8 Questions About AI SEO: How to Get Found by ChatGPT and Claude

When people ask ChatGPT for recommendations, your business is either in the answer or it isn't. Most businesses aren't—and they don't know why.

AI SEO is the emerging practice of making your business discoverable by AI assistants. Here are direct answers to the questions business owners ask most.

What is AI SEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)?

Direct answer: AI SEO, also called Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), is the practice of structuring your online presence so AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity can find, understand, and recommend your business when users ask relevant questions.

Traditional SEO optimises for Google's search results pages. AI SEO optimises for AI-generated answers. The distinction matters because AI assistants don't show a list of links—they provide direct answers, often citing sources.

When someone asks ChatGPT "What's the best accounting software for small business?" the AI doesn't search Google and show links. It synthesises information from its training data and real-time web access to provide a direct recommendation.

Key differences from traditional SEO:

Traditional SEO focuses on keywords, backlinks, and ranking positions. AI SEO focuses on:

• Clear, factual statements about what you do
• Consistent information across multiple platforms
• Structured data AI can easily parse
• Content that directly answers user questions
• Discovery files like llms.txt and agents.txt

The goal isn't ranking #1 on a results page. The goal is being mentioned in AI-generated answers.

Related: The AI Visibility Gap: Why Google Rankings No Longer Guarantee Discovery

How do I get my business mentioned by ChatGPT?

Direct answer: Create clear, factual web content about your business, maintain consistent information across platforms, implement llms.txt and agents.txt files, and build presence on sites AI trusts (like Reddit and industry directories).

ChatGPT and other AI assistants learn about businesses from several sources:

Training data: Information that existed when the model was trained. If your business had a strong web presence before the training cutoff date, the AI may already know about you.

Real-time web access: Many AI assistants can search the web for current information. Making your site AI-friendly increases the chance of being found.

Third-party sources: AI heavily weights information from Wikipedia, Reddit, review sites, and industry directories. Consistent mentions across these platforms build credibility.

Steps to improve AI visibility:

1. Audit your web presence for clear, factual statements
2. Ensure your business information is consistent everywhere
3. Implement structured data (schema markup)
4. Create an llms.txt file summarising your business
5. Write agents.txt with Q&A about your services
6. Build presence on platforms AI trusts
7. Create content that directly answers common questions

What doesn't work: Keyword stuffing, vague marketing claims, and content written for search engines rather than humans.

Deep dive: ChatGPT Doesn't Know Your Business Exists (Here's How to Fix It)

What is llms.txt and do I need one?

Direct answer: llms.txt is a proposed standard file placed in your website's root directory that tells AI systems which pages to prioritise when learning about your business. You should implement one now to establish presence before it becomes standard.

Think of llms.txt like robots.txt, but for AI. While robots.txt tells crawlers what they can access, llms.txt suggests what they should prioritise.

What goes in llms.txt:

# Company Name

> Brief description of what you do (2-3 sentences)

## Documentation
- [About Us](https://yoursite.com/about)
- [Services](https://yoursite.com/services)

## FAQ
- [Common Questions](https://yoursite.com/faq)

## Contact
- [Get in Touch](https://yoursite.com/contact)

Current adoption status:

The llms.txt standard is proposed, not officially adopted by major AI companies. However, Anthropic (makers of Claude) have published their own llms.txt file, suggesting interest in the standard.

Should you implement it now?

Yes, for several reasons:

• Low effort to create (simple markdown file)
• Positions you ahead of competitors
• Helps organise your key content regardless of AI adoption
• No downside if AI companies don't adopt it

The worst case is you've organised your content. The best case is you're discoverable when competitors aren't.

Technical guide: llms.txt Explained: The New robots.txt for AI Crawlers

Does Google ranking help with AI visibility?

Direct answer: Partially. High Google rankings increase the chance AI finds your content during web searches, but AI visibility depends more on content clarity, cross-platform consistency, and trusted citations than search position alone.

The relationship between Google ranking and AI visibility is complex:

Ways Google ranking helps:

• AI with web search may prioritise top results
• High-ranking content is often well-structured
• Domain authority suggests trustworthiness
• More traffic means more citations elsewhere

Ways Google ranking doesn't help:

• AI training data has cutoff dates
• AI cites Reddit more than corporate sites
• AI prioritises clear answers over SEO-optimised content
• Brand mentions matter more than links

Research findings:

Studies show that 90% of ChatGPT citations come from positions 21 and beyond in Google results. This means lower-ranked content can outperform top results if it provides better answers.

Perplexity AI cites Reddit for nearly 47% of its answers. Blogs account for 38%. Corporate websites often rank lower despite their Google positions.

Bottom line: Good Google rankings won't hurt, but they're not sufficient for AI visibility. You need a separate strategy.

How do I know if AI assistants mention my business?

Direct answer: Test directly by asking ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity about your industry and location. Use specific prompts like "Can you recommend a [your service] in [your area]?" Document responses and check periodically for changes.

There's no dashboard or analytics tool showing your AI visibility (yet). Testing is manual but straightforward.

