The rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) has sparked debate within the SEO community: Is optimizing for AI a separate discipline, or simply an evolution of existing SEO practices? Regardless of the stance, LLM inclusion is undeniably reshaping the landscape of digital discovery. To navigate this evolving terrain and uncover tangible business value, Search Engine Journal recently hosted Patrick Stox, Product Advisor, Technical SEO, and Brand Ambassador at Ahrefs, for an insightful discussion on the latest edition of IMHO. Stox, armed with extensive data, shared his expert perspective on what truly works for LLM inclusion and the future of search.
Google Isn't Going Anywhere
Despite the industry's fervent focus on new AI tools like ChatGPT, AI Overviews, and AI Mode, Patrick Stox firmly believes that traditional search, particularly Google, is far from obsolete. "I’m not betting against Google," he asserted, highlighting that while tech-forward users embrace LLMs, the vast majority of people still rely on Google for their daily searches.
Recent Ahrefs data supports this, estimating that Google accounts for approximately 40% of all website traffic, dwarfing LLM referrals. Even after experimenting with early LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude, Stox personally found himself gravitating back to Google's AI Mode and Gemini, a trend he expects to see more widely as Google refines its systems.
He emphasized Google's unparalleled data reserves and its position "on the bleeding edge" of AI innovation, predicting these factors will continue to draw users back into its ecosystem. "They’ve got more data than anyone, and they’re still on the bleeding edge," Stox noted.
The Attribution Problem: LLMs Might Drive Conversions, But We Can't Prove It
While websites are observing an increase in referrals from LLMs, accurately attributing tangible business value from this traffic remains a significant hurdle. Stox acknowledged that while metrics like brand mentions and citations in AI responses can be tracked, they often fail to translate into the revenue-focused reporting required by C-suite executives.
"You can measure how often you’re mentioned versus competitors… but going back to a business, I can’t report on that stuff. It’s all secondary, tertiary metrics."
For Ahrefs, however, there have been some promising signals. Stox revealed, "When I first looked at this data back in July, all the traffic from AI search was half a percent of our traffic total. But at the time, it was 12.1% of our total conversions." Although this conversion share has since dipped below 10% even as traffic share slightly increased, it suggests a potential, albeit complex, link between LLM visibility and business outcomes.
Two Strategies That Are Working For LLM Inclusion
Ahrefs is actively exploring various approaches for LLM inclusion, with Stox identifying two core strategies for enhancing visibility: repetition and differentiation.
- Repetition: Stox explained, "Whatever the internet says, that’s kind of what’s being returned in these systems." This means consistent messaging across numerous websites is crucial. For Ahrefs, this translates to widely disseminating the message that they have evolved beyond just SEO tools into a comprehensive digital marketing platform.
- Differentiation: Complementing repetition, creating unique, original data helps brands stand out. Ahrefs has heavily invested in proprietary data studies, including non-English research. Stox noted, "This data is being heavily cited, heavily returned in these systems because there’s nothing else out there like it."
A surprising, yet effective, tactic currently working for LLM inclusion is listicles. While Stox admits he's not convinced of their long-term viability, he acknowledges their current impact: "I hate to say it, but listicles… they work right now. I don’t think it’s future-proof at all, but at the same time, I don’t want to just not be there."
Agentic AI And The Threat Of Closed Systems
The conversation also touched upon the potential impact of agentic AI and the concern over systems becoming closed. As LLM agents increasingly handle tasks like travel bookings, purchases, and direct API access, Stox predicts they will gravitate towards a limited number of established, major brands.
"ChatGPT isn’t going to make deals with unknown companies. If they book flights, they’ll use major providers. If they use a dictionary, they’ll pick one dictionary."
This poses a significant threat to smaller businesses. Stox warned, "If an agent decides ‘we only check out through Amazon,’ a lot of stores lose sales overnight." He stressed that there's no guaranteed defense against this, urging businesses to focus on growing their brand and footprint. His advice echoed an old Google adage: "Make them embarrassed to not have you included."
Beyond LLM Optimization: Channels That Still Matter
Amidst the AI hype, Stox reminded listeners of often-overlooked channels. "It’s not ChatGPT that’s the second largest search engine, it’s still YouTube by far," he highlighted.
Ahrefs has seen immense success with YouTube, investing heavily in both long-form and short-form video for brand discovery.
Furthermore, genuine community participation on platforms like Reddit, Slack, and Discord offers substantial value. Stox cautioned against spamming, instead advocating for authentic engagement where employees are empowered to represent the company.
"You have literally a paid workforce of advocates who work for your company. Let them go out and talk to people… answer questions, basically advertise for you. They want to do it already. So let them."
If You Started A Product Today, Where Would You Bet?
When asked where he would invest if launching a startup today, Stox unequivocally pointed to relationships. "If I launched a startup, the first thing I’d invest in is relationships. That’s still the most powerful channel," he stated, attributing potential rapid growth to his network. Beyond relationships, his priorities would include YouTube, website content creation, and word-of-mouth – essentially, "just normal marketing."
Stox concluded with a profound observation: "We’ve gone through this tech revolution, and now we’re realizing everything still comes back to direct connections with people." This underscores a crucial insight for the AI era: while technology evolves, the brands that thrive are those that prioritize and maintain genuine human connections.
For a deeper dive into these insights, watch the full video interview with Patrick Stox:
Special thanks to Patrick Stox for sharing his valuable expertise on IMHO.
