Introduction to LLM Visibility
A discussion on LinkedIn about LLM visibility and the tools for tracking it explored how SEOs are approaching optimization for LLM-based search. The answers provided suggest that tools for LLM-focused SEO are gaining maturity, though there is some disagreement about what exactly should be tracked. Joe Hall raised a series of questions about the usefulness of tools that track LLM visibility, intending to open a conversation.
The Concerns About LLM Visibility Tools
He wrote: “I don’t understand how these systems that claim to track LLM visibility work. LLM responses are highly subjective to context. They are not static like traditional SERPs are. Even if you could track them, how can you reasonably connect performance to business objectives? How can you do forecasting, or even build a strategy with that data? I understand the value of it from a superficial level, but it doesn’t really seem good for anything other than selling a service to consultants that don’t really know what they are doing.”
Outdated SEO Tools
Joshua Levenson answered, saying that today’s SEO tools are out of date, remarking: “People are using the old paradigm to measure a new tech.” Joe Hall responded with “Bingo!” indicating agreement with Levenson’s statement.
LLM SEO: A New Approach
Lily Ray responded to say that the entities that LLMs fall back on are a key element to focus on. She explained: “If you ask an LLM the same question thousands of times per day, you’ll be able to average the entities it mentions in its responses. And then repeat that every day. It’s not perfect but it’s something.” When asked how that’s helpful to clients, Lily answered: “Well, there are plenty of actionable recommendations that can be gleaned from the data. But that’s obviously the hard part. It’s not as easy as “add this keyword to your title tag.”
Tools For LLM SEO
Dixon Jones introduced Waikay, which stands for What AI Knows About You. He said that his tool uses entity and topic extraction, and bases its recommendations and actions on gap analysis. Ryan Jones discussed how his product, SERPRecon, works: “There’s 2 ways to do it. One – the way I’m doing it on SERPrecon is to use the APIs to monitor responses to the queries and then like Lily said, extract the entities, topics, etc from it. This is the cheaper/easier way but is easiest to focus on what you care about. The focus isn’t on the exact wording but the topics and themes it keeps mentioning – so you can go optimize for those.”
Understanding LLM Search Results
Although Hall stated that traditional search results were static, it must be pointed out that the old search results were in a constant state of change. LLMs also show diversity in their search results, but in the case of AI Overviews, Google shows a few results for the query and then does the “fan-out” thing to anticipate follow-up questions. Billy Peery offered an interesting insight into LLM search results, suggesting that the output exhibits a degree of stability and isn’t as volatile as commonly believed.
The Stability of LLM Search Results
He offered this insight: “I guess I disagree with the idea that the SERPs were ever static. With LLMs, we’re able to better understand which sources they’re pulling from to answer questions. So, even if the specific words change, the model’s likelihood of pulling from sources and mentioning brands is significantly more static. I think the people who are saying that LLMs are too volatile for optimization are too focused on the exact wording, as opposed to the sources and brand mentions.” Peery makes an excellent point by noting that some SEOs may be getting hung up on the exact keyword matching and that perhaps the more important thing to focus on is whether the LLM is linking to and mentioning specific websites and brands.
Conclusion
Awareness of LLM tools for tracking visibility is growing. Marketers are reaching some agreement on what should be tracked and how it benefits clients. While some question the strategic value of these tools, others use them to identify which brands and themes are mentioned, adding that data to their SEO mix. As the discussion continues, it’s clear that LLM visibility tools are becoming more mature, and SEOs are finding new ways to approach optimization for LLM-based search. By focusing on the entities and sources that LLMs pull from, rather than just the exact wording, SEOs can create more effective strategies for their clients.