Optimizing Your Sales Funnel for SEO with AI and LLMs

Have you noticed that it's getting harder and harder to get the attention of people surfing the web? Old search habits have changed. Instead of opening several tabs on Google, users want an immediate, brief and reliable response. And that's where LLMs (Large Language Models) such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google SGE come in.

Behavior has changed, and so must the sales funnel. What used to be a linear journey (attraction, consideration, decision) is now fragmented into AI-driven micro-moments.

This content is for those who understand that content marketing, inbound marketing and SEO techniques need to adapt, and fast. Let's talk about:

• What is the 'new' sales funnel based on LLMs;
• How it connects with inbound and SEO today;
• How to apply it on a daily basis, with examples and practical tables;
• Why creating content for humans and AIs at the same time is the new standard.

No beating about the bush. Let's get straight to the point, with depth and real data.

How LLMs are reshaping SEO

LLMs (Large Language Models) are AI models trained on billions of pieces of data. Not only do they answer questions, they also form opinions, filter content and redirect consumer behavior. Instead of typing a question into Google, many users now ask an AI assistant directly for the answer.

According to the global survey 'Our Life with AI: From innovation to application', carried out by Ipsos in partnership with Google in 2024, around 48% of internet users in the world reported using generative AI tools in their activities, and this number continues to grow. In Brazil, adoption is even higher, reaching 54% of users.

According to reports and webinars by BrightEdge, a leading platform for SEO and AI solutions, a significant part of digital discovery experiences involve algorithmic recommendation, reflecting the growing adoption of artificial intelligence for content personalization.

The impact of this on SEO is profound: your content now needs to be read, understood and cited by language models, not just ranked by traditional search engines.

This is where elements such as the "People Also Ask" section and Google's new "AI-Powered Overview" become decisive. They directly influence how your content appears and is referenced, even if the user doesn't click on any links.

Instead of attracting clicks, your content needs to be the answer.

What the 'new' sales funnel looks like based on SEO and LLMs

1. Discovery (Top of Funnel)

The entry point has changed. Content needs to be highly scannable by AI and, at the same time, useful to humans. Here, the focus is on generating visibility through structured answers, snippets, and content that anticipates real questions.

Practical actions:

• Produce content with a question and answer structure;
• Create lists and comparisons that are easy to interpret;
• Use schema markup (FAQPage, HowTo);
• Bet on long but well-divided content (clear subheadings, bullet points).

See how this manifests itself in the actual experience of those who consume the content:

"Have you ever typed a question into Google and received a confusing, jargon-filled text? Everyone has experienced this. And nobody wants to go through it again."

2. Consideration (Middle of the Funnel)

If you've delivered a good answer at the top of the funnel, the user - or the AI - will want to dig deeper. This is the time to offer authority, context and next steps.

Practical actions:

• Build content clusters with internal linking;
• Offer complete guides, e-books, case studies;
• Insert a contextualized CTA throughout the text, not just at the end;
• Use your own data or relevant research.

See how this type of situation appears in the real experience of those who consume content:

"Maybe you've already downloaded an e-book and thought: 'More of the same'. It's not your fault. Most materials ignore what you really need."

3. Conversion (Bottom of Funnel)

With LLMs and content automation, the bottom of the funnel needs to be more human than ever. This is the time to personalize, show real evidence and facilitate decision-making.

Practical actions:

• Create landing pages with scannability and natural language;
• Offer free diagnoses or simulations based on data;
• Present real case studies, with pains, failures and lessons learned;
• Keep the CTA clear: "Let's find out together what makes the most sense for you?"

According to HubSpot, the combination of authentic storytelling with concrete data and behavioral analysis creates personalized narratives that significantly increase engagement and conversion in digital marketing strategies.

4. Post-conversion (Relationship and retention)

In the age of AI, post-sales content is what ensures that your brand continues to be cited, recommended and referenced by language models, and by people too.

Practical actions:

• Regularly update old content with new data;
• Create newsletters segmented by the user's level of knowledge;
• Use platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram to send quick tips;
• Encourage recommendation with simple programs and shareable content.

Keep learning about SEO:

• ChatGPT vs. Google vs. Social Search: organic traffic and SEO;
• Generation Engine Optimization: The Future of SEO with GEO;
• What is Google AI Mode and how does it impact SEO?
• How to make my Instagram appear on Google with SEO.

How to operationalize this 'new' sales funnel on a daily basis

Now that you understand the concept, the question is: how do you put all this into practice consistently?

It's not just about planning. It's about creating a routine for producing, updating and analyzing performance. Each stage of the 'new' funnel requires different formats and approaches, and therefore also specific tools and frequencies.

The table below summarizes, in a straightforward manner, how to turn theory into action. It serves as a starting point for adjusting your weekly and monthly strategies, with a focus on SEO applied to the LLM era.

Table: how to apply the 'new' SEO sales funnel with LLMs in practice.

