Most companies in 2025 are making a fatal mistake: they are enthusiastically embracing ChatGPT and AI search, but neglecting the platform that keeps them in business every day – Google. Of course, AI SEO search is important and will become even more important in the future as it influences the way Google ranks. However, Google still processes between 8 and 16 billion search queries every day. You should be aware of that.

In contrast to ChatGPT, where the majority of queries are purely for information without a specific intention to buy, users on Google often search specifically for products or services with a clear intention to buy. Companies that rank well on Google therefore often have an easier time in AI searches. This is because AI systems such as ChatGPT or Perplexity ultimately also use web content – and prefer websites with a high level of authority, trust and relevance.

In short, a strong Google ranking is your ticket to being visible in AI searches too. Google is not only important – Google is the basis, your daily bread, and it evaluates your site based on numerous ranking factors. If you continue to optimize for Google and take the right measures, you will automatically take care of AI search as well.

These three factors account for over 90 % of your success. If you have mastered these three factors, you are already more than halfway there. So stay tuned, because in this video I will explain exactly what is important so that you can get the most out of your performance with as little effort as possible.

Factor 1: The technical basis

Let’s start with the technical basis. I will keep this part relatively short, as most companies have already mastered this area. If you use a good content management system (CMS), are familiar with SEO basics and have your Google Search Console under control, then you are already doing a lot of things right here.

Some SEO agencies may claim that you need perfect Core Web Vitals, a page speed of over 95 or schema markup on every page. Of course, aspects like page speed are important, but Google usually only requires three basic things:

1. Crawlability: Google must be able to understand what content your website offers.
2. SSL certificate: Your website should be secure so that you are not penalized. Most modern systems such as Shopify, WordPress, Jimdo or Wix offer this as standard today.
3. Acceptable loading time: Your website should load properly and quickly, a loading time of 0 milliseconds is not necessary. Your site must also be responsive, i.e. mobile-friendly, as over 70% of search queries are now made via smartphones in search engines.

Once you have mastered these three points, you will have laid the technical foundations to get off to a flying start.

Another tip: You can teach yourself a lot of what you see in Google Search Console with the help of AI or have the AI analyze and solve it. For example, if you have problems with your website or the Search Console, take a screenshot, upload it to ChatGPT and ask the AI to act as an SEO consultant. You will then receive specific recommendations for action.

Of course, depending on the state of the website, this cannot be done within 2-5 hours, but if you want to save costs, you can do it yourself. If you don’t have the time, desire or quick goals, you should hire an expert.

Factor 2: The right content

The second factor is content – and this is where most mistakes happen. Many people still believe that an article with 3,000 words or more is necessary to rank well. They write huge guides, overload them with keywords and then wonder why the article doesn’t rank.

The reality is different – and has changed significantly in recent months: Google no longer ranks the longest text, but the one that best fulfills the search intention.

How do you write good content? The first step is your positioning, which is an important ranking factor for your visibility. If you know who your dream customers are, you also know their goals, problems and wishes. This is the perfect basis for creating the right content for your service or product.

Ask yourself: What are your ideal customers looking for on Google or in the AI search? Is it an information search or a purchase intention? You need to adapt your content depending on this.

• Information search: Optimizing your content is crucial for ranking in search engines. Guidebooks, blog articles or how-to guides are ideal here.
• Purchase intention: Optimize your product or service pages, i.e. your landing pages, with relevant information such as prices, delivery times, support, etc.

An example: You are a real estate agent in Leipzig. Some customers first find out about the real estate market, prices per square meter or tenant clientele – guides or blog articles are ideal for increasing visibility in search engines. Other customers are already looking for an estate agent or a property – they want to go directly to a landing page with specific offers.

Once you have understood this principle, you will be far ahead of many others.

Another tip: Link your landing pages with informative articles to cover all search intentions and improve search engine optimization. This will show Google that you are a topical authority that answers all your customers’ questions.

For research, I recommend tools such as “Answer the Public” by Neil Patel, with which you can find relevant search queries and questions from your target group.

Another note on the topic of AI-supported texting: Many people use ChatGPT to create texts, but caution is advised. Texts that are too similar or contain typical AI formulations can be penalized by Google. It is better to use AI as support, for example for structuring, and supplement the content with your own unique content.

I recommend tools such as Cloud AI, which are particularly useful for creating structured content. Create the structure first, fill it with your own texts and let the AI revise individual passages. This creates a hybrid model that is successful in the long term and takes into account the most important Google ranking factors.

Also stick to your core discipline. Avoid overloading your website with content that doesn’t fit the core of your service. At LinkBroker, for example, we found that too many glossary articles that were not closely related to link building weakened our authority and therefore our search engine rankings. After a content audit and the removal of these pages, our rankings rose again.

If you have any questions about content, feel free to write in the comments. I look forward to discussing the latest developments in search engine optimization!

Factor 3: External signals (off-page signals)

Even if your technical basis and your content are perfect, you will hardly reach the top positions in competitive markets without strong external signals. You may wonder why others rank higher despite supposedly poorer content – it is usually due to off-page signals.

These external signals show Google that you are trustworthy and recommended by others. These include:

• Mentions in the media, blogs, forums and social media
• Links from other websites, especially thematically relevant ones
• Presence and reputation outside your own website

The more positive signals you collect, the greater the trust in your website and brand.

Imagine a ladder that you climb step by step:

• Stage 1 – Basics: Entries in relevant business directories, an optimized Google My Business profile and consistent data on social media are important ranking factors. This can be enough for local companies.
• Stage 2 – Presence and reputation: Mentions in blogs, articles, communities and high-quality “hate-to-follow” backlinks. This is how you build a brand that people are looking for directly.
• Level 3 – Authority through backlinks: High-quality backlinks are the strongest off-page signal and one of the most important ranking factors in highly competitive industries. They signal to Google that your site is trustworthy and relevant.

Backlinks are hard links where another website deliberately refers to your site, which has a positive influence on your ranking in search engines. These are a huge vote of confidence and can make the difference between mediocrity and top position.

If you would like to find out more about backlinks and digital PR, simply contact me here using the form

Summary

You have now learned about the three most important factors:

1. Technical basis – crawlability, SSL, loading time and other ranking factors are crucial for your visibility in search engines.
2. The right content – understanding search intent and creating suitable content.
3. External signals – build presence, reputation and high-quality backlinks.

Depending on the industry and competition, you need a different number and strength of off-page signals to be at the top. Local companies start with local listings, online stores and SaaS providers should invest more in backlinks.

Would you like more information or a free initial consultation? We will be happy to answer your questions.