Does Ranking on Google Help You Rank in AI Answers?

The Holy Grail

For the past twenty years, “ranking on the first page of Google” was the holy grail. If you captured the top three results for your target keyword, you earned the lion’s share of clicks, customers, and authority.

But in 2025, the discovery funnel looks different. Millions of buyers now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing Copilot, and Gemini for recommendations. Instead of a page of blue links, they get a synthesized answer with maybe three or four product names.

That shift raises an urgent question:

Does my Google SEO work still matter for AI visibility?

If I rank #1 for “best project management tools” on Google, am I more likely to be recommended in ChatGPT when a user asks that same question?

Let’s unpack what’s really happening.

The Mechanism: How LLMs Pull Sources

To understand the relationship between SEO and AEO, we need to look at how LLMs generate answers.

1. Grounding in web sources.: LLMs often rely on a retrieval step, pulling in documents from the open web (ChatGPT with browsing, Perplexity, Copilot with Bing index).

2. Citation bias toward authority. They tend to favor sites with strong domain authority, structured “best of” content, and affiliate-driven commerce articles.

3. Synthesis over ranking. Unlike Google, there’s no strict “rank order.” The model blends content, then names a handful of entities.

What this means: Google rankings influence LLM answers indirectly because the same high-authority domains that rank in Google are also the ones LLMs pull into their retrieval step. But the overlap is not one-to-one.

Evidence of Overlap

1. High-ranking Google domains show up in AI answers

Studies and field tests show that if a page from Healthline, NYMag, or Wirecutter ranks on page one of Google for “best electrolyte powder”, that page is often cited in Perplexity or referenced by ChatGPT.

This isn’t because the model “reads Google rankings.” It’s because the same factors that help a page rank on Google (authority, backlinks, comprehensiveness) also make it more likely to be retrieved and trusted by AI.

2. Mid-ranking or niche sources can leapfrog

Conversely, we see examples where a blog ranked #7–#10 on Google becomes heavily cited in Perplexity. Why? Because it’s structured in a way that’s easy to parse: clear “best of” headings, concise lists, FAQs.

This shows that LLMs care less about exact Google rank and more about content format, clarity, and citation context.

3. Non-indexed or non-ranking pages can still appear

Some answers cite sources that don’t rank at all for the keyword in Google, especially niche community sites (Reddit, personal blogs, forums). This indicates LLM retrieval is broader and more contextual.

Key Insight

Ranking well on Google improves your chances of being cited in AI answers, but it does not guarantee inclusion.

Why?

• Both systems reward authority, but Google prioritizes backlinks and CTR, while LLMs prioritize citability and structure.
• Google rank is linear (#1 vs #7 matters a lot), while LLMs compress everything into a short list.

Strategic Implications for Marketers

1. Don’t abandon SEO, it feeds AEO!

If your content ranks on page one of Google, you’re already in the pool of “trusted sources” that LLMs often pull from. That increases your probability of being cited.

2. Optimize for citability, not just rank

Go beyond keywords and backlinks. Structure content so it’s easy for models to extract:

• Use clear H2s like “Best Electrolyte Drinks in 2025”.
• Write short, declarative product blurbs.
• Add FAQs with concise answers.
• Include updated dates and transparent review criteria.

3. Track AEO separately

Don’t assume Google visibility = AI visibility. Use tools (like Upcite or Profound) to actually run prompts and measure if your brand is being recommended. You might rank #2 in Google but still be invisible in ChatGPT.

4. Invest in the right sources

Since AI answers lean heavily on “best of” listicles from mainstream outlets, focus PR and outreach on getting included in those roundups. That’s an AEO tactic, not a Google SEO one.

Case Example

Let’s say your hydration brand ranks #1 on Google for “best electrolyte drink for runners.”

• In Google, you dominate CTR.
• In ChatGPT, the model synthesizes from multiple sources. If NYMag and Healthline are cited, and you’re absent from their lists, you won’t appear at all, even if your own blog post ranks first in Google.

This illustrates the gap: Google SEO visibility without source placement equals AEO invisibility.

Balancing SEO and AEO Efforts

• SEO is still foundational. It builds authority, earns backlinks, and ensures your site is crawlable and respected.
• AEO is the new layer. It makes sure that authority translates into actual mentions in LLM answers.

Think of SEO as table stakes: you need it to get in the game. AEO is the competitive differentiator. It decides who is actually named.

How to Measure

1. SEO metrics: rankings, impressions, organic clicks.
2. AEO metrics: answer presence, citation share, prompt coverage, competitive parity.
3. Bridge metrics: overlap between top Google keywords and AI prompts; % of page-one pages that also get cited in LLM answers.

So, does Google SEO affect LLM SEO?

Yes, but indirectly.

• Ranking on page one improves your chances of being cited, because authority sites are common retrieval sources.
• But AI models don’t simply copy Google rankings. They compress, synthesize, and sometimes elevate non-ranking or niche sources.

For marketers, the takeaway is clear:

• Keep investing in SEO: it strengthens your domain and feeds the pool of AI-trusted sources.
• Layer on AEO tactics: structure content for citability, secure placement in third-party roundups, and monitor AI prompts directly.

The era of “rank #1 in Google and you win” is ending. The new reality is: Rank in Google to get considered. Optimize for AEO to get mentioned.