Influencing AI results isn't about traditional SEO tactics. It's about getting your brand mentioned in the sources AI models are trained on, like Reddit, industry publications, and news articles. The most effective way to achieve this is through modern PR and consistent social media activity, as journalists and writers use these platforms for discovery.

Effective Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) isn't about traditional keywords. It requires creating hundreds of niche content variations to match conversational queries. Furthermore, it involves a targeted "citation" strategy, focusing on getting mentioned on platforms with direct data licensing deals with specific LLMs (e.g., Reddit for ChatGPT), as these are prioritized sources.

Instead of navigating Reddit's native search, use a specific Google command (site:reddit.com "your query") to find relevant discussions. This technique surfaces raw user opinions and pain points, bypassing the affiliate- and AI-driven content that clutters standard search results, giving you a direct line to your audience's voice.

To efficiently mine Reddit for specific information, use the Google search command 'site:reddit.com' followed by your query in quotes. This technique bypasses Reddit's native search and leverages Google's powerful indexing to surface highly relevant discussions, pain points, and competitor mentions.

Don't wait for customers to ask questions on your Google Business Profile. Proactively post and answer the most important questions your prospects should be asking. This allows you to control the messaging, demonstrate expertise, and provide valuable, structured content for both users and AI crawlers.

Traditional SEO requires significant time to build domain authority, making it a mid-stage game. AEO bypasses this; a startup can get mentioned in citations like Reddit or YouTube and immediately start appearing in LLM answers, allowing them to compete with incumbents from day one.

Information and conversations often originate on Reddit before migrating to platforms like Facebook or Instagram. By actively monitoring relevant subreddits, marketers can get ahead of trends, source new content ideas, and understand nascent conversations in their industry before competitors do, giving them a first-mover advantage.

Reddit is a goldmine for discovering authentic customer language and unique product benefits. A single insightful comment in a niche subreddit can reveal an unexpected motivation or use case, providing the 'hook' for an entire, highly-effective ad campaign and funnel.

Unlike traditional SEO where the top link wins, in LLMs, the answer is a summary of many sources. The brand mentioned most frequently across all citations is most likely to be recommended, even if it's not the top-ranked source. This changes the strategy from ranking to saturation.