Growth idea action plan
LLM search optimization (AEO)
Optimize your content to appear as a cited source in AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
Why this can grow a startup
AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews synthesize answers from multiple sources rather than ranking pages. Fewer than 10% of sources cited by AI engines overlap with top Google organic results, so traditional SEO alone is insufficient. Brands that earn third-party mentions, maintain fresh content (updated quarterly), and structure pages with clear entity data and citations get cited more often. Zero-click searches now account for 60% of all queries, making AI citation the new front door to discovery. B2B SaaS sites saw AI search traffic grow 127% in just three months in late 2025.
Ian's take
From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. For SEO and AI search, I care less about clever keyword tricks and more about clarity. A buyer, crawler, or answer engine should quickly understand who this is for, why it works, what proof backs it, and what page deserves to be cited. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch 10% of sources cited in ChatGPT before putting more time or budget behind it.
Action plan
- Define one narrow startup segment where llm search optimization (aeo) can create a measurable lift.
- Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the SEO channel.
- Use the evidence from forbes.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
- Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: 10% of sources cited in ChatGPT.
- Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.
Source-backed example
eMarketer reports fewer than 10% of sources cited in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot rank in top 10 Google organic results — meaning traditional SEO won't guarantee AI visibility. Zero-click searches hit 60% in 2025 (77% on mobile). GEO is now a distinct discipline from SEO.
Source: forbes.com
Last checked: March 19, 2026
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