For years, the playbook for search visibility was simple: optimise for Google, climb the rankings, and watch the clicks roll in. But those days are quickly fading. Search behaviour is changing, and businesses that don’t adapt risk becoming invisible.
Large Language Models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Bing Copilot, are no longer just experiments. They’re transforming how people ask questions, discover information, and make decisions. How to implement SEO for LLMs is becoming a top concern.
That means if you want your brand to be seen, traditional SEO optimisations simply aren’t going to cut it. You need to rethink your SEO strategy for the age of AI; think of it as AIO, (Artificial Intelligence Optimisation).
Changing search trends: From ten blue links to zero clicks
Traditional search was built on the “ten blue links” model: a page of results where ranking higher meant more traffic. Our MD has often said, “the best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google”.
And you know what? It’s true. When did you last venture beyond the first page to find what you were looking for?
We, as users, didn’t realise how good we had it. Obviously, there were shake-ups to the search algorithms from time to time. But for the most part, things didn’t change too drastically. Then came the advent of AI.
Over time, components like featured snippets, knowledge panels, and “People Also Ask” boxes reduced the number of clicks going to websites.
We’ve all seen the ‘AI Overview’ box appear at the top of the page when we make a Google search. Since its introduction, this new AI feature has accelerated the demise of clicks through to websites that’ve worked hard to earn a page one position.
Ahead of giving users a simple list of links, AI-powered search often leads with a direct, conversational answer that pulls together information from multiple sources. For many users, that’s enough. They find what they need in the summary and never click through.
Google’s Gemini AI isn’t shown on every query, (Google still relies heavily on ads for revenue), but when it does appear, it sits above traditional results, and changes the way people interact with search.
That’s why so many businesses are seeing impressions rise while traffic falls. The rules have shifted: visibility is no longer just about rankings. It’s about being referenced, cited, and trusted inside AI-generated answers.
The rise of AI-first search
Of course, even with AI snippets and featured ads, there’s still a chance the search result for your webpage will catch someone’s eye, and you’ll get a cursory click-through. Especially if your website serves a purpose greater than providing information, such as running an online shop; then you’ll still get people visiting your website to complete an order.
That’s fine, as long as people are still using search engines to, well, search.
But even that might not be the case for much longer. LLMs have had an even greater impact on the trend of circumventing the top hits on SERPs, to the point that many users aren’t using search engines at all.
Younger users in particular are increasingly bypassing Google and Bing entirely, and instead are heading straight to sites like ChatGPT. A survey by Adobe revealed that 28% of Gen Z respondents now use ChatGPT as their first stop when they want information, rather than typing queries into Google.
Another study by HigherVisibility reveals that the share of general information searches via Google dropped from about 73% to 66.9% in just six months, while ChatGPT’s usage for similar searches shot up from 4.1% to 12.5%.
These numbers show that for many young people, AI tools aren’t just a backup; they’re becoming the default.
What is SEO for LLMs called?
You may be tempted to think of things in terms of ‘LLM vs SEO’, but the truth is, the two concepts aren’t completely separate. While it’s true that LLMs are changing SEO, both disciplines now overlap more than ever. In fact, there’s even a whole new discipline emerging where SEO and LLMs meet.
We’ve already mentioned AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimisation), but there are a few different names floating about for this new approach to SEO. After all, it’s early days, and we’re still defining the terminology.
Many simply use terms like SEO for LLMs or SEO in LLMs, but a growing consensus points towards Answer Engine Optimisation, or AEO, if you’re a fan of a snappy acronym. For many, AEO is the natural evolution of SEO for the age of LLMs.
For businesses, the distinction between AEO and SEO matters. SEO helps your content rank in traditional search results, while AEO ensures it’s structured clearly enough to be pulled into AI-driven answers. Done together, they maximise your visibility across both Google and generative AI tools.
The rise of LLMs: Why AI matters for your business
Search behaviour is evolving because users want fast, personalised, and context-aware answers. LLMs deliver just that. Whether someone asks “What’s the best CRM for small businesses in 2025?”, or “Which yoga studios near me are open right now?”, AI tools can give instant, detailed responses.
This shift has two major implications:
- Clicks are harder to earn. Even if you rank at the top with great SEO, AI answers sit above you; but,
- Visibility still matters. Being cited in an AI overview builds credibility and brand awareness, even if fewer people land directly on your site.
For many in the 18-24 age group, AI tools are part of daily life. According to one recent study, almost 40% of users in that age range report using AI chatbots or generative AI tools daily for information gathering; tasks they used to handle through search engines.
This isn’t just about curiosity; it reflects a fundamental comfort with conversational search, and an expectation of fast, curated responses.
And these habits don’t stay in people’s personal lives, they carry into their work. A growing share of younger professionals now bring AI assistants like Perplexity or ChatGPT into their B2B buying journey, asking them to summarise vendor options, compare features, or draft questions to take into sales calls.
That means the shift to AI isn’t just about consumer searches; it’s already influencing how business decisions are made. According to Forrester’s Buyers’ Journey Survey 2024, 89% of B2B buyers say they now use generative AI tools at every stage of the purchase process.
