Although we’re not here to fearmonger with clickbait titles like “SEO IS DEAD,” we also won’t ignore the elephant in the room — and that elephant is AI. A huge, hungry elephant.
For the first time in 25 years, SEO professionals are now looking outside of Google to keep up with the digital world.
Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Llama are becoming our new high-powered search engines — ones that think for you. And just like traditional search, our brands need to show up where people are looking.
Even if the client hasn’t realized it yet, this is the truth: AI is not slowing down, and if we want to keep our brands visible, we need to understand, apply, and act.
The Facts: Where Has All the Traffic Gone?
In 2024, 58.5% of Google searches in the U.S. end in zero clicks. That means people are asking questions… and never visiting a website.
Of the remaining 41.5%:
- Some are clicking organic links,
- Some go to Google Maps, YouTube, or Images,
- And just 1% click a paid ad. Ouch.
So even the best SEO or PPC teams are experiencing fewer conversions, less traffic, and more red arrows pointing down — leading to the question we’re hearing over and over:
“Where has all the traffic gone?”
The Shift: From Search Engines to Answer Engines
We can’t just shift in our seats and wait for the web to settle.
We’re now entering the era of Answer Engines — search tools powered by LLMs that respond directly with summarized, AI-generated answers.
By 2028, experts predict that 50% of brand discovery will happen via AI. Already, ChatGPT is:
- The 6th most popular website in the world,
- Receiving 4.5 billion visits per month,
- Used by 400 million active users,
- And expected to surpass 1 billion users by the end of 2025.
This isn’t a trend — it’s the future.
So... How Do You Show Up in AI Results?
Let’s skip the theory and get to what matters: How do you make sure your brand appears in these AI answers — especially the AI Overviews in Google?
What Google Is Saying:
According to their reps, click-through rates (CTR) for the new AI Overview “cards” are actually higher than regular search results — just like we saw with featured snippets.
But here’s the catch:
It’s a winner-takes-all situation.
If you’re not featured in those 1–3 AI Overview sources, your visibility (and CTR) will likely take a hit.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) Game Plan
Here’s how to increase your odds of being featured in AI-generated results:
- Identify the Services or Products You Must WinPick your core offerings. Example for a moving company:
- Residential moves
- Commercial moves
- Apartment moves
- Junk removal
- Boxes for sale
- Audit Questions People Are AskingUse tools like AnswerThePublic.com or AlsoAsked to find common questions related to each service.Ask those questions directly in AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and see what kind of content they surface.
- Update Your Website ContentCreate or revise content to mirror what the AI is returning.
- Make sure the intro paragraph contains a summarized, 1–2 sentence answer to the core question.
- Add supporting detail, but lead with the answer.
- Format for Humans and Machines
- Use natural, conversational language.
- Break content into sections using headers (H2s, H3s).
- Use schema markup where applicable (FAQ, HowTo, etc.).
- Make sure your pages are scannable.
- Keep Content Fresh
- If the content is evergreen, remove the publish date.
- If not, update it regularly and reflect new trends.
- Refresh publish dates when major edits are made.
- Helpfulness
- Experience
- Expertise
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
- Focus on H.E.E.A.T.LLMs (and Google’s AI Overviews) lean heavily on content that demonstrates:Also, pay close attention to the follow-up questions that AI tools show — these are great topics for supporting content.
It’s Not Just Your Website Anymore
LLMs aren’t just crawling your website. They’re also learning about your brand from third-party sources — and these matter a lot.
Optimize Your Operated Assets:
Think GBP profiles, Yelp, MapQuest, BBB, Angi, etc.
- Make sure business details are consistent across all platforms.
- Update content to align with your brand’s summary and positioning.
- Encourage engagement: reviews, Q&A, replies, etc.
Engage on User-Led Platforms:
- Quora
- Niche forums
These platforms often influence AI training models and results.
AI Overview Optimization: Earned Assets
1. Conduct Earned Source Research
This is best done with use of LLM’s simply ask them about your brand and view the cited materials, this will be the best way to evaluate your site’s digital reputation and how it impacts LLM’s perceptionof you.
2. Prioritize Sources
List your most relevant earned sources. Focus on those that appear frequently in AI-generated answers.
3. Implement a Strategy
Create PR or affiliate outreach strategies to place your brand in those earned sources — especially around high-priority products or services.
Final Word to SEOs
If you’re a seasoned SEO, you might be thinking:
“This is nothing new. We’ve been optimizing for search intent forever.”
And you’re not wrong.
But the game has changed. SEO gave you a bit more control. With AEO, your brand’s web reputation — what others say about you — has become a source of truth for AI models.
That means:
- Structured data matters more than ever.
- Off-site signals can make or break you.
- You must be intentional and fast-moving.
This is no longer about just ranking on Google. It’s about earning your place in the minds of machines.
In short: The future of search is here, and it’s powered by AI. If we want our brands to stay visible, we need to adapt fast — not just with better SEO, but with smarter AEO. From updating your website content to influencing earned media and third-party platforms, visibility now depends on being everywhere LLMs look. This shift isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Holland Adhaus is ready. Are you? We’re not just watching the digital evolution — we’re leading it. Let’s build you an AEO strategy that puts your brand in the spotlight where it matters most. Book your consultation today — because tomorrow’s traffic won’t wait.
Courtney Henderson
Head of SEO & AI Visibility, Holland Adhaus
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