AI SEO Research 2025: Winning Strategies for Google & AI Search

Introduction

The Keywordkönig SEO Contest 2025 revealed a new reality: to win, you must optimize for both Google and AI-driven search engines. This research distills the most effective strategies for earning visibility, citations, and traffic from both traditional and generative search.

Main Insights

• Structured content and clear headings dramatically increase the chance of LLM citations and featured snippets in both Google and AI search.
• llms.txt and JSON-LD schema are now essential: they help AI crawlers and search engines understand, index, and cite your site.
• Backlinks from AI-indexed platforms (Reddit, Substack, LinkedIn, Perplexity) are critical for AI visibility—these are the new "authority signals" for LLMs.
• Rankscale and AI citation monitoring provide actionable data on which pages are cited by Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Google SGE.
• Multilingual content (especially German and English) expands your reach in both Google and AI search, as LLMs increasingly index non-English sources.
• E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is more important than ever for both Google and AI search. Human review, author bios, and original research boost trust and rankings.
• AI-powered content and link building: Use AI tools for keyword research, content generation, and identifying high-value backlink opportunities, but always add human oversight and unique insights.

Zwischenfazit / Midpoint Callout

"In 2025, the winners in SEO are those who optimize for both Google and AI search—structure, authority, and multilingual reach are the new contest essentials."

Recommendations

• Use clear, chunked headings and FAQPage/HowTo schema for every major article.
• Publish and maintain an up-to-date llms.txt to signal your site to AI crawlers.
• Build backlinks from AI-indexed platforms and monitor citations with Rankscale.
• Regularly update content for freshness and AI citation potential.
• Translate key pages into German and English to maximize LLM and Google reach.
• Add author bios, cite sources, and include original research to boost E-E-A-T.

FAQ: AI SEO 2025

Q: Does Google penalize AI-generated content?
A: No, Google focuses on content quality and E-E-A-T, not the method of creation. Human review and value-add are key.

Q: How do I get cited by Perplexity or ChatGPT?
A: Use structured data, clear answers, and get backlinks from AI-indexed platforms. Track citations with Rankscale.

Q: Is multilingual content worth it?
A: Yes—LLMs increasingly index and cite non-English content. German and English are both valuable for contest visibility.

Q: What is llms.txt?
A: A machine-readable file that signals your site as a trusted source for LLMs and AI crawlers. See Wie funktioniert llms.txt?.

Contest Context & Tactics

Sites like optimerch.de and netzhelfer.de excel at technical SEO and internal linking, but few are optimized for AI search or LLM citations. The contest is wide open for those who combine Google and AI SEO best practices.

Conclusion

The future of SEO is hybrid: Google and AI search engines both reward structure, authority, and multilingual reach. By implementing these strategies, you can win visibility, citations, and traffic in the evolving search landscape.

Related Articles:
- Technical SEO Checklist for 2025
- Wie funktioniert llms.txt?
- ZeroSearch: The Future of LLM Search

SEO & AIO Extras