This table should not be read as a rigid formula, but as a strategic guide. Each business, niche or audience profile will require adjustments, and this is to be expected. The most important thing is to maintain constancy, an analytical eye and a willingness to test new formats.

Image: Visual representation of integrated content strategies to optimize sales funnels with a focus on SEO and LLMs.

How SEO techniques can be adapted to the age of LLMs

Traditional SEO practices remain relevant, but now they need to be interpreted in the light of a new dynamic: generative artificial intelligence. Language models such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and SGE are actively influencing the ways in which users discover, consume and validate information. It's no longer enough to rank well, you need to be understood, quoted and recommended by these intelligences.

In order to do this, it is necessary to adopt a set of specific techniques, capable of meeting the criteria of LLMs and, at the same time, offering a meaningful experience for the human reader. This balance is the new differentiator.

Here are five fundamental practices for adapting your SEO strategy to the current context:

1. Optimize for real questions: use tools such as Answer The Public, Google Search Console, ChatGPT and even social networks to understand what people are really asking. Natural language, based on real questions, is more easily interpreted by models.
2. Use structured data (Schema): implement markup such as FAQPage, Article, HowTo and BreadcrumbList. This data organizes your content so that it can be read correctly by machines, and this directly influences your chances of being cited as a source.
3. Build semantic relationships between content: go beyond standard internal linking. Work with well-defined topic clusters, offering a web of connected content that deepens the experience. This helps both the reader and the models understand the value of your domain.
4. Update content frequently: LLMs prioritize recent and relevant content. Update data, examples and CTAs regularly. This signals that your content is reliable and up-to-date, which is essential for remaining competitive.
5. Focus on the reader's experience: scannable content, with a fluid rhythm, clear language and pleasant visuals. Remember: algorithms are learning from human behavior. If your content keeps the reader engaged, this will be reflected in SEO performance.

More than following a technical checklist, the goal here is to understand that LLMs are reformulating what it means to be useful, and this has a direct impact on organic traffic.

If your content is not perceived as trustworthy by AIs, it will no longer appear in top responses, losing traffic even though it ranks well.

At the end of the day, it's not just those who master the tools who adapt, it's those who deeply understand what their audience really needs.

Why creating content for humans and AIs at the same time is the new standard.

We are facing a profound transformation in the way content is consumed and interpreted. Today, we don't just write for human readers. We also write for AI systems that read, understand and synthesize our content into responses that will be consumed by other people. In other words: your brand can become the source of an AI's response, or simply be ignored by it.

The question is no longer whether to write to rank on Google or to delight readers. The new reality demands that we do both simultaneously. Content needs to be accessible, well-structured, scannable and reliable, from a technical and human point of view. This means balancing technique with empathy, depth with lightness, strategy with truth.

By creating with this new standard in mind, you exponentially increase your chances of being found, cited and valued. Not just by traditional search engines, but by the intelligences that already mediate the decisions of thousands (or millions) of users every day.

Next step in your content marketing strategy?

Now that you've understood how the 'new' sales funnel for SEO with LLMs requires a more human, intelligent and integrated approach, the ideal is to connect this transformation to a complete diagnosis of your marketing positioning. After all, what's the point of creating optimized content if you still don't clearly know your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?

This is where SWOT analysis becomes a powerful tool. By applying it to the context of digital marketing, whether in the corporate sector, local businesses or educational marketing, you can align your SEO and inbound strategies with real business objectives.

This strategic connection can help you decide:

• which content needs to be prioritized;
• which differentiators need to be reinforced to AI and readers;
• which threats could compromise your ranking and authority.

Want to understand more about how this works in practice?

How to adapt your SEO strategy to the sales funnel with LLMs?

What has changed in the sales funnel with the use of LLMs?

With the arrival of models such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google SGE, the funnel is no longer linear. It has become micro-moments based on quick and precise interactions with AIs, requiring content to be useful, structured and easily interpretable by humans and machines.

Why is it important to produce content for humans and AIs at the same time?

Today, content needs to be understood by readers and by artificial intelligences that summarize and recommend answers. Creating scannable, reliable and structured material is essential for being cited by AIs and ranking well in searches.

How should SEO adapt to language models?

SEO now goes beyond ranking. It's necessary to use structured data (such as Schema), answer real questions, constantly update content and create semantic relationships between topics. Performance depends on the perceived usefulness of AIs.

What practical actions should be applied at each stage of the new sales funnel?

• Discovery: optimized articles with questions and lists;
• Consideration: clusters with internal links and distributed CTAs;
• Conversion: scannable pages with natural language;
• Post-conversion: newsletters, frequent updates and shareable content.

How do you ensure that your content is cited by AIs?

It is essential to answer real questions in depth, use natural language and up-to-date data, apply good technical SEO practices and structure the content clearly. This increases the chances of recommendation by models such as ChatGPT and Google SGE.