How Can We Benefit from LLM Traffic?
The new era of search visibility — and how to capitalise on it
What if your website traffic started coming from sources that didn’t even exist a year ago?
That’s not some futuristic fantasy — it’s already happening. ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity.ai, Claude, and even voice assistants are shaping how users discover information. Welcome to the era of Large Language Model (LLM) traffic.
This shift changes everything about how people find and interact with your brand online. The real question is: are you ready to capture it?
In this post, I’ll break down:
What LLM traffic is
Why it matters for your business
What types of content LLMs surface
How to optimise for visibility in AI-powered tools
And most importantly, how to turn LLM traffic into business value
Let’s dive in.
What Is LLM Traffic, Exactly?
LLM traffic comes from AI tools powered by large language models, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google SGE (Search Generative Experience), or Microsoft Copilot, that generate answers by pulling in content from various sources. Instead of sending users directly to websites, they serve a summarised version of what they find online.
Think of it like being quoted in a conversation rather than being the one delivering the speech.
LLM traffic includes:
Mentions or summaries of your content in AI-generated answers
Citations and links to your site from within those answers
Referrals from users clicking through to read more on your site
Brand exposure even when no click occurs (think: AI “billboards”)
It’s not about blue links anymore, it’s about presence in the answers people trust.
Why Should You Care About LLM Traffic?
Because it’s already eating into traditional organic traffic, and it’s only going to grow.
Google SGE has started rolling out, especially in the US, with plans for wider release. Meanwhile, ChatGPT plugins, Bing AI, Perplexity, and You.com are gaining traction among users looking for fast, reliable summaries.
By 2026, analysts predict over 25% of search journeys will start in AI environments rather than Google. That’s a huge shift, and a huge opportunity for early movers.
LLM traffic is different:
You’re not competing for clicks, you’re competing to be the source the AI trusts
You don’t rank by links or keyword density — you rank by credibility, clarity, and context
You don’t need to dominate page one — you need to be the answer
How Do LLMs Choose What to Include?
Most LLMs are trained on vast datasets from the open web. When generating responses, they “retrieve” live content via tools like Bing Search or Google’s index. Then they summarise it, often citing specific websites.
They favour:
Clear, factual, well-structured content
Authoritative and trustworthy sources
Content that directly answers user queries
Pages with schema markup or FAQ structures
Fresh content — newer posts tend to be prioritised
LLMs are not trying to show 10 options. They’re trying to give one good answer, which could be yours.
5 Ways to Benefit from LLM Traffic
Here’s how to position your business to be included in — and benefit from — LLM responses.
1. Create “Answer-First” Content
Traditional blog posts warm up the reader. LLM-friendly content gets to the point.
Shift your structure:
Lead with a clear, concise answer (think 2–3 sentences)
Follow with supporting details or examples
Use headings like “What is…”, “How to…”, or “Why does…”
For example, if someone asks “How do you remove mould from bathroom tiles?”, your content should say:
“To remove mould from bathroom tiles, use a mix of white vinegar and baking soda. Apply, scrub, and rinse thoroughly. Avoid bleach on porous grout.”
Then explain why, how, and what to avoid further down the page.
This structure is exactly what LLMs look to quote or summarise.
2. Build Topical Authority
AI tools prefer sources that demonstrate consistent expertise in a subject area.
If you run an e-commerce site selling gym equipment, don’t just write a generic blog on “how to lose weight” — write dozens of pieces that cover:
The difference between resistance bands vs. dumbbells
Home gym equipment for small spaces
Best recovery tools for muscle soreness
How to maintain kettlebells
Topical depth matters more than random breadth.
The goal: become the source the AI trusts in your niche.
3. Use Schema Markup and FAQs
Structured data helps LLMs and search engines parse your content more accurately.
Add FAQ schema to product and service pages
Use How-To schema for step-by-step content
Implement Author schema to highlight E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness)
These signals don’t just help with Google, they help LLMs retrieve context quickly.
4. Be Citable — and Get Cited
LLMs need sources to pull from. That’s where citability comes in.
Create original research, statistics, or case studies
Add clear data points (e.g. “43% of shoppers abandon carts due to high shipping fees”)
Be quotable: short, punchy sentences that sum up complex ideas
Then build backlinks to those pages. The more others reference your content, the more likely it is that LLMs will pull from it.
You want AI tools to treat your site like Wikipedia for your industry.
5. Track and Leverage LLM Mentions
This is where most people stop — but it’s just the beginning.
Tools like SparkToro, AlsoAsked, Keywords Everywhere, and even ChatGPT’s own citations in Pro mode can help identify where and how your content is showing up.
Once you spot LLM mentions:
Double down on the topic: Create spin-off content
Update your original content: Improve clarity or expand your answer
Share the win: Use it in PR, LinkedIn, or your newsletter to build authority
You can even build landing pages optimised for AI summaries, offering a quick answer up top with deeper CTAs below.
What About Conversions? Can You Monetise LLM Traffic?
Great question — and yes, with a smart funnel.
Most LLM traffic won’t land on your homepage. It’ll hit blog posts, product guides, or FAQ pages. But if you:
Add CTAs that relate to the content
Include internal links to high-converting pages
Capture emails via lead magnets or downloadable resources
Retarget visitors via social or PPC
Then LLM visibility becomes a new top-of-funnel channel, with just as much potential as organic search or social.
The Future: AI Billboards, Not Just Traffic
As we move into 2025 and beyond, not all LLM mentions will generate a click — and that’s OK.
Much like seeing a brand in a YouTube video or podcast, AI overviews are part of a wider brand impression strategy.
Even if someone doesn’t click right away, seeing your name as the “quoted expert” builds trust. Over time, that recognition compounds. You become the go-to.
Think of LLMs as the next frontier of brand discovery.
Final Thought
LLM traffic isn’t a threat. It’s a new opportunity, if you play the game right.
It rewards the same things good content has always stood for:
Being useful
Being original
Being trustworthy
But it demands sharper answers, clearer formatting, and more strategic content planning.
The brands that adapt early won’t just survive the shift, they’ll dominate the conversation.
