ChatGPT and LLM optimisation process: discovery and prompt list, baseline testing, crawler and entity fixes, answer-first content, third-party evidence, then re-testing and reporting.
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AI platform guide · ChatGPT

Be the brand ChatGPT recommends

When a buyer asks an AI assistant who to hire, it names a handful of businesses. LLM optimisation is the work of making yours one of them: easy for the model to find, understand, trust and link to.

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  • ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
  • On-site and off-site work
  • Reported against real prompts
How it answers
From what the model learned in training, plus a live web search when the question needs current information.
Where it gets pages
OpenAI’s own crawlers and its search partners.
How sources are shown
Linked citations beside answers that used web search.
What you control
Crawler access in robots.txt, set separately for search and for training.
Overview

What is ChatGPT SEO?

ChatGPT SEO is the work of getting a business named, described correctly and linked when someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation. It is also called LLM optimisation, or LLMO, because the same work applies to the other large language models: Claude, Gemini and Perplexity.

The shift matters because the format has changed. A search engine returns a page of links and lets the buyer choose. An assistant writes a single answer and chooses for them, usually naming two to five businesses. If you are not one of those names, there is no second page to be found on.

ChatGPT SEO at a glance

ChatGPT SEO, also called LLM optimisation or LLMO, is the practice of improving how large language models describe and recommend a business. It covers three things: letting AI crawlers reach your pages, writing content that answers questions directly, and earning mentions on the sites the models already trust. It builds on good SEO and does not replace it.

  • In practice

    The work has three parts. Your site has to be readable by AI crawlers. Your pages have to answer buyers' questions directly. And other credible sites have to mention you, because an assistant recommends what it can confirm from more than one place.

  • Who it is for

    Any business whose customers ask for recommendations before they buy: professional services, B2B suppliers, software, clinics and local trades.

  • What it is not

    It is not advertising inside ChatGPT, and it is not a way to plant instructions for the model. It is clear information and real evidence.

Example

What changes for the buyer

Follow one question from start to finish. The numbers match the markers on the conversation.

  1. Step 1

    The buyer asks a full question

    Not a couple of keywords. A sentence that describes what they need, often with a place, a budget or a size.

  2. Step 2

    ChatGPT writes one answer

    It names a few businesses and gives a reason for each. There is no second page to scroll to.

  3. Step 3

    It shows where it looked

    The sources beside the answer are the places your business needs to be present and described well.

Traditional SEOPosition 4in a list of links

Aims for a high position in a list of links.

ChatGPT SEONamedinside the answer

Aims to be one of the few names inside a single written answer.

How it works

How ChatGPT decides which businesses to name

ChatGPT answers in two ways: from what it learned in training, and from a live web search when the question needs current information. A recommendation usually passes through four steps.

  1. 1

    It reads the question

    ChatGPT works out what is being asked: the service, the place and the kind of buyer. It then decides whether it needs to search the web.

  2. 2

    It searches the web

    For current or local questions it runs one or more searches and opens pages with its own crawlers. A page that blocks those crawlers is not read.

  3. 3

    It weighs the sources

    It reads the pages it found and combines them with what it already knows. A business described clearly and consistently by several independent sources is easier to pick out.

  4. 4

    It writes one answer

    It names a few businesses, gives a reason for each and links some of its sources. There is no second page of results.

Crawler access

Crawlers and access rules for ChatGPT

Access comes first. If ChatGPT cannot reach or read a page, nothing else on this page matters. These are the controls involved.

  • OAI-SearchBot

    Finds and indexes pages for ChatGPT search answers. Block it and you drop out of those answers.

    Allow
  • ChatGPT-User

    Fetches a page when a user’s request needs it.

    Allow
  • GPTBot

    Collects public content for model training. It can be blocked without affecting search.

    Your choice
robots.txtExample
# Allow ChatGPT search and user requestsUser-agent: OAI-SearchBotAllow: / User-agent: ChatGPT-UserAllow: / # Optional: opt out of model training onlyUser-agent: GPTBotDisallow: /

Check firewall and bot-protection settings as well as robots.txt. A rule that blocks “all AI bots” at the network edge overrides anything written here.

Why it matters

Assistants recommend what they can verify

A language model does not rank ten links. It writes one answer and names a few businesses. Three things decide whether yours is among them.

  1. 1

    It has to be able to read you

    If AI crawlers are blocked, or your key facts sit inside images and scripts, the assistant has nothing to work from. Access comes before everything else.

  2. 2

    It has to understand what you are

    Models work with entities: a named business, what it does, where, and for whom. Vague or inconsistent descriptions across the web make you hard to place.

