Published on: July 21, 2025 / update from: July 21, 2025 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
Llmo / geo | What about traditional search engine optimization for brand visibility in the age of AI? – Image: Xpert.digital
Only 37.4% of Google searches in the USA result in clicks on external websites
Future of the search results: Why do companies have to rethink now
The era of classic SEO, in which companies only optimized for Google, is coming to an end. Traditional SEO was based on keyword placement, backlink structure and technical website optimization for decades to rank in the search results. But with the advent of Large Language Models (LLMS) such as Chatgpt, Perplexity and Google's Ai Overviews, digital marketing is fundamentally changing.
The numbers speak a clear language: only 37.4% of Google searches in the USA result in clicks on external websites. At the same time, 13.14% of all searches are already equipped with AI overviews, and growth of 30-150% is shown by companies that optimize LLMs. This development means a paradigmatic change from pure ranking optimization towards optimization for AI-based answers.
What exactly is LLM optimization and how does it differ from traditional SEO?
Large Language Model Optimization (LLMO), also referred to as a generative engine optimization (GEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), describes the strategic preparation of digital content for AI systems. While traditional SEO aims to generate website traffic through higher rankings, LLMO concentrates on the fact that content is understood, extracted, extracted and cited in generated answers.
The fundamental difference is in the optimization destination: SEO focuses on website rankings and clicks, while LLMO is geared towards fire mentions and quotes in AI answers. LLMs are based on entities such as brands, products and topics – not on URLs. This means that relevance is created by presence on many platforms, not just on your own website.
Suitable for:
Why do traditional SEO strategies fail in AI-driven search?
The basics of the traditional SEO are too short for AI-based search systems, since the type of content processing is fundamentally different. While search engines rate websites based on keywords and backlinks, LLMS analyze content semantically and understand context, intent and thematic relationships.
LLMS prefer structured, easy -to -understand content with clear answers to specific questions. They attach particular importance to source quality and authority, preferring sources such as Wikipedia or structured data records. The traditional keyword optimization is replaced by natural, conversational language, since users with AI systems are more likely to communicate in entire sentences.
In addition, 95% of the AI-Citation behavior cannot be explained by website traffic metrics, and 97.2% not by backlink profiles. This means that the traditional SEO authority signals in the AI world lose importance.
What specific strategies do LLM-optimized content require?
Successful LLMO strategies are based on several core principles that go beyond traditional SEO approaches. First of all, content must be structured in such a way that they are easy to understand for AI systems. This includes clear headings, concise answers and structured data award.
Content strategy for LLMS
Companies should create detailed, comprehensive content that includes at least 1,500-2,000 words and completely answer specific questions. It is important to provide quoted content that is well structured, with sources and formulated concisely. FAQ sections and conversational headings that sound like real user requests increase the likelihood of AI.
Suitable for:
Technical optimization
At the technical level, websites for AI crawlers should be optimized that are often “easier” on the move than traditional search engine bots. Static, clean HTML structures without JavaScript-dependent content are ideal. Schema-Markup and structured data help LLMS to “read” websites such as knowledge graphs.
Cross-platform presence
Since LLMS aggregates LLMS from various sources, a consistent presence on several platforms is crucial. This not only includes your own website, but also mentions in thematically suitable articles, lists, forums such as Reddit and Quora as well as presence on platforms such as Wikipedia.
How does the Zero-Click era influence user behavior and brand visibility?
The zero-click era fundamentally changed the search behavior. About 80% of consumers rely on “Zero-Click” results in at least 40% of their search queries. This leads to an estimated decline in organic web traffic by 15-25%. At the same time, generative AI traffic is growing by an impressive 1,200% between July 2024 and February 2025.
However, this development does not mean the end of brand visibility, but requires a realignment of the strategy. Trademarks are now just as valuable as clicks. For example, if Chatgpt mentioned asana, Monday.com and notation directly in the answer when asked about the “best project management tools”, these brands receive massive visibility without users visiting their websites.
Brand Authority Building
In the Zero-Click era, Brand Authority becomes the most important currency. Companies have to establish themselves as trustworthy sources that are classified as quoted by AI systems. This requires the establishment of real expertise through original research, case studies and first-hand experiences.
Suitable for:
Which industries and companies already benefit from LLMO strategies?
Various industries already show successful LLMO implementations. The software company Logikcull already recorded in June 2023 that 5% of all leads were generated via Chatgpt, which corresponds to a monthly subscription turnover of almost $ 100,000. Companies like Surfer SEO appear regularly in LLM answers when asked about content optimization tools.
B2B sector
B2B companies in particular benefit from LLMO, as up to 72% of B2B buyers encounter AI overviews during their research. At the same time, 90% of the users still click on quoted sources to verify information that B2B brands continue to offer traffic chances.
Suitable for:
E-commerce and retail
In the e-commerce sector, platforms such as perplexity already use structured product comparisons. When users are looking for children's tooth creams, Perplexity creates tables of the best products based on test results. Brands that appear in such overviews benefit from qualified traffic with high conversion rates.
How can companies build their brand presence in various LLM platforms?
