How to Rank Higher in Large Language Models Like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok

Most businesses today spend the bulk of their marketing energy on one goal: ranking higher in Google search results. That still matters — a lot. But in 2025, more and more customers aren’t just searching on Google. They’re asking large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok for answers directly. If you’ve ever typed “best restaurants near me” or “things to do in my area” into one of these AI tools, you know how powerful they’ve become as information gatekeepers.

The big question for business owners and marketers: how do you make sure your company shows up in LLM answers?

Why Ranking in LLMs Matters Now

Search habits are changing fast. Google still dominates, but conversational AI is becoming a new “front door” for information. People are no longer just typing keywords; they’re asking full, natural-language questions.

Instead of clicking through 10 blue links, users are getting one synthesized response, often with a few references. That means your business doesn’t just need to be on the first page of Google — it needs to be considered “the most helpful answer” by an AI model.

SEO vs. LLM Optimization: The Key Differences

Traditional SEO and LLM optimization share some DNA, but the playbooks aren’t identical.

SEO for Google:

• Keyword targeting and on-page optimization

• Page speed and mobile responsiveness

• Backlinks and domain authority

• Structured data and technical SEO

  
  

Optimization for LLMs:

• Conversational, human-like tone

• Deep topical authority (long-form, expert content)

• Clear structure: headings, lists, FAQs

• Educational, neutral, and non-salesy writing

• Fresh content that reflects current trends

  
  

In other words, Google ranks you based on signals about your site. LLMs surface you when your content is the most natural “answer” to a question.

How Large Language Models Pull Content

While LLMs don’t crawl the web in real time like Googlebot, they’re trained on massive text datasets, fine-tuned with user feedback, and in some cases connected to search engines. This means:

• If your content is well-structured, educational, and high-authority, it’s more likely to be represented in training sets or cited in retrieval-augmented answers.

• If your site is indexed, clean, and updated regularly, AI tools that connect to the web (like Perplexity or ChatGPT with browsing enabled) are more likely to reference you.

• If your content matches the conversational style of the question, LLMs will find it easier to pull into responses.

  
  

Best Practices to “Rank” in LLMs

1. Write Conversationally

Forget keyword stuffing. LLMs reward content that reads like a natural conversation. Write like you’re answering a client’s question in person.

2. Build Topical Authority

LLMs look for subject matter depth. Instead of one short article on “local SEO,” publish a series: how it works, trends in 2025, common mistakes, step-by-step guides. Authority builds visibility.

3. Use Clean Structure

Headings (H2s, H3s), lists, FAQs, and definitions aren’t just for readers — they’re cues for AI to chunk and retrieve information.

4. Keep Content Fresh

Because LLMs now integrate web browsing, freshness signals matter more than ever. Updating older posts and adding new ones consistently boosts your chances.

5. Focus on Education, Not Sales

AI systems are designed to surface helpful answers. If your content is 90% sales pitch, it won’t make the cut. Make it genuinely useful.

6. Experiment with FAQ Sections

Including question-and-answer sections in your posts directly mirrors the way people prompt LLMs. This helps position your content as a ready-made response.

The Overlap With Google SEO

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to choose between Google SEO and LLM optimization. Many of the same habits that boost your rankings on Google — long-form content, authority, freshness — also make you more likely to be cited or referenced by LLMs.

The shift is more about emphasis: educational, well-structured content now does double duty. It helps you in Google search and in AI-driven results.

What This Means for Denver Businesses

If you’re a local business in Denver, you’re competing not just for rankings in the Google Map Pack, but also for visibility inside AI-generated answers. Whether you’re a law firm, a contractor, or a healthcare provider, the principle is the same: the more your content looks like the “most helpful response,” the more often it will show up in AI tools.

Wrapping It Up

Ranking in Google is still critical, but it’s no longer the only game in town. If you want to future-proof your digital presence, you need to optimize not just for algorithms, but for AI. That means educational content, clear formatting, and topical depth.

At Indigo Labs, we’re helping Denver businesses adapt to this shift — but even if you start by implementing these practices on your own, you’ll already be ahead of most competitors.