Search is evolving rapidly. With AI transforming how we search, our businesses must reconsider how to plan for, invest in, and manage our search presence in the age of AI.

AI interprets and returns results differently. No longer do we scroll down the results to select the most relevant link; now, a curated set of results from a list of ‘authoritative’ sources is returned at the top of search engines or delivered directly and quickly on conversational AI platforms - ChatGPT, Bing AI, and Perplexity AI.

Traditional SEO strategies now compete with AI engines that provide direct, conversational responses. The latter offers a superior and faster experience, along with improved results. Improved? I believe so, as the outcomes are consolidated, curated, and structured. 

Our behaviour is changing, and tools like ChatGPT are reshaping how we seek answers. I recently overheard a colleague saying that they uploaded two images of the same tree — one showing a trunk that appeared infected, the other showing a seemingly healthy canopy — and asking, “Is the tree okay?”  Within a minute, ChatGPT returned a clear analysis, consolidating information from multiple sources. Doing this via traditional search would have meant scanning links, comparing advice, and piecing things together — a process most would abandon unless they got lucky early on.

We no longer want to sort through results; we want answers. AI tools like ChatGPT are setting a new standard for speed, context, and usability.

OpenAI has 3 million paying users (as of June 2025), an increase of a million from the February report, and is on track to surpass a billion weekly users. We have clearly and rapidly changed our search behaviour, and our businesses need to adapt as well.

So why does AI SEO matter?

Perhaps AI SEO should be more accurately described as Conversational AI SEO. 

AI SEO for Conversational AI platforms is the practice of optimising your content, architecture, and response logic so that Conversational AI tools can understand, retrieve, and serve your content effectively. As search evolves from traditional results pages to natural language interactions, the way content is discovered and delivered changes. Instead of scanning links with technical SEO, we are now increasingly asking questions and expecting direct, relevant answers. AI SEO now must ensure your business stays visible and trusted in this new search environment.

Conversational AI uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) to interpret our queries, both dynamically and in a structured way, through large language models (LLMs). These LLMs are trained to understand context, recognise nuance, and generate clear, coherent responses — without the need to sort through links, as with traditional search engines. They are designed to grasp the intent behind a query— the “why” —not just match keywords, delivering more relevant and useful answers.

“AI isn’t just changing how people search — it’s changing what they expect from search results,” Fergal McHugh, Head of Strategy, Arekibo. According to a Monster Insights report, 64% of B2B traffic comes from organic search. AI has already begun to eat into this share. “If your content isn’t optimised for conversational formats, you risk being invisible — even if you’re ranking well in classic search.”

Why GEO/LLMO SEO is a strategic advantage

GEO/LLMO SEO is a modern approach to search optimisation that focuses on visibility within AI-generated responses rather than traditional search engine rankings. GEO, or Generative Engine Optimisation, involves tailoring content for generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews. LLMO, short for Large Language Model Optimisation, is a subset of this strategy aimed at making content understandable, trustworthy, and referenceable by large language models. Together, GEO/LLMO SEO ensures that your content is accurately surfaced, cited, or summarised in AI-driven search experiences.

Locally-aware AI models are no longer optional. They are essential for brands operating across regions or industries with regulatory, linguistic or behavioural complexity. How we find businesses and services, especially in specific markets, will now also depend on whether your content reflects local intent and nuance. 

AI SEO isn’t a trend, it's the next optimisation frontier, allowing your business to speak clearly, confidently and locally in every market you serve. If your search strategy isn’t yet AI-aware or regionally tuned, you need to act.

Things to consider

Here are some things to consider when thinking about what SEO looks like for Conversational AI platforms:

• Structured data and semantic markup enhance your content’s ability to be interpreted and extracted by AI agents and language models.
• Answer-first content design on your website to clearly and concisely answer questions, improving your chances of being cited by generative engines.
• Tailoring your content to match the kinds of natural, question-based queries users type or speak — including “how,” “why,” and “near me” queries with query intent optimisation. 
• Fine-tuning your internal search tools with AI models to improve your own site’s conversational search, helping to find answers faster in help centres, intranets or product documentation.
• GEO/LLMO tuning for localised queries to enable conversational interfaces to return locally relevant results — essential for multi-region businesses or regulated industries.
• Integration with AI Assistants to enable your content to be referenced or used by platforms like Alexa, Siri, or ChatGPT, improving your visibility in emerging search interfaces.

And note, you still need a concerted traditional SEO strategy as you still need to be ranking in the Top 10, as AI won’t cite you if you’re not in Google’s top 10. 

Some food for thought as you consider your next steps. 

Get in touch to talk to us about how our SEO for AI can support your digital strategy.