Glossary · Beginner
What Is LLM SEO? Definition and Example
LLM SEO is the work of getting your brand mentioned, cited and described accurately in answers from large language model (LLM) tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI features. It's another name for generative engine optimization (GEO). It combines classic SEO fundamentals with content written to be quoted, your reputation on other sites, and tracking of what AI answers actually say.
What does LLM SEO include?
| Area | Typical work |
|---|---|
| Access | Allow the right crawlers, e.g. OAI-SearchBot for ChatGPT search (OpenAI) |
| Content | Answer-first pages, clear facts, comparison tables |
| Entity | Consistent name, description and profiles across the web |
| Off-site | Coverage on sources AI engines already cite |
| Measurement | Mention, recommendation and citation rates over a prompt set |
How is it different from traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO targets ranking positions and clicks. LLM SEO targets inclusion in a written answer, where there may be no ranked list and fewer clicks. But Google says its AI features rest on the same foundations, with no extra technical requirements (Google Search Central). The label is new; most of the fundamentals aren't.
Example
A payroll startup finds that ChatGPT describes it as "US-only" because an old press article says so. The LLM SEO fix: update its own pages, correct the directory listings, and publish a clear "countries supported" page. A month later the team re-runs the same prompts to see whether the description changed.
Where does the term come from?
"LLM SEO" grew out of marketing usage. "Generative engine optimization" was named in a 2023 research paper (Aggarwal et al., arXiv).
What should you do first?
Start by measuring. Pick 20 questions your buyers actually ask, run them in two or three engines, and note whether you're named, recommended or cited, and whether the description is right. Then fix what you control (your own pages and crawler access) before chasing third-party coverage. Re-run the same prompts monthly so changes can be traced to the work you did.
Related
Questions
Is LLM SEO different from GEO?
They describe the same goal. GEO (generative engine optimization) is the more common term; LLM SEO puts the emphasis on the language model.
Do I need special files or schema for LLM SEO?
Google says its AI features have no additional requirements beyond normal SEO best practice. Other engines publish their own crawler rules.
Does LLM SEO replace SEO?
No. Many AI answers retrieve from search indexes, so crawlability, indexing and good pages still underpin it.