People look for you using AI

When you search for your name on Google, you might see links to your LinkedIn profile, a few articles mentioning you, and perhaps a link to your company’s website. While this can be useful, it often requires a lot of clicking and reading to create a complete picture of who you are and what you do.

In contrast, when you use an LLM to search for your name (like ChatGPT or Perplexity), you’ll get a detailed summary of your professional achievements, current roles, and personal interests, all presented conversationally. This saves time and ensures that the most relevant information about you is front and center.

This shift in search dynamics presents a new challenge for maintaining your brand. Please make sure that LLMs have accurate and up-to-date information about you. Here are three key areas to focus on when you search for your name:

1. Is it you? And not someone else with the same or similar name.

2. Is it current? And not something from five years ago.

3. Is it relevant? Will it help you to achieve your next goal

For instance, let’s say you’re a recognized expert in digital marketing. When someone uses an LLM to search for your name, you want to ensure your experiences and articles from or about you appear. And that they are prominently associated with your key achievements and unique skills. If an LLM doesn’t mention this while looking for your name, you risk being overlooked by potential clients, collaborators, or search consultants.

LLM Optimization (LLMO) has become as crucial as traditional SEO. However, the algorithms behind LLMs prioritize different factors than conventional search engines. While SEO focuses on keywords, backlinks, and metadata, LLMs prioritize accurate and comprehensive responses derived from various content types, such as text, images, and videos.

A Harvard study highlighted the impact of strategically placed content. You can increase your visibility by strategically placing relevant information about your expertise across various platforms, such as Medium, WordPress, YouTube, etc.

The future of search is rapidly evolving, and with it, so are the strategies for personal branding. Those willing to adapt will thrive in this new AI landscape. Maarten Schafer Founder and Chief Storyteller, CoolBrands People LLM examples: ChatGPT – Perplexity – Google’s Search Generative Experience – Bing’s Copilot