In the age of Large Language Models such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, your online reputation is no longer only defined by human readers perusing the first page of Google, but is shaped by AI tools trained on massive datasets.
Influencing these LLMs means prioritizing content quality and source authority – proving your brand to be a non-negotiable choice when it comes to inclusion in generated answers.
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How LLMs Reshape Reputation: Narrative, Not Links
ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity have moved us from an era of searching to one of synthesizing. It is these models that deliver AI Overviews and other generative answers. However, they don’t pick a single source and deliver it to a user as a single answer. Instead, they consume, interpret, and synthesize information from across the internet to generate a conversational, seemingly definitive answer.
This may not be the answer you would give. It may not be the answer your marketing team would give. It may not even be the answer your newest employee would give. But that doesn’t matter because it is the answer the AI gives and that’s what influences your online reputation.
Notice that we didn’t say anything about “new” information. Old information, even if now inaccurate, can absolutely be referenced and included in generative answers if the source appears authoritative and trustworthy. No stone can be left unturned in the AI-era. There can be no secrets or skeletons in the closet. All sources of information must be reviewed and monitored.
Sources can include, but are not limited to, brand content, blog posts, Reddit threads, Wikipedia pages, social media comments, news sites, public databases, and press releases. Thanks to LLMs, how your brand is represented universally is now appearing in one place, in one answer.
Why Content Quality is Your Most Powerful Tool
In order to influence LLMs, your core objective must be to become a trusted, authoritative, and citable source for the AI itself. You need to prioritize quality content that can shape AI’s understanding and narrative of your brand.
Here’s how:
Clarity and Structure
Write for humans but with AI in mind. Focus on clear headings, bullet points, and concise summaries to make your content more “readable” or “digestible” for both your human readers and the AI tools extracting content for generated answers.
This is also where a good schema markup comes into play. Make sure your content is formatted for digital tools to understand.
Ask the Questions People Want Answered
Longer, more conversational queries are often used in AI like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. Not only as the opening question, but also as follow-on queries. When you create content based around these questions – including these questions in your copy – you make it appealing for AI.
Think about your writing as if you were engaged in a conversation with another person. What questions would they ask as the chat progresses? What would they care about?
Human Expertise is the Game Changer
If you want your content to stand out as authoritative and trustworthy, you need to prioritize the human touch. Everything from unique insights to personal anecdotes and genuine expertise is the way to build trust with an audience. This is why Reddit threads are a popular source for LLMs. People want to know what other people have actually experienced.
If you can bring that experience consistently to your content, it will go a long way to boosting your authority – which is game-changing for both traditional SEO and generative AI.
Source Authority: Never Forget E-E-A-T
E-E-A-T stands for:
- Experience
- Expertise
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
It is – and has long been – the recipe to follow to increase your rankings on Google. Now, with LLMs, these qualities must be pursued to signal you are a source with trust, credibility, and depth – qualities prioritized by AI tools.
The more credible you are perceived to be, the more you’ll be referenced, and the more your authority will grow. This means your content creation not only provides more training material for LLMs, but with more material and more authority, you increase the possibility of greater visibility in LLM outputs like AI overviews and generative answers.
When it comes to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and all the rest, think of E-E-A-T like this:
QUALITY | DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE |
Experience | Content that reflects real world, genuine interaction with your product or service. This includes reviews, forums, and social media discussions, but also how-to videos, case studies, and product guides. | When creating content, use specifics, such as “After a three month trial period…” or “After adopting [product], we saw…” |
Expertise | State your credentials and skill level over and over again so it is easy for LLMs to associate you as an expert. | Include relevant bios and boilerplates across content pieces. At the bottom of this blog post, you’ll see the bio of our Founder and CEO, Josh Greene, as well as our regularly used boilerplate for The Mather Group, LLC. |
Authoritativeness | Think of this as external validation. The more people refer to you, the more authoritative you are perceived to be. | Mentions of your brand, as well as citations, from reputable sites, industry publications, academic sources, trusted professionals, etc. |
Trustworthiness | What you say is backed up by real-world experiences. Any claims about your product, services, or leadership must be seen to be reliable by both people and AI. Contradictory information, or embellished “truths,” will rise up in reviews and on social media, and can tarnish your reputation for months to come. | (Besides the obvious DON’T LIE) Be consistent in your language across all sites, and regularly respond to reviews to show that you care and you’re paying attention (and to correct misinformation, if present). |
AI Prep: Actionable Takeaways
Content quality and source authority are within your realm of control. When you pursue excellence across the board, people and AI tools do take notice. As we move from a focus on click-worthy links to an internet-wide management of all brand mentions, don’t let the details slip through your fingers. Quality content and authority are your ticket to influencing AI overviews and generative answers.
Ready to get started? Your Actionable Takeaways:
- Audit Your Digital Footprint: Find old, inaccurate, or negative content.
- Update Content: Address any outdated or inconsistent content.
- Pursue Quality: Consistently create comprehensive, authoritative content that is structured for both human readers and AI tools.
- Build Source Authority: Grow external mentions and citations, engage with your communities across social media, and ensure consistency across the board.
- Monitor All: Never stop monitoring your digital presence across all sites, platforms, and AI tools.
Want help? Ask us about our AI Optimation, and SEO & GEO services today.
The Mather Group LLC is a digital marketing agency. We specialize in enhancing online reputations through authentic content and expert digital brand management. Clients trust us with Wikipedia, GEO & SEO, LLM optimization, search reputation and more. Don’t like how you’re showing up online? Let’s talk.
