Glossary

What is LLM SEO?

Also known as LLM optimisation, LLMO, AI SEO

Definition

LLM SEO is a name for optimising a brand and its content so it works well with large language models. These models, such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, then mention it, describe it correctly and cite its pages.

Key points

LLM SEO is another name for much the same work as GEO.
Brands reach AI answers through what a model learned in training and what it finds by searching live.
Be wary of anyone who promises a guaranteed mention, because answers vary run to run.

What does it mean in practice?

A B2B software company sells payroll tools. When a finance director asks Claude or ChatGPT for payroll software for a mid-sized firm, the company wants to be on the list. LLM SEO covers two routes into that answer.

The first is what the model already knows from training. That comes from how often and how consistently the brand is described across the web. The second is what the model finds when it searches the web live. That depends on pages that can be crawled, rank well and answer the question clearly.

Why does it matter for AI search?

The two routes need different work. Answers given without a web search reflect the brand's wider reputation, and they can be months out of date. Answers given with a web search reward the same things good SEO does, plus clear answers and trusted third-party mentions.

LLM SEO is mostly a different label for generative engine optimisation. It is a real discipline, but be wary of anyone promising a guaranteed mention. Our LLM SEO guide covers the method.

Perplexity, Gemini and Claude tracking shows how Axiom GEO asks Gemini and Claude without web search. That shows how the model itself sees a brand, which is the first route above.

These terms help explain LLM SEO.

Generative engine optimisation, the most common name for this work.
Grounding, when a model looks things up before answering.
Hallucination, when a model states something false.
Brand mention, when an AI answer names your business.

Common questions

Is LLM SEO a scam?

No, the idea is sound, but some offers around it are not. Helping AI models describe your brand well is real work. Be wary of anyone who promises guaranteed mentions or rankings in ChatGPT. AI answers vary run to run, so honest providers talk about trends across many prompts.

How is LLM SEO different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO aims for rankings and clicks on a results page. LLM SEO aims for mentions, recommendations and citations inside AI answers. Much of the groundwork is shared, such as crawlable pages and clear content. LLM SEO adds more focus on reputation across the web and on accurate facts about the business.

Reviewed 26 September 2026

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