LLM SEO vs Google SEO: what's different and why both now matter
For the past 20 years, being visible online meant ranking on Google. That is still important. But a meaningful and growing share of B2B buyers now begin their vendor research on AI chatbots. These two discovery channels have fundamentally different mechanics — and success on one does not guarantee success on the other.
How Google ranks pages
Google's algorithm considers content relevance to the search query, the authority of the page measured by backlinks, technical page quality, and user engagement signals. Google is a retrieval system — it finds and ranks existing content. Strong keyword optimisation and quality backlinks can produce first-page rankings within 6–18 months of sustained effort.
How LLMs generate recommendations
Large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini do not rank pages. They generate text based on patterns learned during training, combined in some cases with real-time retrieval. When a user asks for a vendor recommendation, the model draws on what it has learned about which businesses exist, what they do, and how consistently they appear in authoritative contexts across the web.
Why strong Google SEO does not equal LLM visibility
A company with excellent Google rankings may still be invisible on AI chatbots if its content is structured for keyword ranking rather than AI understanding. Content that ranks well on Google is often broad, keyword-dense, and written for search intent. Content that performs well in LLM recommendations is direct, factual, clearly structured, and answers specific questions.
We have seen this first-hand: companies with 50+ domain authority and first-page Google rankings for competitive terms that do not appear when their buyers ask ChatGPT for vendor recommendations. The channels are separate.
What you need for LLM visibility that Google SEO doesn't cover
- llms.txt — a structured machine-readable file that briefs AI crawlers on who you are
- JSON-LD schema markup — structured data that removes ambiguity about your business category and services
- Direct-answer content — pages that answer specific buyer questions in plain, confident language
- Cross-web citations — mentions on authoritative external sources that build consistent AI-visible presence
The opportunity right now
LLM SEO is less competitive than Google SEO because most businesses have not done anything intentional about it. Early movers have a real window that will not stay open indefinitely.