LLM Killed the SEO Star: How to Make Your Website AI-Friendly

According to Semrush's latest research, AI search visitors will surpass traditional Search Visitors in 2028. If I were a betting man, I'd put all my chips on it happening much sooner.

Most B2B companies are stuck in analysis paralysis—maybe because AI search is still a black box, or maybe they assume SEO translates to LLM optimization.

Here's the reality: your customers have already moved on.

If they're not using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity for information, they'll get the answer from Google's AI overview, which is the final nail in the blue-link coffin. The future of discoverability is here, and it looks like a prompt. Blog articles still have a place - for now - just not in being your main organic traffic engine.

How is LLM Search Different from Organic Traffic?

The June 2025 Semrush research shows that traffic from LLMs converts 4.4x better than traditional search.

Why? Because LLM users are often:

• Closer to intent (asking specific questions)

• Looking for expert-level clarity

• Following direct citations and summaries from AI platforms

  
  

But that's not where the difference ends. LLMO, or GEO, or AIO (the Jury is still out on the naming) requires a substantially different approach than SEO.

SEO vs. LLM Search: Key Differences

Feature	Traditional SEO	LLM-Driven Search
Ranking Factor	Backlinks, keywords, crawlability	Semantic clarity, structure, specificity
Traffic Source	Search engine result pages (SERPs)	AI-generated answers and citations
Content Style	Keyword-optimized, general TOFU	Question-based, focused, technical
Page Value	Clicks depend on SERP rank	Cited content can rank regardless of SEO
Optimization Format	Meta tags, H1, backlinks	FAQ schema, HowTo, semantic markup

How LLMs Choose What to Cite

To be favored by LLMs, content must:

• Use question-based headings (e.g., "How to secure AI-generated code")

• Include FAQs and HowTo schema to enhance the structure

• Contain long-tail, conversational keywords

• Be technically clear and semantically rich

• Avoid jargon without sacrificing depth

What Do Most Startups Get Wrong about LLMs?

Many startups focus on TOFU SEO content or launch blogs that lack technical authority. LLMs skip generic blog posts in favor of structured, niche-rich content like:

• Technical walkthroughs (with headings and steps)

• Comparison tables (e.g., SCA vs. SBOM tools)

• FAQs addressing real pain points and common search queries

Spending money right now on mass generation of SEO blog articles is akin to buying bucket loads of horse food in 1908, just before the first Ford rolled off the assembly line.

LLMs are becoming a new marketing surface—a way for your product to be discovered through answers. By aligning your content with LLM behavior, you position your brand as a solution, not just a link.

Here's a quick guide on how to adapt your content approach for LLM-readabilty.

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Book a 20-minute personal consultation to learn how you can optimize your website for LLM discovery.

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What are the Best Practices for LLM-Optimized Content?

• Use conversational H1s and H2s that mimic how your ICP asks questions

• Add structured FAQs with JSON-LD markup

• Include visual or comparison blocks to increase citation chances

• Link related content to build topical authority

• Update quarterly to keep content relevant for LLM retraining cycles

Start with These Quick Wins

• Audit your top-performing pages for schema and question-based headers

• Add 5–10 FAQs to each core landing page or guide

• Run quarterly LLM citation tests to benchmark against competitors

• Implement FAQ and HowTo schema markup using JSON-LD

How can you track LLM Traffic Accurately?

The short answer is - you can't right now. Not accurately, at least. This will probably change, as this field keeps evolving.

Still, GA4 can help estimate LLM traffic:

• In GA4, create a segment using session source matches regex:

.*gpt.*|.*chatgpt.*|.*openai.*|.*perplexity.*|.*claude.*|.*gemini.*|.*copilot.*|.*writesonic.*|.*deepseek.*|.*mistral.*|.*bard.*|.*edgeservices.*|.*neeva.*|.*nimble.*|.*outrider.*|.*copy\.ai.*

• Track which pages LLM users land on and their engagement rates

• Look for patterns in long-tail queries via Search Console

• Run LLM prompt tests (e.g., in ChatGPT or Perplexity) to check citation behavior

  
  

Note: GA4 cannot fully capture LLM-originated sessions, especially when links are copied/pasted or stripped of referrer data. Additionally, some studies show mixed results on LLM traffic engagement compared to organic search. Treat this as directional, not definitive.

Final Word

LLM optimization isn't about tricking the algorithm. It's about making your content genuinely useful, structured, and discoverable for the next generation of search.

Best practices will evolve as LLM behavior and tooling mature. Startups and B2B marketers who adapt now will own the answers their customers are asking tomorrow.

That's it. I've got no CTA for you. You know how to reach me.

You Made It This Far: Here's Your FAQ Schema

Here's a sample JSON-LD FAQ schema markup you can implement:

{

"@context": "https://schema.org",

"@type": "FAQPage",

"mainEntity": [{

"@type": "Question",

"name": "How does LLM optimization differ from traditional SEO?",

"acceptedAnswer": {

"@type": "Answer",

"text": "LLM optimization focuses on semantic clarity, structured content, and question-based formatting rather than traditional ranking factors like backlinks and keyword density. LLMs prioritize content that directly answers user queries with technical depth and conversational structure."

}

}, {

"@type": "Question",

"name": "What content formats do LLMs prefer to cite?",

"acceptedAnswer": {

"@type": "Answer",

"text": "LLMs favor structured content including technical walkthroughs with clear headings, comparison tables, FAQ sections, and content with proper schema markup. Question-based headings and concise, authoritative answers perform particularly well."

}

}]

}

About the Author: Gilad Idisis is a B2B content strategist and marketing lead who’s helped SaaS companies scale authority content through AI-assisted workflows and deep product storytelling. Previously at Melio, Agora RE, currently at Checkmarx, and in my spare time, flying solo as the Logonaut.

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Book a 20-minute personal consultation to learn how you can optimize your website for LLM discovery.

Learn More