How to optimize for AI search: 12 proven LLM visibility tactics

One of the biggest SEO challenges right now isn’t AI. It’s the irresponsible misinformation surrounding it.

SEO isn’t dying — it’s evolving. That means it’s on us to understand how the industry is changing, and to be careful about who we listen to.

I’m not easily shocked, but some of the AEO (or GEO) talks I’ve seen over the past year have been genuinely eyebrow-raising — even for someone with Botox.

I still remember one speaker telling a room full of marketers they were “sorry for anyone still working in SEO,” then immediately recommending outdated tactics as the “secret sauce” for LLM visibility. It’s been… painful.

Thankfully, the adults have entered the room. This week, four of the industry’s most trusted voices — Lily Ray, Kevin Indig, Steve Toth, and Ross Hudgens — came together for a roundtable on the future of search. It was easily the most useful AEO session I’ve attended. Each shared specific tactics they’ve personally used to achieve LLM visibility.

Here’s what they had to say.

1. Advertorials work

LLMs don’t currently distinguish between paid and organic editorial. That means well-placed advertorials on reputable publishers can help brands show up in AI search, much like earned coverage. As with traditional PR, the publication’s credibility still matters most.

2. Syndication can scale visibility

Paid syndication can increase reach, but quality matters more than quantity. Focus on reputable, relevant publications and use this tactic carefully.

3. Map pages to every audience and use case you serve

Brands that create clearly defined pages for each audience, industry, and use case are better positioned as AI search becomes more personalized. This structure helps LLMs understand relevance and remains a strong SEO practice, with or without AI.

4. Homepage clarity

Your homepage should clearly communicate who you serve and what you do. LLMs parse homepage content far more easily than navigation menus, so relying on your nav to explain your offering is a missed opportunity.

5. Optimize your footer

Don’t overlook your footer. Brand and service signals placed here are being picked up by LLMs. Wil Reynolds shared a great case study showing how footer content can directly influence AI visibility.

6. Don’t prioritize llm.txt

Despite the speculation, no major LLM has confirmed using llm.txt files, and Google has explicitly said it does not. Your time and effort are better spent elsewhere.

7. Go multimodal

Repurpose your core content across text, video, audio, and imagery. The goal is to build brand recognition across the full range of sources an LLM may pull from.

8. Actively shape your brand narrative

Actively shape your brand narrative. It’s estimated that 250 documents are needed to meaningfully influence how an LLM perceives a brand. Brands that don’t publish and promote content consistently risk letting others define that narrative for them.

9. Freshness carries disproportionate weight

Recent content tends to perform especially well in AI search, reflecting LLMs’ preference for up-to-date information. That said, artificial “refreshing” without meaningful updates is a bad idea.

10. Social works fast

Posts on platforms like LinkedIn—including Pulse articles—can appear in AI search within hours, sometimes minutes, especially for accounts with strong followings. Reddit, YouTube, and other high-trust platforms show similar behavior.

11. Authority accelerates inclusion

Publishing on respected, niche industry sites can lead to rapid inclusion in LLM responses — sometimes within hours.

12. Don’t hide FAQs

FAQs should be visible and substantial, not hidden behind accordions. Don’t hold back on content either— eight to 10 well-answered questions can clearly signal expertise, intent, and relevance to both users and LLMs.

Is AEO the same as SEO? 

This much-debated question was addressed directly by John Mueller at Google Search Live in December. Putting the AEO cowboys in their place, he made it clear that good AEO still relies on good SEO:

• “AI systems rely on search. and there is no such thing as GEO or AEO without doing SEO fundamentals. Tricks will come out and they will work for a short time, companies that want to be around for the long term should focus on something that is proven with long term stability and not tricks.” 

The overlap makes sense when you look at how modern LLMs like GPT-5 actually work. They use Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Rather than relying only on frozen training data, RAG lets an LLM query search engines and trusted sources in real time before answering.

Put simply: if you want LLM visibility, you need to show up in search first.

• Lily Ray has an excellent video explaining this process in more detail, which is well worth watching.

So yes, good AEO is good SEO — but there’s nuance. The tactics above work right now, but they will inevitably evolve as LLMs continue to advance.

The best AI search strategy for 2026

Forget the magic button. Keep testing. Stay skeptical of the hype. And be selective about who you let into your ear — or your LinkedIn feed.

Thanks to Bernard Huang and Clearscope for hosting this excellent panel.

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