In the Google days, SEO was all about broad keywords. Rank for “real estate Sydney” and you were set.
But AI search engines don’t work like that. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity answer real people’s questions in a conversational way. That means the old game of chasing broad keywords doesn’t cut it anymore.
To win with AI SEO, you’ve got to think in terms of conversations. And that starts with getting crystal clear on who your ideal customers are and how you serve them.
Google gives you a long list of results and lets you choose. AI tools work differently. They aim to serve up just a few strong options, with context around who each one is best suited for.
So, if your business isn’t clearly positioned for a specific type of customer, you’ll likely get passed over for one that is.
To be in the mix, AI needs to see that your business:
If your website says one thing, your socials another, and your directory listing is half out of date, AI gets mixed signals.
And when it isn’t sure, it won’t take a chance on you; it’ll recommend the business that looks like the safer, clearer bet.
Traditional SEO taught us to go broad: cast a wide net, get more traffic. But with AI SEO - also called GEO) - that backfires.
AI search engines don’t want “kind of relevant.” They want spot on - which is just one way of how AI is changing SEO. The clearer you are about your ideal customers, the easier it is for AI to put you in front of the right person at the right time.
In real estate, let’s say:
Each of these groups is a different ideal customer with different needs and conversations with AI tools. If your business just says “we do real estate,” AI won’t know which of those customers you’re for, so it’ll skip you.
The more specific you get, the more often you’re the obvious match.
It’s one thing to define your ideal customer. It’s another to show up consistently. AI tools aren’t just scanning your website; they’re piecing together your whole online footprint.
That means your message - who you serve and how - needs to line up everywhere:
If AI sees mixed signals, it won’t risk recommending you. But if your message is consistent across the board, you look trustworthy. And trust is exactly what AI is optimising for.
Defining your ideal customer is the first step in Topic Domination Method, a proven system we’ve developed and refined to help AI tools know exactly who you are, what you offer, and when to recommend you.
Clarity comes first, but it doesn’t stop there. The method goes deeper - aligning your content, authority signals, and online footprint so your business becomes the obvious choice in AI search results.
You might know exactly who your ideal customer is, but that doesn’t mean AI tools do.
If you’d like to find out how AI currently interprets your business — who it thinks you serve, and whether you're coming through as the best fit — we can run an audit for you.
If you're on a support plan, hang tight — we're rolling this out to you soon, no need to request it.
Not on a support plan? Just email [email protected] and we’ll sort you out with a personalised review.
