
Underrepresentation in ChatGPT Sourced Content
Similarly, our agency is occasionally referenced in ChatGPT responses for niche queries, yet we seldom see our brand explicitly recommended as a suggested agency. This points to a gap between being referenced as a source and being directly promoted or recommended within AI outputs.
Despite these challenges, it’s worth noting that we continue to benefit from referral traffic originating from these AI platforms, which has resulted in closing two new clients and securing an additional promising lead.
Strategic Considerations for LLM SEO Success
To address these issues and develop a robust Agency-Enabled Optimization (AEO) strategy, consider the following approaches:
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Enhance Brand Signal Strength
Focus on creating authoritative, branded content that explicitly answers common queries related to your niche. Incorporate brand mentions naturally within your content, and ensure your agency’s name, services, and unique value propositions are clear and consistent. -
Optimize for AI Recognition
Analyze the types of content and language that AI models like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews prefer. Use structured data, clear headings, and concise explanations. Engage with structured content formats like FAQs, how-to guides, and case studies that are more likely to be integrated into AI snippets. -
Build High-Quality, Localized Content
Continue to produce localized