Beyond SEO: How to Make AI Agents Talk About Your Brand

Remember when all we cared about was ranking on Google?

You’d tweak your keywords, build a few backlinks, and hope you hit page

one. Simple times.

But your buyer’s behavior? That’s changed.

They’re not just Googling anymore.

They’re chatting.

With ChatGPT. With Perplexity. With Claude.And soon — with personal AI agents who know them better than their best friend.

AI Agents Are the New Gatekeepers

We’re entering an age where people don’t search — they ask.

“Best coffee for anxiety?”“Build me a skincare routine.”“What’s a good birthday gift for my sister who loves plants and hates clutter?”

AI agents are answering these in real-time. And soon, they’ll be buying for users too — adding products to carts, scheduling appointments, even comparing prices behind the scenes.

If an AI says, “This is the brand for you,”that’s it.That’s the decision.

The trust is already built in — because this AI agent knows your budget, your mood swings, your allergies, your music taste, and what you ate for lunch.

SEO Isn’t Dead — But It’s Not Enough

Traditional SEO was about pleasing Google.

You wrote blog posts, stuffed keywords, optimized titles.

But ChatGPT doesn’t rank pages. It pulls answers.

That’s where AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) come in.

AEO is about making sure AI gives the right answer — with your brand in it. GEO is about making sure your brand shows up in AI-generated content.

These new models are pulling from way more than your website:

• Reddit threads

• Product reviews

• YouTube videos

• Amazon listings

• Customer support docs

• Blog comments

So the real question becomes: Is your brand part of the conversation?

How to Get AI Agents to Talk About You

Here’s how to start showing up in the age of answer engines:

1. Get structured

Use schema markup and rich snippets on your website. Help machines understand what you offer.

2. Be where the data lives

Get your brand listed on review sites, marketplaces, Reddit, and data-rich platforms. These are gold mines for LLMs.

3. Create content that teaches, not just sells

Answer real questions. Write helpful guides. Think about how an AI would summarize your page.

4. Feed the machine

If you have the technical chops, consider using APIs to feed your product info to these systems.

5. Keep it consistent

Make sure your brand description is clear and consistent across all platforms — website, social, directories, everywhere.

AI Is the New Word-of-Mouth

Think about it:

If your customer’s AI agent knows their stress levels, taste in candles, and sleeping habits…

…and it recommends your product?

That’s more powerful than a Google ad.

This isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about understanding the new ecosystem — and showing up authentically within it.

Final Thoughts: Future-Proof Your Brand

SEO still matters. but it’s not the only player anymore.

If you want to future-proof your brand visibility, start thinking beyond rankings.

Start thinking about relationships — with machines that talk.

Your next customer might not Google you.

They might just ask their AI: “What should I buy?”

Make sure the answer… is you.