  3. 3

    It has to see others vouch for you

    Assistants lean on reviews, directories, press and comparison articles. A brand that only talks about itself on its own site is rarely recommended.

Is it for you

Signs you need ChatGPT & LLM Optimisation

Tick the ones that sound familiar. Two or more and this service is likely to pay back. If none do, tell us and we will say so.

0of 5
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Who uses it

Who ChatGPT & LLM Optimisation is for

The work is the same in principle for every sector. What changes is which questions matter and which sources count.

SDMSector specialists, not generalists

  • Professional services

    Firms are named when buyers ask who to hire for a specific problem in a specific place.

  • B2B software and SaaS

    Products appear in comparison and “best for” answers, where shortlists are now formed.

  • Clinics and healthcare providers

    Accurate descriptions of treatments, locations and credentials matter most here.

  • Trades and local services

    Recommendations for “who can fix this near me” depend on listings, reviews and clear service pages.

  • E-commerce and retail

    Shoppers ask for product suggestions by need and budget, and the brands named get the visit.

  • Financial services

    Advisers, brokers and lenders are compared in a single answer, so clear facts and credentials matter.

  • Education and training

    Course and provider comparisons are a common request, often with location and price included.

  • Agencies and consultancies

    Buyers ask who is good at a specific problem. Published proof and named experts earn the mention.

What is included

What our LLM optimisation service includes

On-site clarity, off-site evidence and regular testing.

  1. 01

    AI crawler access

    We check robots.txt, firewalls and rendering so that OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Claude and the search engines can read your pages.

  2. 02

    Entity and brand clarity

    One consistent description of who you are, what you offer and where, backed by Organization schema and matching profiles.

  3. 03

    Answer-first content

    Key pages rewritten to answer the question in the opening lines, with clear headings, short paragraphs, figures and sources.

  1. 04

    Comparison and decision pages

    Honest pages for the questions buyers ask assistants: best for, alternatives to, cost of, and how to choose.

  2. 05

    Third-party mentions

    Digital PR, reviews and listings on the sources assistants cite in your market, so the recommendation is backed by others.

  3. 06

    Prompt testing

    A fixed set of buyer questions is tested across the assistants each month to see whether you are named.

Comparison

ChatGPT SEO vs traditional SEO

The differences that matter when you decide where to put time and budget. Hover a line to see its counterpart.

The familiar way

Traditional SEO

  • GoalRank a page high in a list of links
  • What is optimisedPages and keywords
  • Main signalsRelevance, links, technical health
  • How it is measuredPositions, clicks, impressions
  • RelationshipThe foundation
The new way

ChatGPT SEO

  • GoalBe named and linked inside one written answer
  • What is optimisedHow clearly the web as a whole describes your business
  • Main signalsCrawler access, clear entity facts, third-party mentions
  • How it is measuredShare of tracked prompts where you are named
  • RelationshipBuilt on top of it, not a replacement
Process

Our LLM optimisation process

Six stages. The first three are completed in the first month. The last three repeat for as long as we work together.

  1. 1

    Discovery call and prompt list

    Week 1Agreed prompt list

    We start with a 30-minute call about your services, your best customers and the competitors you lose work to. From that we draft the list of questions a buyer would put to an AI assistant, and you approve it. The list is then fixed, so every later report can be compared with the first.

    You receiveAn agreed prompt list and competitor list.

  2. 2

    Baseline test across the assistants

    Weeks 1 to 2Baseline report

    Every prompt is run in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity. For each one we log the date, the full answer, the brands named and the sources cited. This is the starting line that all later results are measured against.

    You receiveA baseline report showing where you are named, where competitors are named instead, and which sources the assistants rely on.

  3. 3

    Technical and entity fixes

    Weeks 2 to 4Fix list

    We check robots.txt, firewall rules and page rendering so that AI crawlers can read your site. We then add Organization schema and bring your business description into line across your site and public profiles. If you give us access we make the changes ourselves. If not, your developer gets a clear fix list.

    You receiveA fix list with every item marked done or waiting, and who owns it.

  4. 4

    Content that answers the question

    Month 2 onwardApproved pages

    Your priority pages are rewritten so the answer comes first, with clear headings, short paragraphs, figures and sources. Where buyers ask about cost, alternatives or how to choose, and you have no page for it, we write one. Every draft comes to you for approval before it is published.

    You receiveApproved pages, published, each mapped to the prompts it is meant to win.

  5. 5

    Third-party evidence

    Month 2 onwardTarget source list

    The baseline shows which review sites, directories and publications the assistants cite in your market. We work through that list: completing listings, earning genuine reviews and pitching for coverage where competitors are mentioned and you are not.

    You receiveA target source list and a log of every mention earned.

