Search used to be transactional: you typed in a query, scanned 10 blue links, and clicked. Large Language Models (LLMs) flip that on its head. They don’t just show results — they synthesize answers.
That means the old playbook of “rank high, get clicks” is breaking down. If ChatGPT answers a question in one paragraph, the only brands mentioned are the ones it trusts as sources. Everyone else gets cut out of the conversation.
Picture this: you ask Bing Copilot “Best law firms for mesothelioma cases”. Instead of sending you to a results page, it summarizes a handful of firms by name. If your firm isn’t cited there, you’re invisible.
The key? Treat your brand like an entity that deserves to be referenced, not just a site chasing rankings.