How AI mentions are changing SEO (and what you need to do about it)

Today, we’re looking at LLMs mentions.

More specifically, how Google rankings directly affect brand mentions in AI answers.

AI is redefining ‘search’ as the way we once knew it.

People are turning to AI for answers.

And where there’s a platform allowing for Q&A’s, there’s opportunities for SEO.

Large language models (LLMs) through AI platforms such as ChatGPT are providing relevant brand mentions in response to associated questions.

Meaning that SEO has started to expand beyond traditional search engines.

Visibility in these LLMs mentions will become more and more important to brands.

Page 1 Google = AI brand mentions

Seer Interactive found a strong link between Google rankings and LLMs mentions.

Their study tested 10,000 questions across finance and SaaS industries, using ChatGPT-4’s API to track brand mentions.

The result?

Google search rankings played a very influential part (0.65 correlation).?

As did Bing, but a little less so (0.5–0.6 correlation).

Currently, optimising for search is also optimising for LLMs?

… which makes your job as an SEO easier??

Not exactly.

Correlation ≠ causation.

Just because they are related doesn’t mean rankings caused LLMS mentions.

SEO’s new approach: Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

Page 1 on Google isn’t the entire picture.

While Google rankings have an influential role…?

• Backlinks didn’t appear to make much of an impact.
• Multimodal content didn’t significantly boost mentions either.

The impact of backlinks and visuals were weak in comparison to #1 SERP rankings.

However, this is just the beginning of the study. There will be more to come.

Digital PR, partnerships and on-page SEO will be considered in future.

And if we’ve learnt anything so far in SEO, digital PR is big for brand visibility.

GEO and high-quality, relevant content.

The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

Just as SEO efforts value quality, relevant content, so will GEO.

The Seer Study shows solution-oriented websites are more likely to appear in LLM answers.

The study separated solution-focused websites (SaaS providers or service sites) from noise.

By removing noise (social media and forums such as Reddit), the stronger correlations for solution-oriented websites, which were more likely to appear in LLM answers.

Helpful content remains a priority.

What’s next?

We wait for larger studies encompassing digital PR, on-page factors and partnerships.

OpenAI partnerships, press releases, citation policies, content strategies, real-time updates, social media… the influences on LLMs are endless.

This is just the beginning.

Wait until we get into SEO for socials.

I’m just as excited as you to see how new ‘search’ engines will progress.

For now, let’s do our best to stay up-to-date.

Thanks for reading!

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