  6. 6

    Re-test, report and re-plan

    Every monthMonthly report

    The same prompts are run again. The report shows which answers changed, which did not, and what we think the reason is. A review call then agrees the work for the next month.

    You receiveA monthly report and a written plan for the month ahead.

Hover or tap a stage for the detail. Timings are typical for a single website; your proposal sets out the exact schedule.

Working with us

How we work with you

Sachkhand Digital Marketing has worked with businesses in 30 countries since 2017. The team is remote-first and keeps to your time zone, and the specialists who audit your site are the ones who do the work. This is how the work is shared on a ChatGPT SEO and LLM optimisation engagement.

You

What we need from you

Your input, mostly at the start
  • A 30-minute discovery call and the names of your main competitors
  • Access to your website, or a developer who can apply the fix list
  • Approval of page drafts, ideally within a few working days
  • The facts only you hold: prices, credentials and client examples
SDM

What our team handles

Everything else, start to finish
  • Prompt research and monthly testing across the assistants
  • Crawler access, schema and page structure fixes
  • Writing and editing of your priority pages
  • Outreach for listings, reviews and coverage
  1. Free audit before any quote

    We look at your site first. After a 30-minute call you get a written proposal within 48 hours, with the scope, the timeline and the cost.

  2. One account manager

    A single point of contact who knows your account, on WhatsApp and email, with a reply within one business day.

  3. Plain-English reporting

    Reports match your own analytics and are followed by a review call. A weak month comes with the reason and the plan.

  4. No lock-in contract

    Ongoing work is billed monthly and can be stopped with 30 days' notice.

Deliverables

What you receive

Everything is handed over as files you keep. Nothing lives only in our heads or our tools.

Your folder5 items in your folder
  • PDF

    A baseline report of how the main assistants describe and recommend you today.

  • XLS

    A technical fix list for crawler access, schema and page structure.

  • WEB

    Rewritten priority pages structured for direct answers.

  • PDF

    An off-site plan naming the publications, directories and review sites that matter in your market.

  • PDF

    A monthly report against the same prompts, with plain commentary.

What we will not promise

  • Nobody can guarantee a recommendation from ChatGPT or any other assistant. The models decide, and they change.
  • There is no paid placement inside AI answers that we can buy for you, and no hidden trick. The work is clarity and evidence.
  • Results usually take months, not weeks, because models and their indexes update on their own schedule.

What you can count on

  • A dated baseline before work starts, so progress is measured and not guessed.
  • The agreed scope of work, delivered every month.
  • A plain answer at each review if something is not working, with what we will change.

We tell you this before you start, not after.

Business impact

How ChatGPT SEO helps your business grow

A recommendation from an AI assistant is not the goal in itself. These are the business results the work is aimed at, and how each one is checked.

Targets we plan against, for engagements of six months or more

  • +178%AI search visibilityTarget by month 6
  • 94%AI Overview citation ratePriority question set
  • 3×Brand mention growthAcross AI tools
  • +62%Branded searchTarget by month 6
AI search visibilityTarget path, indexed to your baseline (100)
  • Target
  • Baseline

Target path for a six-month engagement. It is a planning target, not a client result.

  1. 1

    You reach the shortlist earlier

    A buyer who asks an assistant who to hire usually contacts the two or three names it gives. Being one of them puts you in the conversation before a comparison site or an advert does.

    Measured byShare of tracked prompts where your business is named.

  2. 2

    Enquiries arrive better informed

    Someone who has read an accurate AI summary of what you do, and who you suit, has already decided you are worth contacting. That tends to mean fewer poor-fit enquiries for your sales team.

    Measured byVisits and enquiries from AI tools in your analytics.

  3. 3

    Normal search improves too

    Answer-first pages, clean structured data and credible mentions are also what Google rewards. The same work supports your organic rankings.

    Measured byOrganic clicks and enquiries in Search Console and Analytics.

  4. 4

    Less dependence on paid clicks

    Visibility earned in answers and search results is not charged per click. As it grows, it can bring down your average cost per enquiry.

    Measured byCost per enquiry across all your channels.

Published client resultsSee the case studies →
  • 1.8KAI mentionsHome services franchise client
  • 218Pages cited in AI answersPlumbing and HVAC client
  • ~70×Organic visitsFranchise client, about 1K to 69.8K
  • 98%Client retention600+ clients in 30 countries

What we guarantee

  • A dated baseline before work starts.Every result is measured against a starting point you have seen.
  • The agreed scope, delivered every month.You know what will be done before the month begins.
  • Honest reporting.Reports match your own analytics. A quarterly review tells you plainly if something is not working.
  • White-hat methods only.No bought links, no fake reviews and nothing that risks a penalty.
  • Your approval before anything is published.No page, pitch or listing change goes live without your sign-off.
  • No lock-in.Billed monthly. Stop with 30 days' notice.

