LLM SEO Best Practices 2025: How to Optimize for AI-Powered Search

In this article, we’ll cover how to:

• Adapt to AI systems in getting citations and organic traffic
• Optimize content for conversational queries in Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Build trust signals through E-E-A-T
• Monitor visibility on different AI responses and platforms

We’ll provide actionable tips to jumpstart your LLM SEO strategies the right way. Continue reading below to learn more.

What is LLM SEO?

LLM SEO makes it easy for AI systems to find, understand, and use your content in their responses. Effective LLM SEO strategies help you get seen on AI responses, even if users do not click through to your page.

Difference between traditional SEO and LLM-driven SEO

Here are the key differences in optimizing for traditional search results versus AI-generated search results.

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Why LLM SEO best practices matter in 2025

Zero-click search is the current trend today. User queries now trigger AI overviews even on traditional search engines like Google.

What does it mean for your brand or website?

Brands that show up in AI search engines build trust and reach users faster. So it won’t matter greatly if you lose traditional clicks on search results.

Why? Because getting AI citations builds brand recall and trust.

You can work with reputable LLM SEO services like Fortis Media to ensure that you have the right approach to LLM optimization.

Core LLM SEO best practices for 2025

Our digital marketing experts, who worked on successful AI optimization projects, curated this list of LLM SEO best practices in 2025.

1. Optimize for entities, not just keywords

Don’t just chase a single keyword. Go ahead and mention specific people, products, and concepts that define your business.

AI systems rely on these entities to better understand the context of your content.

• Use consistent names to avoid confusing AI crawlers.
• Connect your topics like a web, rather than a simple list.
• Track how often AI mentions your entities to refine how you create content.

2. Strengthen E-E-A-T signals for LLM readability

AI platforms favor websites with clear signs of experience, expertise, authority, and trust (E-E-A-T).

How exactly can you build trust signals for AI SEO? Here’s how:

• Use quotes from industry experts to boost your content’s reliability.
• Pick writers with real credentials, and add author bios on your website.
• Feature user reviews and case studies about your product.
• Add a “Contact Us” page, complete with your business information.

3. Use LLM SEO tools for semantic mapping & answerability

There are LLM SEO tools that help you turn a messy topic into a clear, semantic map.

This semantic map is a web of subtopics that support a main theme. AI models scan this map to find relevant answers for generative engine optimization.

• You can use traditional keyword research tools like Ahrefs Keywords Explorer to identify trending keywords.
• Then, use LLM AI tools like MarketMuse to find relevant subtopics for a particular keyword.
• Spot topical gaps by comparing your content to your top competitors.

4. Structure content for AI-friendly consumption

The readability of your page helps people skim, while also providing a technical map for AI systems. Remember, large language models look for data blocks in your content, something that they can easily pull out.

• Add bullet points and numbered lists to make your content skimmable.
• Use tables to show comparisons and data sets.
• Create fact blocks for important stats or quotes, especially those from industry experts.
• Build an FAQ page that answers commonly asked questions from search queries.

5. Improve content “Citation Likelihood” for AI answers

Solid facts, reputable sources, and clear data points. Staying consistent with these LLM SEO tactics can improve your citation likelihood on natural language queries.

• Front-load your content with concise definitions up top.
• Increase factual density through specific numbers, dates, and steps.
• Cite trusted sources to back up your claims.

6. Build topic authority clusters around key entities

Pick a core entity first. It can be a service, product, or concept related to your brand. Then, build a content hub around it, going deeper and more specific in the relevant web pages.

• Always start with one pillar page per entity, covering the topic at a high level.
• Through internal linking, connect cluster pages
• Cite trusted sources to back up your claims.

7. Add schema markup and structured data for LLMs

Structured data feeds AI systems with everything essential about your brand — who you are, what the page is about, and where AI’s training data can find what it’s looking for.

• Use “Organization” and “Person” markup to identify your business and authors.
• Utilize the “FAQPage” schema markup only when the page truly contains FAQs.
• Apply the “HowTo” schema to outline step-by-step tutorials and guide pages.

