SEO and GEO for startups
Startup SEO That Wins in Google and in AI Answers.
LLMReach is a startup SEO agency and GEO team in one. We help your startup rank in Google and get named by ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Gemini. You get one plan for both.
By the numbers
The numbers behind how early customers choose.
- of B2B software buyers now start their research with an AI chatbot more often than Google.
- 51%
- of B2B software buyers now start their research with an AI chatbot more often than Google.
- G2 2026 AI Search Insight Report, March 2026
The searches that decide the trial
Customers compare tools in Google and AI.
- Writing: “best AI writing assistant for a small marketing team”. Google shows an AI Overview first, then review sites and Reddit threads. A startup missing from those pages is missing from the shortlist.
- Support: “best AI tools for customer support at a startup”. Roundups, G2 listings and forum threads fill the results. A clear product page and verified reviews give you something to rank.
- Analytics: “best new analytics tools for early-stage startups”. Buyers ask for new tools by name of category. Reddit and review sites shape the answer long before they reach your homepage.
- Outbound: “best AI sales prospecting tools for a founder doing outbound”. A founder searching alone wants a short list fast. The tools that show in Google and the AI answer get the trial.
Most startup sites say they are fast and simple. That gives Google little to rank and an assistant nothing to repeat. In our Google test, