What the AI Visibility Index Reveals About LLMs in SEO Rankings

Written by
SoftPrudence
Published on
September 18, 2025
Read time
10 minute read
For years, every business cared about one thing online – SEO Rankings. If your website was on page one of Google, you felt like you were winning. If you were in the top three, you were proud.
But today, things have changed. People don’t always click links anymore. They ask tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Google’s AI Overviews. These tools give answers right away on the screen. No clicking. No scrolling through ten sites.
That means even if your SEO Rankings are strong, people may never visit your site. You could be number one on Google and still get less traffic. This is where the AI Visibility Index becomes important.
What Is the AI Visibility Index?
The AI Visibility Index is like a new report card for your brand. Instead of just showing your place on Google, it shows how often you are included in AI answers.
It looks at things like:
- Does ChatGPT or Gemini mention your brand?
- Do they link back to your website?
- Do they talk about you in a good way or not?
- How often do you show up compared to your competitors?
- Are you getting traffic through AI platforms?
Think of it this way: SEO Rankings tell you how visible you are in search results. The AI Visibility Index tells you how visible you are in AI-driven answers.
How AI Tools Are Changing SEO Rankings
AI tools don’t work like Google search. Google shows a list of sites. AI tools give a full answer in one go. That answer is built from many sources across the internet.
This changes the game. Here’s how:
- Clear details matter – If your business info is not clear, AI may skip you.
- Simple writing works – AI tools prefer content that is easy to read.
- Trusted sources win – If your site is respected in your field, AI uses it.
- Structured data helps – Schema markup makes your site easier for AI to read.
- Mentions count – If people talk about you online, AI tools notice.
So, improving SEO Rankings now means more than keywords and backlinks. You also need to make sure AI can understand and trust your brand.
Why You Need the AI Visibility Index Alongside SEO Rankings
Let’s imagine two cases:
- Case 1: Your website is on page one of Google. Great! But if AI tools don’t mention you, many users will never see your name.
- Case 2: Your website is not on page one. But AI tools keep using your content. That means people still learn about you.
The AI Visibility Index helps you see this hidden world. Without it, you are only checking half the picture.
Simple Steps to Show Up in Both SEO Rankings and AI Answers
Here’s how you can make sure your brand is visible in both search engines and AI tools:
1. Keep Your Business Info Consistent
Your name, website, and details should be the same everywhere — website, social media, and directories.
2. Write Like You Talk
Use short sentences. Avoid big words. Imagine you’re explaining to a 12-year-old.
3. Use Schema Markup
This is code that tells search engines and AI what your content is about. For example, FAQ schema makes your answers easier to find.
4. Update Your Content Often
AI likes fresh content. Even if your blog is still correct, update it with new info.
5. Add FAQs
AI loves FAQs because they are short and straight to the point.
6. Check AI Tools
Search your brand on ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity. See if you’re included.
Why Website Design Matters for SEO Rankings
It’s not just about the text. Visitors will rapidly quit your website if it is untidy, slow, or difficult to read. Search engines notice that, and it hurts your SEO Rankings.
AI tools also avoid messy sites. They prefer sites that are clear and easy to read. A simple design helps users and makes AI tools trust you more.
So, good design + good content = better SEO Rankings and better AI visibility.
SEO Rankings vs. AI Visibility Index
Factor | SEO Ranking | AI Visibility Text |
What it shows | You rank on Google | How often AI mention you |
Where it looks | Google, Bing | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity |
What it measures | Keywords, Backlinks, Traffic | Mentions, Links, Tone, AI Driven Traffic |
Main Goal | Clicks from Search Results | Exposure in AI answers |
Key Challenge | Competing with millions of sites | Competing with trusted AI Sources |
The Future of SEO Rankings
The future is clear: AI will only get bigger. More people ask AI tools for answers instead of searching Google.
This means you need to:
- Keep working on SEO Rankings.
- Track how visible you are in AI answers.
- Write content that is clear, simple, and updated.
- Build trust so AI tools pick your site.
Businesses that do this early will be ahead. Those who only depend on old-style SEO may fall behind.
Conclusion: Think Beyond SEO Rankings
In the past, SEO was only about ranking high on Google. Today, that’s not enough. People are getting answers straight from AI tools.
If your brand is not part of those answers, you are invisible to many users. That’s why the AI Visibility Index is so important.
So the new rule is simple:
- Keep working on your SEO Rankings.
- Also check if AI tools mention you.
- Keep your site simple, clear, and updated.
This way, you won’t just be visible on Google. You’ll also show up in the AI answers that millions of people read every day. That’s how you win the future of online visibility.
FAQ's
Ans. It’s a way to see how often AI tools mention your brands in their answers.
Ans. No. You still need good SEO Rankings. The AI Visibility index just adds another profile.
Ans. Because people now read AI answers instead of searching on Google.
Ans. Write clear content, clear info, consistent, add FAQs, and update your site often.
Ans. Yes. AI tools don’t only use big brands. If your content is useful, you can show up.