Classic SEO still works, but it's no longer enough. Users are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google's AI Overviews for answers — and only some pages get cited. Here's the playbook we use to make sure clients are in the citation list.
What changed in search
Two things changed: ranking and rendering. AI answer engines pick a handful of sources, summarize them, and credit a few with citations. You can be ranked #1 in classic Google and still be invisible inside the AI answer.
What LLMs look for in a source
After auditing thousands of LLM responses, a consistent pattern emerges. Cited pages tend to have four qualities.
Structure a page so AI can quote it
Lead with the answer
The first 100 words should contain a direct answer to the search query, ideally in one or two complete sentences. LLMs extract self-contained facts, not buried conclusions.
Use question-shaped H2s
Headings like "How much does a custom website cost?" outperform "Pricing" because they match the user query that triggered the AI search.
Add an FAQ block
FAQ sections with FAQPage schema are the single biggest contributor to AI citation we've measured. Each Q&A is a self-contained chunk an LLM can quote without context.
Entities, schema and the knowledge graph
LLMs reason in entities — people, products, places, concepts — not in keywords. Make every important entity on your site machine-readable.
How to measure AI search performance
You can't optimize what you can't see. We track three things weekly.
"Classic SEO got you ranked. AI SEO gets you quoted. Both still matter."
Frequently asked questions
What is AI SEO?
AI SEO, sometimes called generative engine optimization or GEO, is the practice of structuring content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews cite your pages when answering user questions.
How do I rank in Google AI Overviews?
Lead each page with a direct answer to the target query, use question-shaped H2s, add an FAQ section with FAQPage schema, include named author bylines, and reinforce entity signals through Organization and Person schema.
Is traditional SEO still relevant in 2026?
Yes. AI answer engines pull from the same pages that rank well in classic search. Strong on-page SEO, backlinks and topical authority remain the foundation. AI SEO is layered on top, not a replacement.
How do I measure AI search visibility?
Track citation share, branded prompt presence and AI referral traffic. Tools like Profound, Otterly and Peec.ai monitor how often your domain appears across major LLMs for target prompts.
Daniel OlowuFounder, DevCrib
Daniel runs DevCrib and has helped 200+ brands ship websites, apps and marketing systems that actually move revenue.
