AI optimisation

AI is changing how people search for information and make decisions. AI tools such as Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini are becoming a natural part of search.

For companies, ranking among the classic blue links is no longer enough. They also need to appear in AI-generated answers, be cited as a source and be recommended by AI assistants.

Google still dominates search on the web. With Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, AI also reaches people who have never downloaded an app or created a Pro account.

AI optimisation builds on SEO; it does not replace it.

Why companies need AI optimisation now

Ordinary users meet AI directly in Google

Among Swedes aged eight or older, 97 per cent use Google, 71 per cent use Google’s AI Overviews and 62 per cent use AI services such as ChatGPT, according to the report Svenskarna och internet 2026 (Swedes and the Internet 2026).

With Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ordinary users now see AI-generated answers as soon as they search. They do not need to download an app, create an account or pay for a Pro subscription.

Gemini is Google’s standalone AI service

At the same time, Google is expanding Gemini for people who want a standalone AI service. Gemini is also deeply integrated into Google’s own services: Gmail, Docs and Search.

Optimising for Google can have an effect in traditional search, AI search and Gemini, but visibility in the Gemini app needs to be monitored separately.

AI answers deliver both clicks and brand exposure

How success is measured in classic search

• Ranking counts as success
• Click-through rate (CTR) is the key metric
• Traffic to the site is the goal

How to understand the value of AI answers

Both types of value matter:

Value 1: clicks to the site

When the company is mentioned in an AI answer with a link, users can click through. This delivers traffic in the same way as classic search results.

Value 2: brand exposure in the AI answer

Even when the user does not click, the brand gets exposure, the company’s expertise is cited and the company is positioned as an authority.

Example

A user searches for “best CRM system for small businesses” and gets an AI Overview that mentions:

• “Hubspot offers…”
• “Salesforce is recommended for…”
• “Pipedrive is popular among…”

Even if the user does not click a link right now, the brands have gained exposure. A few weeks later, when the purchase decision draws near, the names are recognised.

So do not measure clicks alone. Measure visibility, mentions and positioning.

CTR falls for some searches, but the deal happens on the website

How AI Overviews affect click-through rate

The click-through rate (CTR) from some searches falls when AI Overviews are shown.

For informational searches, AI gives the answer directly

Here Google AI Overviews can give a complete answer directly in the search results. The user gets the information without clicking.

Result: CTR falls for informational searches.

But is that a problem? Not necessarily. The user was looking for information, not a supplier. If the brand is cited in the AI answer, the company has still gained:

• Brand exposure
• Positioning as an expert
• Awareness among a potential future customer

For transactional searches, users still need to visit websites

It is different when the user wants to do something:

B2B, services and big-ticket purchases require human contact

Here relationships are long term, decision processes are complex and procurement is split into several stages. AI can provide information early in the process, but the purchase requires human contact and closer study.

Example: An IT manager looking for security solutions for the company will not make a decision based on an AI answer. They will:

1. Read the AI Overview to get a first overview
2. Visit the websites of the suppliers mentioned
3. Book demonstrations
4. Compare quotes
5. Negotiate terms

AI is the first step. The comparison and the deal happen on the website and in direct contact with the supplier.

Should you optimise for Google or for LLM platforms?

Start where your audiences are

ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude are some of the standalone AI services. But where are the audiences?

Google reaches more people and has a lower threshold

Our advice

Focus on Google first.

The standalone services are also big

ChatGPT is Sweden’s largest AI service and is used by 52 per cent of Swedes. Among people born in the 2000s, more use AI services than use Google’s AI Overviews.

If AI services matter to your audience, it may be worth optimising for them too.

Google’s AI Overviews reach the most Swedes

Through AI Overviews, AI reaches the broad Swedish public.

If you are visible in Google’s AI, you reach both people who stay in Google and people who also use standalone AI services.

What AI optimisation involves

New layers are added on top of that foundation:

Content that AI understands and cites

How the AI platforms differ

We help companies optimise for the platforms where their audiences are.

What we focus on

Google AI Overviews & AI Mode

Google AI Overviews and AI Mode are the largest and most important surface, and this is where you reach the most users. We analyse current visibility, optimise the content so that AI can cite it and make sure the technical requirements are in place.

Gemini

Gemini is Google’s own language model (LLM) and is deeply integrated into the company’s ecosystem.

Perplexity

Perplexity is a search engine that uses AI analysis and refers to its sources.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is Sweden’s largest AI service.

How AI optimisation works, step by step

AI optimisation starts with understanding the current situation:

Step 1: AI audit

Where does the company appear in AI answers today?

• Which searches trigger AI Overviews that mention the brand?
• Is the site cited as a source?
• How often does the brand appear?
• What do AI tools say about the company and its products?

Step 2: Gap analysis

Where should the company appear but does not?

• Which important questions in the industry are answered without the brand being mentioned?
• Which competitors appear in AI answers?
• What content is needed for the company to become worth citing?

Step 3: Content strategy for AI

What needs to be created or improved?

• Fact-based content with clear answers
• Structured data (schema markup)
• Stronger E-E-A-T (expertise, authority, trust)
• Sources and references
• Author information

Step 4: Technical optimisation

Step 5: Measurement and follow-up

How do we measure success?

• Mentions in AI answers (brand mentions)
• Citations (linked references to your site)
• Traffic from AI platforms
• Rankings in traditional search results (linked to visibility in AI Overviews, less so to ChatGPT and other AI assistants)

We help you through the whole process, from audit and strategy to implementation and ongoing optimisation.

AI optimisation is an investment, not a cost

Why prioritise AI optimisation now?

You can get ahead where few have started

How far competitors have come varies between industries. Where few have started, there is:

• Less competition for visibility in AI answers
• An opportunity to establish yourselves as a primary source before others catch up
• A long-term advantage as more and more people search via AI

Visibility in AI answers has to be tracked over time

Citations in AI answers vary from day to day. In a study by Ahrefs, 50 to 83 per cent of citations had disappeared the next day, and around 75 per cent of them returned within 20 days.

You are prepared when search changes

AI use is growing fast. Google is integrating AI more deeply with every update. By optimising now, you prepare for how search will work over the next few years.

Ready to appear in AI answers?

We help you with AI optimisation, from Google AI Overviews to standalone AI services, based on where your audiences are.

Contact us for an AI audit →