AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are reshaping how people find and evaluate information. Instead of searching on Google and clicking through results, we now ask a language model directly - and receive a condensed, conversational answer, often without visiting a single website.

This shift has given rise to a new discipline: LLM Optimization. Much like SEO, it’s about visibility - but in a new ecosystem where data sources and credibility determine which brands the models “trust.”

Why LLM Optimization Matters – and Why It’s Urgent

Large Language Models (LLMs) draw on vast amounts of text to form their understanding of the world. When a user asks, “Which Danish agencies are best at digital strategy?” the model bases its answer on the sources it knows - public websites, articles, case studies, interviews, and increasingly, third-party platforms like media outlets, industry blogs, GitHub, LinkedIn articles, and data repositories.

If your company isn’t present in those sources, you’re invisible to AI - no matter how strong your SEO may be. Right now, there’s a rare window of opportunity. Very few organizations are working systematically with LLM optimization, meaning that appearing in the early training datasets and citation chains could give you an edge that’s hard to catch up to later.

How to Get Started with LLM Optimization

Here’s a step-by-step guide to begin building your visibility - or how we can help you get there.

1. Identify 10–20 Key Prompts

Start by thinking like your potential clients or partners. What kind of questions might they ask an AI where you’d want your brand to appear in the answer?

Examples:

• “Which digital agencies in Denmark work with AI?”

• “How do you create a digital strategy for B2B?”

• “What are the best online brand activation cases?”

List 10–20 of the most relevant prompts. That’s your LLM keyword universe.

2. Analyze Which Sources Are Referenced

Enter each prompt into ChatGPT (and other models, if possible) and note which sources the AI cites or mentions.

Create a simple overview in Notion or Excel, noting:

• Prompt: The question you tested (e.g. “Which agencies work with AI?”).

• Sources mentioned: The domains or sites that appear in the AI’s response.

• Type: Whether the source is a third-party platform, a competitor, or your own content.

Notes: Quick reflections, such as “We’re mentioned!” or “Need to publish more expert content.”This gives you a clear map of where you’re visible - and where you’re not.

3. Map Your Competitors

• List your key competitors and check if they appear in your prompt results—and why.

• Are they cited from their own case studies?

• Do they publish on third-party platforms?

• Are they mentioned in industry articles or reports?

This helps you understand your competitors’ LLM footprint—and how they’re positioning themselves in the AI landscape.

4. Categorize the Sources

Once you’ve gathered your findings, divide them into two categories:

• Third-party platforms (e.g. media, blogs, directories, reports)

• Competitors’ own sites

This distinction matters because your visibility strategy depends on where you can make the biggest impact.

5. Build Your Visibility

For third-party platforms:

• Reach out to editors with case stories or expert commentary.

• Contribute articles or perspectives that add real value.

• Ensure your brand is mentioned with context, so LLMs can understand your relevance.

  
  

For your own site:

• Create content that directly answers your key prompts.

• Use clear professional signals—explanations, examples, quotes, and case studies.

• Prioritize clarity and context over keyword stuffing. LLMs reward readability and structure, not density.
  
  

6. Evaluate and Iterate

Repeat this process every 3–6 months. New models and updated training datasets continually shift the landscape - just like SEO once did.

By tracking these changes over time, you can measure whether your brand is becoming more visible to AI systems.

From Experiment to Strategy

For most companies, LLM optimization is still experimental. But just like SEO became a standard discipline, LLM optimization will soon be a natural part of every digital strategy.

At Bærnholdt Digital, we’re already helping organizations understand and improve how they appear inside AI models - through research, data mapping, and strategic content creation.

If you want to take control of how your brand is represented in the AI era, we’d love to help you get started.