The establishment of a successful LLM presence requires a platform-specific strategy, since different AI systems have different source preferences. Chatgpt cites 47.9% Wikipedia content as well as traditional media and technology-oriented websites. Google's AI Overviews use 21% Reddit content and 18.8% YouTube videos. Perplexity shows a more balanced distribution between professional and consumer -oriented sources.
Wikipedia optimization
Wikipedia represents a significant part of the LLM training data. Companies should ensure that their brand information on Wikipedia is precise and helpful. Each LLM is trained on Wikipedia content, which is why this platform is decisive for brand visibility.
Reddit and community platforms
User-generated content (UGC) on platforms such as Reddit and Quora is highly rated by LLMS. Companies should ensure that your brand is mentioned in helpful answers and discussions without spaming or forcing.
Earned Media and Digital PR
The strategic use of Earned Media is crucial for LLMO success. Mounting in thematically suitable articles, industry publications and trustworthy forums increase visibility in the AI context, whereby the domain authority is secondary.
Which measurements and KPIs are relevant for LLMO success?
LLMO's success measurement requires new metrics that go beyond traditional SEO KPIs. Instead of focusing exclusively on keyword rankings and organic traffic, companies have to implement AI-specific metrics.
Primary LLMO metrics
- AI mentions monitoring: persecution of brand mention in AI-generated answers about tools such as Profound, Oterlly and Scrunch
- Referral Traffic of AI tools: Analysis of website traffic from sources such as chatt, perplexity and claude via Google Analytics 4
- Brand Share of Voice: Measurement of the brand content in generative search results compared to competitors
- Citation frequency: Tracking, how often content is cited in LLM answers
Secondary indicators
Since direct LLMO measurements are still limited, companies use proxy indicators such as Branded Search Volume, Long-Tail Keyword Tracking and Lead Quality Metrics. The growth of the backlink profile of AI training sources (Wikipedia, Reddit, Quora) and on the left of Topical Authority websites also signal LLMO success.
What technical requirements are required for successful LLM optimization?
The technical infrastructure for LLMO differs significantly from traditional SEO requirements. AI crawlers often work with “lighter” requirements than traditional search engine bots, but prefer clearly structured, semantically rich content.
Structured Data and Scheme Markup
Comprehensive scheme Markup is essential for LLMO because it helps AI systems to interpret websites such as knowledge of knowledge. Localbusiness, service, product, FAQ and HowTo scheme are particularly valuable for AI visibility. These structured data offer context that can improve the visibility of URLS in Ai-Engines.
Content architecture
A modular content architecture is crucial for RAG processes (retrieval-Augmented generation). Contents must be structured in semantically related blocks that can extract and cite AI systems individually. Clear hierarchies with H1-H6 headings and logical content structures significantly improve the visibility.
API accessibility
The provision of public APIs for website content can increase visibility in LLM systems. Traditional SEO techniques such as clean URL structures and optimized loading times remain relevant, since many LLMs continue to take these quality signals into account.
How does the LLM landscape develop by 2026 and beyond?
The future of LLM optimization indicates further acceleration of the AI integration into all aspects of digital marketing. Market forecasts show that LLMS will conquer 15% of the search market by 2028, while the global LLM market should grow by 36% between 2024 and 2030.
Technological developments
Google's Deep Search in AI Mode and the introduction of Gemini 2.5 show the direction of technological development. These systems can process hundreds of search queries in parallel and create expert level reports in minutes. The development of personalized AI overviews that adapt to individual user preferences will require new optimization approaches.
Platform diversification
The future belongs to a decentralized search landscape in which discovery takes place via multiple interfaces. In addition to Google, platforms such as Tikok (40% of the respondents) and Chatgpt (56% of the respondents) become more important as discovery channels. This development requires omnichannel marketing strategies that cover all relevant touchpoints.
What does this mean specifically for marketing strategies and budget allocation?
The transformation to the LLM era requires a fundamental realignment of the marketing budgets and strategies. While traditional SEO remains relevant, companies increasingly have to invest in LLMO-specific measures.
Budget shifts
Companies should reduce 20-30% of their SEO budgets for LLMO measures, including content structure, schema implementation and cross-platform presence structure. Investments in Brand Authority Building through Digital PR and Expert Content Creation are becoming increasingly important than pure link building campaigns.
Skill development
Marketing teams have to develop new skills that go beyond traditional SEO. This includes an understanding of AI systems, prompt engineering and the ability to optimize content for semantic processing. The cooperation between PR, content and SEO teams becomes essential because LLMs learn from all corners of the web.
ROI consideration
The first LLMO implementations show ROI improvements of 20-30% of companies that integrate AI into their marketing decisions. The long-term investment in Brand Authority and Entity Recognition pays off through improved visibility in the growing AI search landscape.
The transformation from SEO to LLMO is not just a technical adaptation, but a strategic paradigm shift that defines the future of digital brand visibility. Companies that recognize this development early and act accordingly will keep the upper hand in the AI-driven future of digital marketing.
Suitable for:
Your global marketing and business development partner
☑️ Our business language is English or German
☑️ NEW: Correspondence in your national language!
Konrad Wolfenstein
I would be happy to serve you and my team as a personal advisor.
You can contact me by filling out the contact form or simply call me on +49 89 89 674 804 (Munich) . My email address is: wolfenstein ∂ xpert.digital
I'm looking forward to our joint project.