Mastering AI Search: A Guide to LLM Optimization

We all know SEO. It’s been the cornerstone of digital marketing for decades. You optimize your content, research keywords, build backlinks, and do everything you can to land on the coveted first page of Google.

But here’s the truth: if your strategy ends with SEO, you're missing where your future customers are actually searching.

AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude are quickly becoming the first stop for research, recommendations, and answers. Users aren’t just googling anymore—they’re asking intelligent assistants for advice, comparisons, and curated suggestions.

we’ve already generated three new leads directly from ChatGPT. Not from a paid ad. Not from a Google search. From AI.

If you want your brand to show up where people are making decisions, it's time to start thinking beyond search engine optimization—and start focusing on LLM optimization.

What Is LLM Optimization?

LLM stands for Large Language Model—AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that consume and synthesize vast amounts of content from across the internet to answer user prompts. These tools don't rank websites like Google does—they generate responses based on information they've digested and trust.

This means if your content isn’t structured for discovery by LLMs, it’s not just poorly ranked—it’s completely absent from the conversation.

Why SEO Alone Doesn’t Cut It Anymore

Traditional SEO teaches you to focus on:

• Keywords

• Meta titles and descriptions

• Alt text and headers

• Backlink strategies

• Content volume and freshness

These tactics are still valuable—but they cater to search engine bots, not AI generators. LLMs are trained differently. They’re taught to value:

• Credibility and citations

• Well-structured, readable content

• Conversational tone and clarity

• Information that appears on reputable, AI-indexed sources

If your content isn’t written for LLM consumption, you may still rank on Google, but you’ll be invisible where people are getting quick, AI-powered answers.

How We’re Winning at LLM Optimization

Here at Sunday Brunch Agency, we’ve developed a hybrid approach that works for both SEO and AI. And it’s paying off. We’ve landed real business leads thanks to our brand being referenced in AI conversations.

Here’s exactly what we’re doing differently:

1. Write Like You’re Answering a Question

AI tools prioritize content that mirrors how people ask for help. Think “What’s the best marketing agency for female-led brands?” or “How do I build a brand strategy in 2025?”

That means your website needs content that answers these questions directly, in clear, natural language. Long-winded, jargon-heavy pages? AI skips those. Instead, build value-driven sections like:

• “What Makes Us Different”

• “How We Approach Strategy in the AI Era”

• “FAQ” pages that are rich with clarity and insight

2. Get Cited by Authoritative Sources

LLMs are trained on platforms like:

• Crunchbase

• LinkedIn

• Medium

• Wikidata

• Trusted news sources

• Government and nonprofit websites

If you’re referenced on any of these platforms—or if your content is quoted by trusted sources—your chances of being surfaced in an AI answer go up significantly.

This is why brand positioning and PR strategy now play a crucial role in technical optimization. Your digital footprint needs to go beyond your own site.

3. Use Schema Markup

Schema isn’t just for SEO anymore. It helps both search engines and AI tools interpret your content.

Use structured data like:

• FAQPage

• HowTo

• Article

• Organization

This signals that your content is formatted to be informative, accessible, and easy to summarize—making it more likely to appear in AI responses.

4. Update Content with AI in Mind

Google rewards fresh content—but so do LLMs. If your blog hasn’t been updated in a year, or your service pages feel outdated, it’s time for a refresh.

Consider creating:

• Topic clusters that answer related questions

• Comparison guides (“AI marketing vs. traditional marketing”)

• Lists, takeaways, and summaries that AI can pull from easily

We often tell clients: don’t just blog for clicks. Blog for AI.

Why This Matters—Right Now

When someone asks ChatGPT to recommend a marketing agency in Orange County, or a female-founded brand strategist, what’s the answer they get?

If it’s not you, it’s your competitor.

The world is shifting. AI-generated responses are becoming the default—and people are increasingly skipping the scroll altogether.

Brands who show up in these answers are the ones who:

• Understand how LLMs think

• Build content that's AI-friendly

• Position themselves across multiple trusted platforms

• Stay agile as AI evolves

Final Thought: LLM Optimization Is the New SEO

If SEO got you seen, LLM optimization gets you chosen.

At Sunday Brunch Agency, we don’t just build brands—we future-proof them. By combining strategic storytelling with LLM-smart formatting, we’re helping our clients own the conversation across search, social, and AI discovery.

And the proof? Three new business leads from ChatGPT—without a single ad dollar spent.

This is what marketing looks like in 2025. Are you ready?

Ready to make your brand AI-discoverable? We’re doing it here—and we can do it for you, too. Let’s talk: info@sundaybrunchagency.com