Testing approach:

1. Open ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
2. Ask: "Can you recommend a [your service] provider?"
3. Ask: "What's the best [your industry] company in [location]?"
4. Ask: "Tell me about [your company name]"
5. Document exact responses, including citations
6. Note what information is accurate vs. outdated vs. missing

What to look for:

• Is your business mentioned at all?
• Is the information accurate?
• Are competitors mentioned instead?
• What sources are cited?
• Does the AI express confidence or uncertainty?

Track over time:

AI responses change as models update and web searches return different results. Test monthly to track progress after implementing AI SEO improvements.

Third-party tools: Some companies offer AI visibility monitoring, but the space is new and evolving. Manual testing remains the most reliable method.

How long does it take to appear in AI search results?

Direct answer: Changes can appear within days for AI with real-time web access (like Perplexity). For training-based models (base ChatGPT), you may wait months until the next model update. Consistent effort over 3-6 months is realistic for meaningful improvement.

AI visibility timelines depend on how each AI learns:

Real-time web search (fastest):

• Perplexity searches the web live
• ChatGPT with browsing can find current content
• Changes can appear within days or weeks
• Freshness matters—recent content may be prioritised

Training data updates (slower):

• Base models have knowledge cutoffs
• Updates happen periodically (not continuously)
• Changes may take 3-12 months to appear
• Major content changes are needed to register

Third-party citations (variable):

• Reddit posts can be cited quickly
• Wikipedia changes appear after review
• Review site updates vary by platform
• Industry directory changes depend on crawl frequency

Realistic expectations:

After implementing AI SEO improvements:

• Week 1-2: Perplexity may start citing you
• Month 1-2: ChatGPT browsing may find updated content
• Month 3-6: Training data updates may include you
• Ongoing: Consistent presence building compounds

Don't expect overnight results. AI visibility is a long-term investment.

Is AI SEO replacing traditional SEO?

Direct answer: No. AI SEO is a complement to traditional SEO, not a replacement. Google search isn't going away, and most website traffic still comes from traditional search. Smart businesses optimise for both channels.

The "SEO is dead" headlines are overblown. Here's the reality:

What's true:

• AI assistants are growing rapidly (300+ million weekly ChatGPT users)
• Some searches are shifting to AI-first
• Zero-click searches are increasing
• AI recommendations influence purchasing decisions

What's also true:

• Google still dominates search market share
• Most businesses get majority traffic from traditional search
• AI can't replace discovery for visual or location-based needs
• Many users prefer browsing results to AI answers

The smart approach:

Treat AI visibility as an additional channel, like you would social media or email marketing. Your core SEO foundation remains important:

• Technical SEO (site speed, mobile, structure)
• Content quality and relevance
• User experience
• Domain authority and trust

Then layer AI-specific optimisations:

• Discovery files (llms.txt, agents.txt)
• Clear, factual content formatting
• Multi-platform presence
• Question-answer content structure

Budget allocation suggestion: If you spend $100 on SEO, add $10-20 for AI visibility. As AI search grows, adjust the ratio.

Related: AI SEO Made Your Business Discoverable by ChatGPT

What is the difference between SEO and AEO?

Direct answer: SEO optimises for ranking in search engine results pages. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) optimises for being cited in AI-generated answers. SEO targets keywords and links; AEO targets clarity, structure, and direct answers.

Overlap areas:

Many SEO best practices also help AEO:

• Quality content that answers questions
• Proper heading structure
• Schema markup and structured data
• Mobile-friendly, fast-loading sites
• E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trust)

Key differences in practice:

For SEO, you might write: "Our Sydney accounting firm provides tax services, bookkeeping, and financial consulting for businesses."

For AEO, you'd write: "We are an accounting firm in Sydney that helps small businesses manage taxes, bookkeeping, and financial planning. Our services include: tax preparation and lodgement, monthly bookkeeping, business financial consulting."

The second version has clearer, more extractable facts that AI can easily cite.

Related: agents.txt: Teaching AI Assistants to Recommend Your Business

Key Takeaways

• AI SEO optimises for being mentioned in AI answers, not search rankings
• llms.txt and agents.txt help AI understand your business
• Testing visibility requires asking AI directly about your industry
• Timeline: Days for real-time AI, months for training updates
• Not a replacement: AI SEO complements traditional SEO
• Content structure: Clear, factual, answer-formatted content works best
• Multi-platform presence: Reddit and directories matter for AI citations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay for AI SEO services? Not necessarily. Basic AI SEO (llms.txt, clear content, testing visibility) can be done yourself. Professional help is valuable for comprehensive strategies or competitive industries.

Can I optimise for both ChatGPT and Claude? Yes. The principles are similar—clear, factual, well-structured content works for all AI assistants. The main differences are in training data and update frequencies.

Does AI SEO work for local businesses? Absolutely. Local businesses benefit from consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across platforms and clear statements about location and service areas. AI assistants frequently answer local recommendation queries.

Will AI replace Google search? Unlikely in the near future. AI is better for research and recommendations; Google is better for navigation, transactions, and visual search. Both will coexist.

How often should I update my AI SEO strategy? Review quarterly at minimum. Test AI visibility monthly. The space is evolving rapidly, so staying current matters.

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Want help getting your business discovered by AI assistants? Our AI SEO services include llms.txt implementation, visibility audits, and ongoing optimisation. Contact us for a free consultation.