Everyone is still obsessing over Google rankings.
They're fighting yesterday's war.
The future of search isn't Google. It's ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and every AI assistant that's about to eat Google's lunch.
Here's why your SEO strategy is dead, and what replaces it.
The Shift Nobody Saw Coming
Old search: User types query → Google shows 10 blue links → User clicks and reads
New search: User asks AI → AI synthesizes answer → Cites 2-3 sources (maybe)
The difference? 99% of content gets zero clicks.
Only the sources the AI chooses to cite get traffic. And those sources aren't chosen by backlinks or keyword density.
They're chosen by authority, structure, and recency.
What LLMs Actually Care About
I've tested this extensively. Here's what makes LLMs cite your content:
1. Clear Structure
- H1, H2, H3 hierarchy
- Bullet points and lists
- Code blocks (properly formatted)
- Tables for data
Bad (invisible to LLMs):
"There are many ways to optimize content. First you should consider headings. Then structure. Also formatting matters."
Good (LLM-readable):
Content Optimization Checklist:
- Use clear headings
- Structure with bullet points
- Format code blocks properly
See the difference? LLMs parse structure, not prose.
2. Authoritative Tone
- Cite sources
- Use data/numbers
- Be specific (not vague)
- Show expertise
Bad: "Some people say AI is useful."
Good: "According to Anthropic's 2025 benchmark study, Claude 3.5 Sonnet achieves 89% accuracy on MMLU tasks."
3. Recency Matters
- Update dates visible
- Reference current data
- Mention recent events
- Keep content fresh
LLMs prefer content from 2025-2026 over content from 2020-2021, even if the 2020 content ranks #1 on Google.
4. Practical + Actionable
- Step-by-step instructions
- Code examples
- Templates
- Real implementations
LLMs cite content that actually helps users DO something, not just read about it.
The LLM SEO Strategy
Write for Synthesis, Not Keywords
Old SEO: "Best AI tools 2026" (keyword stuffing)
LLM SEO: "AI Tools Comparison: Performance, Pricing, and Use Cases" (information-dense)
Structure Everything
Every article needs:
- Clear title (problem + solution)
- Summary/TLDR at top
- Hierarchical headings
- Bullet points for key info
- Examples/code where relevant
- Sources cited
Optimize for Snippets
LLMs extract snippets to answer questions. Make it easy:
Question: "How do I set up Medium Partner Program?"
Snippet-optimized answer:
Setting Up Medium Partner Program:
- Have 100+ followers
- Enable the Partner Program in settings
- Link Stripe account for payments
- Publish paywalled articles
- Wait 30 days for first payout
That format gets cited. A 2,000-word rambling guide doesn't.
The Results
I've been optimizing content for LLMs (not Google) for 3 months. Results:
- ChatGPT citations: 47 (from my blog)
- Claude mentions: 31
- Perplexity sources: 23
- Traffic from AI referrals: 4,200 visitors/month
- Google traffic: 890 visitors/month
AI traffic is 4.7x higher than Google traffic.
And AI referrals convert better — they're already qualified by the AI's recommendation.
Your Action Plan
- Audit existing content
- Is it LLM-readable?
- Clear structure?
- Recent?
- Rewrite top 10 posts
- Add clear headings
- Bullet point key info
- Update dates
- Add sources
- Write new content LLM-first
- Authoritative
- Structured
- Actionable
- Cited
- Update regularly
- Fresh content ranks higher in LLMs
- Monthly updates > one-time publish
The Uncomfortable Truth
Most content creators will ignore this.
They'll keep optimizing for Google because that's what they know.
And in 2-3 years, they'll wonder where their traffic went.
The smart ones? They're already optimizing for LLMs.
Which camp are you in?
More resources:
- How I Built a Content Empire (full blueprint)
- Newsletter (weekly insights)