They consult Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, alongside vendor websites, social platforms, review sites, and industry associations to accelerate their decision-making. In other words, if your content isn’t optimised for LLMs, you risk being cut out of the buying journey before you’ve even had a chance to make your case.
Businesses are now exploring SEO and LLMs as complementary disciplines, with many experimenting in AEO, and structuring content so LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini can surface it directly in their answers.
What does this mean for businesses?
So, what does all this mean in practice? For businesses trying to stay visible online, the rise of AI-driven search has reshaped the rules of SEO. Traditional tactics that once guaranteed traffic no longer carry the same weight, and new challenges are emerging.
Content-only blogs are losing ground
Affiliate-heavy sites and generic “what is…” explainers are increasingly being pushed aside in favour of brands that can offer products, services, and, most importantly, original insights.
Fewer slots on page one
Where once page one meant ten blue links, today it’s often just six or seven. And those spaces are frequently taken by Reddit threads, Quora answers, and YouTube videos. That means fewer opportunities for traditional business websites to land on page one.
AI citations are unpredictable
AI overviews add another layer of uncertainty. They don’t always pull from the top-ranking results; in fact, it’s common to see content from page two, three, or even beyond being cited if it’s judged more relevant. That’s a very different dynamic from the old click-through model, (maybe those bodies aren’t as safe on page two as we once thought).
Legacy KPIs create a false sense of success
Many marketing teams continue to look at keyword rankings and raw pageviews to assess their performance. The problem is that these numbers no longer reflect how people actually search. Focusing on them now, when visibility and credibility depend on SEO optimisation for LLMs and AEO-friendly content, can give a misleading picture of success.
Trust is shifting to AI tools
Perhaps the most important change is about trust. Younger audiences, especially Gen Z, are increasingly comfortable turning to AI platforms for answers. Adobe research shows that while 36% of all respondents said they’d discovered a new brand or product through ChatGPT, that figure jumped to 47% among Gen Z. When discovery begins inside AI tools rather than on Google, the rules of visibility have changed for good.
The opportunities hidden in plain sight
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. While traditional traffic may be dropping, the shift to AI-driven search also opens up new opportunities for visibility for those willing to adapt.
Anyone can be visible, with the right content
AI overviews don’t just cite the biggest, most authoritative sites; they frequently draw from sources with far lower domain ratings. For smaller or newer brands, that means visibility is suddenly within reach in ways it’s never been before. As long as your content is clear, useful, and well-structured, it can find an audience.
Discovery across more platforms
The places where buyers encounter your brand are expanding fast. Reddit threads, YouTube explainers, TikTok clips, and even niche community forums are all surfacing in AI responses. Visibility is no longer confined to your website; discovery can happen wherever your audience spends their time.
Citation as a new form of authority
Even without clicks, being referenced in AI answers is a credibility signal. When potential customers repeatedly see your brand cited by LLMs, it builds familiarity and trust, before they’ve even visited your site.
AI’s favourite content is also buyers’ favourite content
The kind of content that thrives in AI search is exactly what modern buyers want: resources that explain complex problems, offer clear comparisons, and help teams reach decisions.
Formats like FAQs, structured explainers, and solution-driven guides are particularly effective because they’re easy for LLMs to interpret and cite. By shaping content this way, you increase the likelihood of your brand being surfaced in AI-generated answers.
You can meet buyers where decisions are made
If your content is authoritative enough to be cited by an LLM, you’re not just chasing rankings any more. You’re showing up in the very conversations shaping buyer decisions.
Increasingly, buyers are asking generative AI tools to summarise vendor options, compare features, or recommend next steps; tasks they once relied on search engines for. That means discovery, evaluation, and even shortlisting are all happening inside LLMs. By ensuring your content is visible there, you meet tomorrow’s customers exactly where they’re making choices.
Making your content discoverable in LLM responses
The shift to AI-driven search doesn’t mean the end of SEO, but it does mean the rules have changed. Where visibility once relied on ranking in the ten blue links, it now depends on being cited, trusted, and surfaced in AI-generated answers. That makes credibility, structure, and authority the new currencies of search.
Clicks might be falling, but visibility has taken on a new shape. If your brand is consistently referenced by LLMs, you’re building awareness and authority at the very point where buyers are making decisions.
And while the fundamentals of SEO, (site structure, internal linking, E-E-A-T), still matter, they’re now joined by new approaches such as Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), Search Everywhere Optimisation, and information gain.
The businesses that adapt, by aligning both traditional SEO and SEO in LLMs strategies, will continue to be found, trusted, and chosen. Those that don’t risk disappearing from the conversation altogether.
It’s a big change, but it’s one we can help with.
At KAYBE, we help businesses optimise for both traditional search and AI-driven discovery. From structuring content to strategies that put you in front of LLMs, we’ll make sure your brand shows up; not just in search results, but in the answers shaping tomorrow’s buying decisions.
Conclusion: The new front page of the internet
AI isn’t replacing search, it’s reshaping it. For businesses, that shift is less about chasing clicks, and more about earning credibility. If your content is clear, authoritative, and built for the way LLMs and SEO intersect, you’re not just visible, you’re answer-ready.
The brands that get this right now will gain a real first-mover advantage. Those that cling to outdated tactics risk being left behind.
Ready to adapt?
Do you want to stay visible in the age of AI search?
