Hey Iwan,
Everyone's panicking about AI replacing SEO.
But after 16 years in this industry, I can tell you the opposite is happening.
AI isn't killing SEO. It's creating the biggest opportunity gap I've ever seen.
If you know how to position your site correctly, you can dominate Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT citations, Gemini results, and more.
You'll build recognition in your niche, and a steady stream of high-intent traffic that actually converts.
Here are six strategies we're using across the board right now to get client sites pulled into AI answers:
1. Entity optimization
Large language models don't just scan for keywords.
They look for recognizable entities like businesses, products, and people they trust.
To help AI understand who you are, make sure to:
- Claim your Google Business Profile, Bing Places, and Apple Maps listings
- Get listed on trusted directories like BBB, Yellow Pages, and niche-specific sites
- Add organization schema to your site with your business name, logo, and contact info
- Syndicate content on high-crawl platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and Reddit
- Secure mentions in "Best of" listicles that AI tools frequently reference
2. AI-friendly content formatting
If you want to show up in AI citations, make your content easier for machines to parse.
Start by:
- Targeting conversational queries like "What's the best way to…" instead of short phrases
- Using clear H1s, H2s, and H3s as structural cues
- Adding TLDR summaries at the top of posts
- Answering "People Also Ask" questions directly in your content
- Writing in a clear, direct tone that avoids filler and metaphors
3. Brand search volume
Google tracks how many people search for your company name.
More branded searches indicate trust and increase your chance of getting cited in AI Overviews and Gemini.
Quick ways to spike brand searches:
- Get featured in curated "Best X" roundups
- Run low-cost engagement ads in your target country
- Create YouTube content that gets your brand name in front of new audiences
4. Traditional SEO still matters
AI tools still reference core SEO signals when deciding who to cite.
Focus on:
- Earning backlinks from reputable, relevant sites
- Collecting and displaying Google Reviews and social proof
- Prominently showing your industry certifications and awards
- Keeping business listings accurate and consistent
5. Publish more video content
AI Overviews and Perplexity are citing YouTube videos more than ever.
They pull from timestamps, descriptions, and metadata. That means structured video content now directly contributes to AI visibility.
Plus, there's less competition since most creators focus only on text content.
- Upload tutorials, product demos, and explainer content
- Add timestamps and keyword-rich descriptions
- Embed videos in blog posts to increase dwell time and engagement (boosts organic rankings too)
6. Lock in your technical foundation
Before trying to get picked up by AI, make sure your site isn't holding you back.
Double check:
- SSL certificate is active
- Mobile design is responsive
- Navigation is simple and intuitive
- There are no broken links or error pages
- Your About and Contact pages are live and easy to find
The sites that will win in AI search aren't chasing fast hacks.
They're building a strong foundation, showing real authority, and helping AI systems recognize and trust them.
Want a free custom audit from my team of pros?
We'll take a look at exactly what's holding you back from dominating the AI answers in your niche…
….so that you can generate more qualified traffic that leads to sales.
Click here to request a free customized audit>>
We only do a couple of these audits each month, so make sure to claim yours.
To your continued success,
Matt Diggity
