A practical guide to AI search optimization for service businesses and SaaS companies
So this actually happened to me. A few months ago, I started getting discovery calls from people I'd never heard of — not from Google, not from a referral, not from LinkedIn. When I asked how they found me, the answer kept coming back: "ChatGPT recommended you." (I wrote about that experience here.)
My marketing brain was like, "What the heck?" 😂
These weren't my typical leads. They were people asking ChatGPT things like "Who's a good Webflow SEO consultant?" and my name was popping up. For someone like me, this is like finding an old piece of candy in your pants pocket — a total treat.
But here's the thing — when I tested the same prompts for other niches, a lot of solid businesses were completely invisible. Their competitors were getting mentioned by name. They were nowhere.
Recent research shows that 43% of people now use AI search tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity daily or more. That's not a trend anymore. That's a fundamental shift in how people find businesses like yours and mine.
I've been testing what works and what doesn't — on my own site and with clients like Leripp. Some things made a real difference. Some were complete wastes of time. And I want to share what I've learned because I think it can help you show up when it matters most.
What Is AI Search Optimization?
AI search optimization is making your website and content easy enough for AI systems to understand so they actually recommend you when someone asks a relevant question.
You might have heard people calling this GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) or AEO (Answer Engine Optimization). Some agencies are treating it like a completely separate discipline from SEO.
I disagree. We just call it SEO because that's what it is.
Good SEO has always meant making your content easy to find and understand. The tools changed. The job didn't.
Think of it this way — Google reads your website and decides where to rank you. ChatGPT reads your website (and a lot of other sources) and decides whether to recommend you. The principle is the same: be clear, authoritative, and helpful.
The big difference? AI tools don't just rank pages. They synthesize information and make direct recommendations. When someone asks "Who's the best Webflow designer for SaaS companies?", they're not getting ten blue links. They're getting a curated answer. You want to be in that answer.
How AI Tools Decide What to Recommend
AI tools aren't just looking at your website. They're looking at the entire web's perception of you. Here's what matters:
Authority signals — Being cited by other reputable sources, having quality backlinks, showing up in industry publications, getting mentioned on podcasts. It's the same signals Google cares about, just weighted differently.
Content clarity — AI tools are remarkably good at understanding clear, well-structured content and remarkably bad at interpreting vague marketing speak. If your website says you provide "innovative solutions for forward-thinking businesses," an AI has no idea what you actually do. But if it says "We help SaaS companies improve their Webflow SEO to rank higher on Google" — that's specific enough to match with real queries.
Real people, not just logos — Here's something most people miss. AI tools love recommending specific people, not just faceless companies. When I asked Claude to recommend a Webflow SEO consultant, it mentioned specific individuals by name — people who have built personal brands alongside their business. This is huge for service professionals. Your personal reputation matters more in AI recommendations than it does in traditional search.
Recency — AI tools tend to favor fresh, current information. A blog post from 2019 about "SEO best practices" is going to carry less weight than one from this year. Keeping your content updated isn't just good practice — it's a competitive advantage.
The 5 Things That Actually Made a Difference
After months of testing, these are the strategies that moved the needle for me and my clients.
Set up an LLMS.txt file. Think of this as your website's resume for AI tools. It's a structured text file that tells AI systems exactly what your business does, who you serve, and why you're the right choice.
Webflow recently added native support for LLMS.txt files directly in their site settings, which made me finally prioritize testing this. The setup took about 20 minutes, and within weeks I started noticing my business getting mentioned in AI responses more frequently.
I wrote a complete LLMS.txt setup guide if you want the full walkthrough, but a few tips: keep it 1,500–2,500 words, lead with your core value proposition (don't bury it in company history), include information about you as a person and not just your company, and focus on outcomes and results rather than just listing services.
Add comprehensive schema markup. Schema is structured data that helps both Google and AI tools understand your content. If you're on Webflow, this is easier to implement than you might think.
The ones that matter most: Organization schema (tells AI who you are and where you're located), Service schema (defines what you offer and to whom), FAQ schema (this is gold — it literally gives AI tools ready-made Q&A pairs to cite), and Person schema (connects your personal expertise to your business).
Become a recognizable entity. In AI terms, an "entity" is a clearly defined thing — a person, business, or topic that AI systems can recognize and categorize. You want to be a recognizable entity in your niche.
