See… It’s not your client’s mistake. The client must be reading about terms like AEO, GEO, LLMSEO lately.
The client must be assuming there is a direct optimization method for AI visibility.
But that period is over.
It’s your responsibility to educate your client rather than promising something that is not proved.
Explain how AI works differently across different platforms.
Tell a bit about LLMs,
Show the difference between an LLM and a search engine.
To make it much more clear, open Google Search right away – show how AI Overview picks content from already indexed web pages and summarizes the answer.
Tell that the same thing happens with Perplexity AI too – the world’s first conversational AI search engine.
This means AI is choosing, but it is choosing from already indexed pages (your SEO efforts).
This is how AI visibility is possible, but there is no direct way.
What if the client ask how other companies are listed in ChatGPT?
The direct answer is: ChatGPT is an LLM that is already trained on data. If companies are already listed, it means they were part of the training data.
Nobody has control over the training data except OpenAI.
The good thing is – now there is an opportunity!
Because ChatGPT now uses a web search feature for updated information.
Which means – the same practice being followed by Google’s AI Overview and Perplexity AI – summarizing answers and pointing back to original sources.
Original sources in the form of citations – your SEO opportunity.
Now what if client emphasize AI traffic?
After AI intervention in SEO, there has been a noticeable decline in traffic (some reports suggest it can be significant).
Because people are getting answers directly without having to scroll down and click pages.
Now it is more about visibility rather than traffic.
What is the advantage of AI visibility?
It is widely believed that brand mentions in AI Overviews and AI citations are more valuable than traditional SERPs.
Because AI evaluates novelty, authority, and contextual relevance before giving an answer. AI pointing back to the corresponding reference is seen as highly valuable.
But why should a company invest in SEO if AI is eating the traffic?
People are seeking direct answers. AI is accommodating it instantly.
For answers – AI-summarized responses are sufficient.
For knowledge – people who seek knowledge don’t rely on one-line answers. They go in depth and explore.
In such a context, people landing on your page from an AI reference and finding what they want in your content improves your credibility.
If this happens multiple times, trust is formed.
If this is happening with your potential customers – you will be perceived as an authority in the niche.
Your foundational SEO brings you to this stage. There is no alternative as of now.
This is just the beginning. We have to wait and see how AI and SEO unfold.
What is the bottom line?
AI is recommending answers, solutions, and products.
When it recommends, it has to point to your original page.
You have to be visible first, indexed and properly structured.
It doesn’t happen automatically.
It happens with SEO.
Start preparing your SEO strategy for the AI age.
SEO in the AI age is not shrinking – it is doubling.