8. Maintain factual consistency & avoid ambiguity

Keep your facts straight and your claims consistent. Large language models cross-check information across different sources. You don’t want to be the one who makes false claims.

• Keep pricing, specifications, dates, and definitions consistent across all pages.
• Use the same terms every time, including services, products, features, and categories.
• Audit the entire site to identify and fix outdated information.

9. Track AI overview visibility & multi-model search performance

Monitor how your brand appears across different AI platforms. This is one of the most important aspects of large language model optimization.

• Use AI mode on Google Search Console to help track your LLM visibility.
• Check tools like Otterly to track your top-performing prompts in AI search algorithms.
• Monitor share of voice on platforms like Semrush that provide an AI visibility index.

10. Optimize for zero-click search experiences

Unlike traditional SEO, you optimize content for zero-click search in Google’s AI overviews.

• Build strong fronts on both traditional SEO and LLM to boost brand recall.
• Add clear CTAs, including “Sign up here” or “Learn more here.”
• Sell softly on citation pages, keeping an educational tone in defining terms.

How LLM SEO differs from traditional SEO in 2025

Search engine optimization on LLM and traditional rankings differ in areas of focus, particularly in these aspects:

Common mistakes to avoid in LLM SEO

Avoid these miscues to keep your content strong on AI search crawlers.

• Keyword stuffing: Focusing your search marketing strategy on keywords might not work anymore. Instead, go for direct answers and concise descriptions.
• Lack of semantic depth: Pick a theme and cover as many subtopics and ideas as you can.
• Thin or unfactual content: Always fact-check your claims and keep them consistent across your published pages.
• Missing structured data: AI systems use code like schema markup to verify your entities.

These are simple traps that could pull down your visibility on AI platforms. You can also work with content marketing services like Fortis Media. We’ll help you future-proof your content strategies, driving more users to your website.

How to implement LLM SEO best practices into your workflow

Switch from a keyword-first to an answer-first workflow to gain more visibility on AI answers. We recommend adding these steps to your daily workflow.

1. First, set the goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that align with your business needs.
2. Based on your budget, choose tools that can help you optimize for natural language processing systems.
3. Use AI tools for initial researching and outlining, but follow it up with human review for strict fact-checking.
4. Optimize for every major AI model, including the top ChatGPT ranking factors.
5. Schedule regular audits to ensure data accuracy and adherence to compliance standards.

Best practices for using LLM SEO tools

Partnering with trustworthy SEO services and experts is still the best “tool” for LLM optimization. But maximizing the capabilities of digital LLM SEO tools also gives you advantages, especially if you apply these practices:

• Focus on entities, not just keywords.
• Optimize for LLM citations, not traditional rankings.
• Build E-E-A-T signals into every article.
• Create an AI-friendly structure (facts, tables, definitions).
• Track zero-click performance.

You can also work with top technical SEO services to properly utilize these tools, particularly in troubleshooting issues in your site’s technical health.

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Final tips to stay ahead in AI search

We recommend using this checklist when optimizing your content for Google’s AI overviews and other AI models.

Weekly optimization schedule

• Monitor AI Overview visibility through LLM SEO tools
• Refresh key pages with facts and tables
• Fix entity alignment and improve answer blocks
• Update internal links

Tools to use

• Entity and semantic mapping tools (InLinks, WordLift)
• AI visibility trackers (Semrush AI Toolkit)
• Content scoring tools (NeuronWriter, Clearscope)
• Screaming Frog tool for technical audits
• Internal linking tools (Yoast SEO, Sitebulb, Ahrefs Site Audit)

Content update templates

• Add a quick-answer block
• Add a definition snippet
• Use tables for clarity
• Make sections short, with clear H2 and H3 headings
• Add three to five internal links to relevant pages

Entity alignment checklist

• Confirm the primary entity for a page
• Add supporting entities for content
• Validate schema through markup generators
• Ensure factual consistency across all pages
• Connect to cluster pages

To ensure that you’re heading in the right direction, you can partner with LLM SEO experts like Fortis Media. Through continuous research and successful projects, we future-proof SEO strategies on AI-generated answers.

Contact us today to get a free proposal tailored to your brand.