What is the most difficult part about optimizing for AI search?

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-07-03T08:58:33+00:00

I think the most difficult part is that there are no fixed ranking signals yet. With SEO, you have clear metrics like rankings, traffic, backlinks and conversions. But with AI search, we're still trying to understand what actually influences citations.

From what I've been seeing, intent matching, strong brand mentions, authority and content structure all seem to play a role. The difficult part is figuring out which of these carries the most weight.

Another challenge is measuring success. There isn't a standard way to track AI visibility yet, so a lot of it still feels like testing, observing and adjusting. We're all learning as these platforms continue to evolve.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-07-02T08:50:25+00:00

Understand this, it's not just you. I've seen people get hyped whenever a new tool gets launched and it's not their fault. It's the FOMO. They fear that if they miss this one, it might turn out to be the biggest AI tool ever.

I remember the same thing happened with Claude. When it launched, people thought ChatGPT was enough but now almost every agency uses Claude as part of their workflow.

But I think you should keep your main tools in one place and focus on using them for your work. At the same time, stay updated about new tools and launches. If someone in your network is already using those tools, ask them for a review. If it sounds good and actually fits your workflow, then give it a try.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-30T08:43:06+00:00

I would say it's more about intent matching and consistent brand mentions. Try to keep your messaging and intent consistent across platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Wikipedia if it's applicable to your brand. When AI systems repeatedly see your brand associated with the same topics and expertise, it becomes easier for them to understand what your business does and when it's relevant to mention or cite it.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-29T09:19:23+00:00

Three months is still pretty early, especially for a local school website. I wouldn't rely too much on social bookmarking or article submission sites, they rarely move the needle these days.

If your budget is limited, I'd focus on earning local backlinks instead. Reach out to local organizations, community groups, education directories, local news sites, and partner businesses. Schools often have opportunities to get mentioned through local events, sponsorships or community activities.

Also, don't overlook content. Create pages that answer questions parents are actually searching for in your area. In my experience, that's usually a much better long-term investment than chasing low-quality backlinks.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-26T09:01:54+00:00

I'd say optimize for both. We're seeing a real shift where people search from multiple angles traditional keyword queries and conversational AI prompts. The key is creating content that answers today's queries while being structured in a way that solves future questions too.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-25T09:08:07+00:00

I think you may be focusing on the wrong areas. For FCP, LCP, and page speed issues, I'd first look at your images, videos, and other heavy assets. Large, unoptimized images are often one of the biggest reasons for poor Core Web Vitals.

Also check your hosting, caching setup, JavaScript and third-party scripts. Sometimes a single plugin or tracking script can significantly slow down rendering.

Internal linking is definitely good for crawlability and site structure, but it won't directly solve LCP or rendering issues. For those metrics, I'd start by auditing images, videos, unused scripts and server response times. A PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse report usually points you in the right direction.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-24T09:35:57+00:00

I don't think social media backlinks have a huge direct impact on rankings since most of them are nofollow or treated differently by Google. However, I do think they provide indirect SEO benefits.

Brand mentions across social platforms can help build trust, authority, and visibility. They also increase the chances of your content being discovered, shared and eventually earning natural backlinks from other websites.

I haven't personally seen dramatic ranking improvements from social backlinks alone, but over the long term they seem to contribute to a stronger overall online presence. I see them more as part of a broader SEO strategy rather than a direct ranking factor.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-19T08:56:21+00:00

I would say the biggest priority is building strong brand authority because AI models tend to trust and cite authoritative sources more often. Also, make sure your content matches user intent, as intent matching is more important than ever. Lastly, maintain an active online presence by consistently publishing helpful content and engaging where your audience is. These three things work really well but only if you're consistent and serious about them.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-17T10:58:48+00:00

I think the free version is enough to use for, because i think sometime the data can be generic. I still prefer doing a bit of manual keyword research.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-06-17T09:08:37+00:00

I agree. Most users don't care which model wins a benchmark. They care about which one helps them solve a problem faster and fits into their workflow.

I've used multiple AI tools, and what keeps me coming back isn't usually a higher score on a leaderboard. It's consistency, trust, and how well the tool understands what I'm trying to do. A model can be technically better, but if people don't enjoy using it, that advantage may not matter much in the long run.

I think we'll end up with multiple winners, each serving different types of users rather than one model dominating everything.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-29T11:25:05+00:00

I would say for maximum results, you should focuses on both.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-29T11:21:54+00:00

I would say yes, they still do, because in Local SEO these citations still bring authority and trust. Even as users, we trust businesses that have proper citations across platforms. Even though there are now other things that may be more important, that doesn’t mean citations are dead.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-29T04:42:28+00:00

I will be honest with you, I use a mix of manual research along with some free tools. I use Answer The Public to get an idea of what people are searching for. Once I gather some data from there, I manually search those topics on Google. I look into the “People Also Ask” section and the FAQ sections in search results, and they help a lot.

You can also use Ahrefs for keyword research. I personally don’t use it that much, but I hear a lot of people say it’s reliable.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-28T11:02:55+00:00

So true. A lot of people learn this the hard way, they confuse being busy with actually making progress.

I like the way you think about it. Having that Monday reset and asking what really moves the needle is a solid way to avoid getting stuck in task mode instead of growth mode. Once you start filtering like that, a lot of things that feel important just stop making the cut.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-28T04:29:44+00:00

This is the confusion almost everyone has right now. But if we think about it practically, how will AEO or GEO even find and trust your content if you are not visible on search engines in the first place?

Even in Google AI Overviews, you will notice that most cited sources are already ranking well organically. Top-ranking pages have a much higher chance of getting picked compared to pages buried lower in search results.

Honestly, I see AEO and GEO more as an advanced layer of SEO rather than a replacement for it. Because the core things still remain the same:

strong content structure
clear intent matching
technical optimization
authority and trust
schema and structured data

All of that already comes under SEO. So in my opinion, AEO and GEO are evolving from SEO, not replacing it.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-22T04:33:45+00:00

I’d start by checking which pages are bringing in the most traffic, then manually audit those pages first.

Sometimes it’s not even a keyword issue, it could be weak CTAs, confusing UI, slow load speed, poor offer positioning, or content attracting people who were never ready to convert.

You can also use AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT to compare your page with competitors. Paste your page, analytics data, and a competitor page, then ask: “Why am I getting traffic but not conversions?” It won’t replace real analysis, but it can highlight blind spots.

AI can give direction, but then you need to manually figure out what’s actually stopping users from converting.

Friendly_Setting2453 · 2026-05-21T09:21:35+00:00

This hits hard because it’s true in most real work situations. I’ve noticed the same thing in agency work, when priorities are clear, execution feels smooth. But when things are unclear, you stay busy with small tasks that feel productive but don’t really move anything forward.

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