We do not guarantee a ranking or a mention in an AI answer. The search engines and assistants decide that, and no agency controls them. We guarantee the work, the measurement and the honesty.

Common mistakes

Mistakes we see most often

These come up in almost every first audit. Each one is avoidable, and most are quick to put right once you know to look.

Check my site for these
  1. Mistake 01

    Blocking the wrong crawler

    Blocking OAI-SearchBot removes you from ChatGPT search. Many sites do this by accident through a blanket bot rule or a firewall setting.

  2. Mistake 02

    Writing for the model instead of the buyer

    Stuffing pages with prompts or hidden instructions does not work and can harm trust. Clear, factual pages do.

  3. Mistake 03

    Relying only on your own website

    Assistants look for confirmation elsewhere. Without reviews, listings and press, your own claims carry little weight.

  4. Mistake 04

    Checking once and assuming

    Answers change as models and indexes update. Without monthly testing you cannot tell whether anything improved.

Do it yourself

Five checks you can do this week

You do not need us for the first steps. These take under an hour and show you where you stand.

0 of 5 done

Tick each one off as you go.

Request the free audit
This weekUnder an hour in total
Key terms

ChatGPT & LLM Optimisation: key terms

The words you will hear from us, in plain English, and the phrases people type when they look for this service.

LLM
Large language model: the type of AI system behind ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
LLMO
LLM optimisation: improving how these models describe and recommend a business.
OAI-SearchBot
The OpenAI crawler that finds pages for ChatGPT search answers.
GPTBot
The OpenAI crawler that collects content for model training. It can be blocked separately.
People also search for
  • ChatGPT SEO services
  • LLM SEO agency
  • LLMO agency
  • LLM optimization agency
  • LLM marketing
  • how to rank in ChatGPT
  • AI search visibility
  • AI in SEO
  • what is SEO for AI
  • SEO for ChatGPT
FAQ

ChatGPT & LLM Optimisation: common questions

Straight answers to the 10 questions we are asked most.

Is yours not here?

Send it to us and you get a reply within one business day.

Ask your own question
01What is ChatGPT SEO?

ChatGPT SEO is the work of making a business easier for ChatGPT to find, understand and recommend. It covers crawler access, clear entity information, content that answers questions directly, and mentions on the third-party sites ChatGPT search cites.

02What is LLM optimisation (LLMO)?

LLM optimisation is the same idea applied to all large language models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity. The aim is to be accurately described and named when someone asks one of them for a recommendation in your field.

03Is this different from GEO?

The terms overlap heavily. Generative engine optimisation is the broader label for visibility in AI-generated answers, including Google AI Overviews. LLM optimisation usually refers to the chat assistants. In practice the work is closely related and we plan it together.

04Can you guarantee my business appears in ChatGPT?

No, and you should be wary of anyone who does. The models choose their own sources. What we can do is remove the barriers, strengthen the evidence, and measure against a fixed set of prompts so progress is visible.

05Should I block AI crawlers?

It depends on your goal. Blocking training crawlers such as GPTBot does not remove you from ChatGPT search, which uses a separate crawler. Blocking the search crawlers does keep you out of those answers. We set this up with you deliberately.

06Do I still need normal SEO?

Yes. Assistants with live search draw heavily on pages that are already indexed and trusted. Strong technical SEO, useful content and a good reputation are the base that LLM optimisation builds on.

07How long does ChatGPT SEO take to show results?

Technical fixes can change what ChatGPT search reads within weeks. Being named more often usually takes three to six months, because it depends on new content and third-party mentions being found and trusted.

08How do you track whether ChatGPT recommends us?

We agree a fixed list of buyer questions with you, run them every month and record the full answer, the brands named and the sources cited. The same list is used each time so results are comparable.

09Does ChatGPT SEO work for small businesses?

Yes. Local and specialist questions often have few strong answers, so a small business with clear information, good reviews and relevant mentions can be named ahead of larger competitors.

10What does ChatGPT SEO cost?

It depends on the number of services, markets and pages involved. We audit your site first and send a written proposal with scope, timeline and cost within 48 hours of the call.

Free tools

Check the basics yourself, free

Three of our free tools cover the first checks we make. No signup is needed.

  • Free
  • No signup
  • Results in seconds
Free toolAI Readiness Scanner

Check in ten seconds whether AI crawlers can read your homepage.

Open the tool Free toolAI Crawler Rules

Choose which AI crawlers may read your site.

Open the tool Free toolAI Answer Checker

Paste a page and see how easy it is for AI to quote.

Open the tool
Free, with no obligation

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