Challenge
User behavior has shifted significantly with the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and others. Instead of relying solely on traditional search engines like Google, people are increasingly seeking answers directly from LLMs. This trend has led to a noticeable decline in organic traffic for businesses that depend heavily on search engine optimization (SEO) for visibility and lead generation. Growth Natives faced this challenge as they observed diminishing organic traffic and engagement rates on Google Search, threatening long-term sustainability.
Solution
- Growth Natives implemented a first-mover strategy by embracing AI Engine Optimization (AEO)-a forward-thinking strategy integrating entity-based SEO, NLP, and holistic SEO techniques.
- Citation Optimization in LLMs: Created authoritative, high-quality content aligned with knowledge graphs and training data of LLMs; leveraged data visualization techniques to simplify complex information for AI systems.
- Redirecting Commercial Intent Traffic: Optimized pages for high-conversion keywords targeting users with purchase intent; used advanced analytics tools like DiGGrowth to track referral traffic, engagement, and conversion metrics across platforms like Perplexity.ai and Gemini.google.com.
Implementation Strategy
- Content Development: Created entity-based content establishing topical authority across domains like digital marketing, healthcare analytics, Salesforce solutions, and data visualization.
- NLP Integration: Incorporated natural language processing principles into content creation to align with the conversational nature of LLMs.
- Analytics Utilization: Leveraged DiGGrowth’s unified analytics platform to monitor referral traffic sources, engagement rates, and session behaviors.
- Holistic SEO Approach: Balanced traditional SEO strategies with AEO techniques to ensure visibility across both search engines and AI platforms.
Results
- Increased Citations in LLMs: Content was cited more frequently in responses generated by platforms like Perplexity.ai, enhancing brand visibility.
- Traffic Recovery: Despite declining Google search traffic, website visits remained steady thanks to commercial intent keywords from LLMs like Perplexity and ChatGPT.
- Improved Engagement Metrics: Engagement rate reached 40.28%; average engagement time per session was 15 seconds; high-performing pages included blogs targeting commercial keywords such as “Top Shopify Trends” with a 66.67% engagement rate.
- Enhanced Topical Authority: Entity-based SEO strategies strengthened Growth Natives’ position as an authoritative source across multiple domains.
Key Analytics Insights
- Referral traffic from Perplexity.ai contributed significantly to sessions over time.
- Top-performing blogs included topics such as storytelling in content marketing, healthcare experiences, Salesforce revenue analysis, and data visualization techniques.
- Events per session averaged 4.26, indicating strong user interaction.
Conclusion
Growth Natives successfully navigated the disruptive shift in search behavior by pioneering AI Engine Optimization (AEO). By integrating cutting-edge technologies like NLP, entity-based SEO, and holistic SEO practices, they not only mitigated the impact of declining organic traffic but also positioned themselves as leaders in the field of AI-driven optimization.
Key Takeaways
- Embrace AI-driven optimization techniques like AEO to remain competitive amidst shifting user behaviors.
- Focus on building topical authority through entity-based SEO strategies that align with LLM algorithms.
- Leverage advanced analytics tools like DiGGrowth for actionable insights into referral traffic and engagement metrics.
- Prioritize citation relevance within conversational AI platforms to enhance brand visibility.