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If you’re confused about how to rank in ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, or Perplexity…you’re not alone. The buzz around LLM SEO is loud. Everyone’s promising hacks, quick wins, or declaring “Google is dead.” But let’s get real.
At Bend, we’ve actually done the work. We run sites. We rank. And we’ve seen LLMs become the second-biggest driver of traffic for us and our clients—right behind Google.
This post breaks down eight things we’re doing right now to help local and mid-sized businesses win visibility in AI search. No fluff. Just what’s working.
1. Bing Webmaster Tools Is a Must
Everyone obsesses over Google Search Console—but Bing matters too. Microsoft powers ChatGPT’s browsing and its core knowledge layer. If you’re not using Bing Webmaster Tools, you’re leaving visibility on the table.
✅ Submit your sitemap
✅ Check for crawl issues
✅ Monitor rankings on Bing (which often show up in ChatGPT)
It’s a simple setup and you can do it in under 15 minutes.
2. Add Schema Markup (Like, Yesterday)
This one’s underrated. LLMs are scanning the web for context and structured signals. Schema markup—especially on your homepage and blog posts—helps AI understand who you are and what your content means.
We’ve seen schema make the difference between being cited vs. being ignored in ChatGPT results.
Use tools like Schema Markup Generator or ChatGPT to speed this up.
3. Write for Google and Bing
Yes, they’re different algorithms. But most of the foundational best practices are shared—clear structure, strong H1s, internal links, schema, and topical authority.
Here’s the trick: focus on writing high-quality, question-driven content that solves a specific problem. If you already follow strong SEO strategy, you’re 80% of the way there for LLM rankings.
4. Answer Real Questions (NLP Style)
If LLMs are designed to answer questions, your site should be too.
Here’s how we help clients do it:
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Use Google’s “People Also Ask” and ChatGPT’s autocomplete to find real queries
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Turn those into H2s
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Answer each clearly and conversationally, just like an AI would
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No fluff. No jargon. Just clarity.
This structure gets picked up in search, in AI results, and it trains the models to trust your domain.
5. Keep Content Fresh
We don’t publish and forget. Every 3–6 months, we revisit top-performing content:
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Update info
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Remove outdated lines
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Refresh the publish date
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Update the schema
LLMs reward freshness. In ChatGPT’s citations, publish date matters more than most people realize.
6. Make Sure to Edit and Humanize AI Content
We’re not anti-AI. But when it comes to publishing—do not rely on AI to generate full posts.
Why? LLMs don’t want to quote their own recycled content. They want original thought. Human experiences. Specifics. Case studies. That’s what gets cited.
We write everything ourselves. It’s slower—but it works.
7. Earn Mentions, Not Just Links
It’s not about backlinks anymore—it’s about brand mentions.
LLMs don’t need a hyperlink to understand context. If your brand is mentioned (even without a link) in trusted publications or industry blogs, that boosts your authority in AI search.
We help clients:
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Get listed in “best of” roundups
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Be included in comparison blogs
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Create their own content that mentions competitors (which leads to reciprocal mentions)
8. Grow Branded Search
LLMs love brands people already care about.
When people search your name on Google, LinkedIn, or mention you online, that builds a digital footprint. The more branded search volume you have, the more models recognize your business as legit.
Want a shortcut?
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Partner with creators
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Appear on podcasts
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Run paid social ads
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Drive curiosity that makes people search for you
Final Word on LLM SEO
The best part? LLM SEO isn’t magic. It’s just good SEO—with more attention to authorship, clarity, and relationships. At Bend, we don’t chase hacks. We focus on what works, over time.
If you’re a business that wants to show up across Google and AI tools like ChatGPT—reach out. This is what we do.
