SEO + AI Search
The complete search visibility system for modern marketers in 2026
Optimize for Traditional Search
Traditional visibility on Google and search engines. Ranking higher and driving organic clicks.
What It Focuses On
- Rankings driven by keywords and backlinks
- Technical performance and site health
- Keyword visibility and traffic trends
- Competing for top search positions
- Understanding audience intent by keywords
- Monitoring competitive search movements
Why It Matters in 2026
- Organic search still drives intent
- Strong rankings lower acquisition costs
- Visibility compounds long-term authority
Optimize for AI Discovery
New visibility layer across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and AI Overviews. Being retrieved, cited, and trusted by AI models.
What It Focuses On
- Citations inside AI-generated answers
- Inclusion rate across major AI models
- How AI describes your brand
- Retrieval share of voice metrics
- Prompt-aligned topics for discovery
- Brand presence in LLM outputs
Why It Matters in 2026
- AI becomes a primary discovery channel
- Retrieval influences early buyer decisions
- Citations shape brand credibility instantly
Why You Need Both
SEO gets you ranked, AI Search gets you retrieved, cited, and trusted.
Create. Rank. Retain.
Traditional SEO and AI Search aren't competitors — they're complementary layers of a unified visibility strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do marketers need both SEO and AI Search optimization?
SEO drives discovery through traditional search engines where users actively search. AI Search influences the growing number of people who ask AI tools directly. Together, they cover both intent-driven search and conversational discovery — missing either leaves visibility gaps.
How does traditional SEO differ from AI Search optimization?
Traditional SEO focuses on ranking factors like keywords, backlinks, and technical performance. AI Search optimization focuses on being retrieved and cited by AI models — structuring content for extraction, building citation-worthy authority, and ensuring accurate brand representation in AI responses.
Will AI Search replace traditional Google search?
Not replace, but complement. Google itself is integrating AI through SGE and AI Overviews. Traditional search remains strong for transactional and navigational queries. AI excels at complex, conversational questions. The future is both working together.
What is retrieval share of voice in AI Search?
Retrieval share of voice measures how often your brand appears in AI responses compared to competitors. It's the AI equivalent of search visibility — tracking how frequently AI systems retrieve and cite your content for relevant queries.
How do I optimize content for AI citations?
Structure content in clear, extractable formats. Use direct answers, bullet points, and well-defined sections. Include authoritative signals like author credentials and data. Be consistent across platforms. Make content easy for AI to understand, summarize, and cite accurately.
Why does AI Search matter for early buyer decisions?
Buyers increasingly start research by asking AI tools for recommendations. If your brand isn't retrieved during these early conversations, you're not in the consideration set. AI citations shape first impressions before buyers ever reach your website.
How do traditional SEO rankings affect AI visibility?
Some AI systems use search engine results as input sources. Strong traditional rankings can increase the likelihood of AI retrieval. However, AI also evaluates content directly — structure, clarity, and authority matter independently of rankings.
What metrics should I track for unified visibility?
Track traditional metrics (rankings, organic traffic, click-through rates) alongside AI metrics (citation frequency, retrieval accuracy, brand sentiment in AI responses). The combination shows complete visibility health across both discovery channels.