In this insightful discussion, Steve Toth, an SEO expert and founder of SEO Notebook, reveals how a brand-first strategy can revolutionize AI SEO. He emphasizes how optimizing for brand keywords is crucial for visibility on platforms like ChatGPT. Toth introduces the Truth Alignment Framework, shares hacks for crafting compelling press releases, and highlights innovative tactics like compact keywords for better conversions. With practical tips on enhancing brand presence for AI interpretation, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone serious about mastering modern SEO.
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Truth Alignment Matters
Steve Toth frames AI SEO as a reputational problem focused on how LLMs answer skeptical, deal‑breaker questions about a brand.
He measures LLM outputs against how a company's top salesperson would answer and improves pages to align those responses.
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Target Brand‑Aware Buyers
Optimize for brand-aware searchers by documenting why your brand fits specific buyer needs rather than only chasing generic non-branded keywords.
Create many focused pages that show why your product satisfies particular budgets, team sizes, and features to get recommended by LLMs.
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Niche Comparison Pages Win
Build comparison pages tailored to specific features and buyer personas because LLMs excel at personalized comparisons.
Niche down comparisons (e.g., ClickUp vs Asana time tracking for SEO agencies) to get surfaced by LLMs more readily.
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E798: AI SEO is not the same as “normal” SEO. The legend, Steve Toth, joins the podcast to explain how brands can win on LLMs like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews by focusing on brand-first SEO instead of simply chasing non-branded keywords.
We break down: - What the Truth Alignment Framework is and why it matters - How to optimize so ChatGPT actually recommends your brand - Comparison pages that LLMs love (and how to niche them down) - The press release hack influencing AI results - Linkable assets, Claude artifacts & Custom GPT strategies that work - Why branded SEO = stronger rankings everywhere
If you’re serious about ranking in both Google and AI search, this episode is a playbook you can’t miss.
💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/
00:00 Introduction to AI SEO 00:42 Truth Alignment Framework 03:18 Optimizing for Brand Keywords 03:47 Challenges and Misconceptions in AI SEO 04:49 Importance of Brand Awareness 07:47 Creating Effective Content for LLMs 16:32 Leveraging Press Releases for AI SEO 18:07 Notebook Agency's AI Strategy 22:24 SEO Fundamentals and Great Marketing 29:33 Understanding the Million Pixel Concept 30:19 Teaching Creativity and Marketing to the Next Generation 30:51 Insights on Domain Authority and SEO Strategies 32:53 Innovative Tools for Link Building 34:54 Creating Viral Linkable Assets 36:43 Exploring GPTs and SEO Tactics 44:22 Advanced SEO Techniques and Case Studies 53:26 Concluding Thoughts and Future Events
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