To appear in Large Language Model (LLM) results and AI overviews, brands must move beyond narrow keyword targeting and embrace Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). This strategy requires introducing a greater variety of content formats that are highly structured, expert-led, and capable of answering complex conversational queries. Because AI models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini aggregate data from across the entire digital ecosystem to verify brand reliability, visibility is achieved by integrating technical SEO with digital PR, video content, and strategic commercial partnerships.
While keywords remain a foundational element of how search engines categorise information, LLMs operate by understanding user intent and context. They are designed to provide fluid, comprehensive answers to multi-layered questions, mimicking human dialogue rather than simply returning a list of links. To capture this evolving traffic, brands must broaden their content toolkit.
This means complementing traditional keyword-focused pages with digestible formats that an AI can easily breakdown and interpret. A successful LLM strategy relies on a clear content hierarchy: opening every article with a concise, factual paragraph that provides a direct answer to the primary query, followed by structured data such as bulleted lists, comparison tables, and clear subheadings. By diversifying how information is presented, you make it significantly easier for AI models to extract your data and cite your brand as a primary, trusted source.
LLMs prioritise content that demonstrates high levels of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT). Google’s search quality evaluator guidelines have become the essential blueprint for how generative engines determine which brands to surface in their answers.
Crucially, LLMs do not look at your website in isolation. They aggregate signals from across the web - from news sites to social media - to build a consensus on your brand's reliability.
As traditional publisher traffic fluctuations continue, many media outlets have moved toward commercialised editorial models. This evolution means that organic digital PR alone may no longer be enough to secure the high-authority placements required to influence AI results.
To maximise visibility, brands should break down internal marketing silos. By integrating digital PR teams with affiliate and commercial functions, brands can ensure they appear in the shopping guides and "best of" lists that LLMs frequently cite for product recommendations. Leveraging Performance PR partners, such as Linkby, allows brands to secure editorial features on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis. This multi-channel approach provides a faster, more scalable way to target LLM results by placing your brand within the authoritative environments that AI engines trust most.
LLM results are increasingly multimodal, pulling from diverse platforms beyond standard text-based blogs. Diversifying into these areas is often the missing link in a modern search strategy:
Tracking the return on investment for upper-funnel LLM activity remains a challenge, as there is currently no universal method to link a specific AI citation directly to a final sale. While the industry moves toward more sophisticated measurement models, brands must adopt alternative Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
Is traditional SEO still relevant for AI search?
Absolutely. While brands should introduce more variety in their content formats, quality SEO articles remain the primary source of raw data for LLM results. The fundamentals of site speed, mobile-friendliness, and high-quality information remain the bedrock of any brand wanting to be "seen" by an AI.
Do affiliate links hurt my chances of being featured in GEO results?
Not necessarily. While some believe affiliate links have less "SEO power" than pure editorial links, their real value lies in the access they provide. Many top-tier publications now require a commercial element to feature a brand. Being mentioned on a reputable site via an affiliate link is significantly more valuable for LLM visibility than being absent from the publication entirely.
Why is my brand not appearing in AI Overviews?
A lack of visibility is often the result of a siloed digital presence. If your brand is only discussed on your own website, LLMs lack the third-party validation required to trust your authority. A successful strategy requires a mix of digital PR, social signals, YouTube content, and forum mentions to create a "digital footprint" that the AI can easily verify.