How? Use your full name consistently across your website, social profiles, and guest content. Create an About page that clearly defines who you are, what you do, and your credentials. Build topical authority by writing extensively about your core expertise. Get mentioned on other authoritative sites in your industry. I even set up a Wikidata entry for Webodew — every little bit helps.
Create content worth citing. AI tools cite sources. If you create content that other people reference, you're more likely to get recommended. Original research, comprehensive guides, free tools, case studies with specific results, definitive how-to tutorials. My Webflow SEO checklist, for example, gets referenced regularly because it's genuinely useful. That kind of content builds authority over time.
Get mentioned elsewhere. AI tools don't just read your website — they read what other people say about you. Being mentioned on podcasts, in industry publications, or on partner websites amplifies your authority signal. This isn't just about link building (though that helps too). It's about building a web of references that AI tools can find and validate.
What Doesn't Work
I've seen businesses make these mistakes, and I want to save you the trouble.
Treating AI optimization as totally separate from SEO — the fundamentals are the same. Clear content, technical excellence, authority building. If you're doing good SEO, you're already halfway there. Don't let agencies sell you an entirely separate "AI SEO" service that ignores the basics.
Using generic business descriptions — "We provide innovative solutions for modern businesses" tells an AI nothing. Be specific about what you do and who you do it for.
Hiding behind your company name — if your website is all about "Company X" and never mentions the actual humans behind it, you're missing out. For service businesses especially, your personal brand matters. A lot.
Waiting for certainty — we're in the early days of AI search. The businesses testing and iterating now will have a massive advantage. There is no playbook yet. Test, measure, adjust.
How to Tell If It's Working
Here's how I track it:
I regularly ask AI tools the kinds of questions my ideal clients would ask. "Who's the best Webflow SEO consultant?" "Recommend a Webflow designer for SaaS companies." See if you show up.
I pay attention to lead sources. When prospects mention they found me through ChatGPT, that's a signal worth noting. We recently added new content sections to Leripp's website — detailed FAQs and location-specific info, nothing fancy — and the owner started noticing their business showing up in AI tool results too.
And I watch for unusual traffic patterns. Spikes in direct traffic or traffic from unfamiliar sources might indicate AI-driven discovery.
The goal isn't just to have an LLMS.txt file or perfect schema. The goal is to be the business that gets recommended when someone asks for help in your space.
Why I Think This Matters More Than Most People Realize
We're still early. The businesses that figure this out now will have a serious advantage as AI tools become the default way people research and make decisions.
And honestly? The fundamentals aren't going anywhere — clear value proposition, proven results, well-structured information, and personal touches that build trust. If you're already doing good work and communicating it clearly, you're closer than you think.
FAQs
How long does it take to show up in ChatGPT recommendations?There's no guaranteed timeline, but I've seen results in as little as a few weeks after implementing LLMS.txt and improving site structure. It depends on your existing authority, how clear your content is, and whether other sources mention you.
Do I need to pay to get recommended by AI tools?No. Unlike Google Ads, there's currently no way to pay for AI recommendations. It's based entirely on your content, authority, and how well AI tools understand your business. This actually levels the playing field — a small business with great content can compete with larger competitors.
What's the difference between AI SEO and regular SEO?At their core, they're the same thing. The main differences are in how results are presented (direct recommendations vs. ranked links) and what signals matter most (AI puts more weight on clarity and entity recognition). Good traditional SEO is a strong foundation for AI visibility.
Does AI search optimization work for small businesses?Absolutely — and arguably better than traditional SEO in some ways. AI tools often recommend specific experts rather than big brands. A solo consultant with clear positioning and good content can get recommended over a large agency with a generic website.
Can I do this myself?You can definitely start yourself. Creating an LLMS.txt file, improving your content clarity, and adding basic schema are all DIY-friendly. Where an expert helps is in understanding what's working, identifying missed opportunities, and implementing more advanced strategies.
Will this hurt my Google rankings?Not at all — the opposite, actually. Everything that helps AI tools understand your content also helps Google. You're adding a new discovery channel, not replacing an existing one.
About Mike
Hey, I'm Michael Miello (but everyone calls me Mike), and I'm the founder of Webodew. I help service businesses and SaaS companies get found online through Webflow design, SEO, and AI search optimization.
I'm originally from the States but based in France. If you landed on this page from ChatGPT or a Google search, that's Webflow SEO in action.
If you want your business showing up in AI tools like mine does, let's chat about your strategy.
