Once upon a time, being at the top of Google was the gold standard. Now? That spotlight’s being shared from all sides. AI overviews, like Gemini, now sit just below paid ads, pushing organic results even further down the page. And LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude are completely reshaping how people find and engage with that information.
We’re entering the era of AI-assisted discovery. Whether users are asking ChatGPT which marketing agency specialises in GEO / AI search optimisation or using Gemini to compare local services, one thing’s clear:
If your business isn’t showing up in LLM results, both for AI search and local GEO searches, you’re invisible to a growing chunk of your audience.
Why traditional SEO is no longer enough
Let’s start with a stat. According to Statista, over 400 million people use ChatGPT monthly. Claude and Gemini are gaining ground, too. Google’s pushing Gemini deeper into everyday search, and Claude is gaining popularity for its assistant-style approach.
Meanwhile, zero-click searches are becoming the norm. More users are getting their answers without clicking a single link, which means if your brand isn’t mentioned in the results, you’re not even in the race.
The takeaway? Ranking on Google isn’t the whole game anymore. You need to rank in the minds and outputs of LLMs, too.
Who’s doing the searching?
Here are the key LLMs your prospects are using today:
ChatGPT.
The mainstream pick. With plugins, web browsing and custom GPTs, it’s quickly becoming people’s go-to research assistant. It can be used for everything from forming business strategies and finding product recommendations to image creation. With a user-friendly interface, many people are turning to it to discover and validate information.
Claude
Known for its nuanced answers and human-like tone, Claude is popular among professionals who want a calm, assistant-style response. Its ability to process long documents also makes it useful for summarising and analysing content heavy material.
Gemini (by Google).
Gemini uses Google’s powerful search system, which is already embedded into products like Google Search and Android. In fact, Gemini results often appear directly within Google searches, especially in the AI Overviews section. Gemini is use for everything from comparing local services to holiday planning.
Each LLM pulls and processes data in its own way, but they all rely on one thing: content that’s structured, clear and credible.
So, how do you show up in LLM search results?
1. Create genuinely helpful, detailed content
Thin content won’t cut it. LLMs prioritise clarity, depth and usefulness. Your service pages need to explain your offering like a helpful guide… not a buzzword bingo card. Include as much information as possible, and present it in a way that’s easily digestible (for people, AI will follow).
2. Make your website easy to crawl
LLMs learn from the web. If your site’s a tangle of broken links or clunky code, they’ll move on. Clean layouts, logical hierarchies and fast loading, these things matter more than ever, not just for users but for AI crawlability too.
That means using semantic HTML to ensure that your sitemap is up to date and keeping internal linking clear and consistent. Fix broken links and make sure pages return the right status codes (like 200 or 301) to help search engines and AI models crawl and understand your site better.
3. Build authority with backlinks
Old-school SEO still counts. In fact, it’s probably more important than ever.
When high-quality sites link to your content, LLMs take note. Backlinks don’t just help to boost visibility, they also create brand authority in your niche. That’s why it’s worth investing in creating shareable content, whether that’s data-led, practical guides, or other useful resources.
You may also want to consider digital PR, which not only gets your brand in front of the right people, but it also creates backlink opportunities to improve your position in search and AI discovery results – a win-win in our eyes.
4. Write like a human
Your content shouldn’t sound like it was written for a robot. LLMs are trained on natural, human language. So your writing should be clear and personable, just like you’re talking to your audience directly.
Here are a few simple writing tips that help LLMs (and people) process your content more easily:
- Use clear headlines that match what users might ask.
- Keep paragraphs short; one or two sentences is best.
- Stick to one idea at a time in each section.
- Use plain language that anyone can understand.
- Summarise key points using bullets or bold text.
Writing this way makes it easier to read and remember, and far more likely to be surfaced by AI models.
5. Use structured data to speak AI’s language
Schema markup helps LLMs understand your site’s content. They work by highlighting important copy and telling both search engines and AI that what you’ve marked is of interest to them. Use it for services, FAQs, reviews and locations.
The clearer you are, the better you’ll show up.
6. Optimise for real-life prompts
Think like your users. They’re not typing “best-in-class scalable solution architecture”. They’re asking:
- “Find me a great pizza place near me.”
- “How do I show up in ChatGPT search results?”
- “What do I need to do to get more visitors on my website?”
Write to answer those questions. Be clear and confident in your answers, and make sure you’re always talking like a human.
7. Monitor what matters
If you’re not measuring how your content’s performing, you’re guessing, which won’t cut it.
Start by digging into your traffic sources. Tools like Google Analytics will show you where people are coming from and how they’re landing on your site. Are they finding you via search? Social? Referrals?
Platforms like SEMrush are rolling out new features to help you track how and where your content shows up in LLM results, giving you insight into what’s actually being pulled through into AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
These insights can help you with ongoing GEO strategies to spot what’s working and highlight what pages need a rethink.
Serious about showing up? So are we
At Catalyst, we’re not just SEO specialists. We’re AI search experts. That means we don’t just chase rankings. We position your brand to show up in the places that actually matter.
- We’re at the forefront of AI-driven marketing
- Our Search team is trained in using LLMs and GEO (generative engine optimisation).
- We keep up with changing tech so you don’t have to.
We don’t do fluff. We do smart, targeted content that gets results.
Google’s no longer the sheriff in town. AI models like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini have rewritten the rules. If your business isn’t adapting, you’re falling behind.
The good news? We’re already on it. Want to join us?
ChatGPT’s waiting. Let’s give it something to talk about.
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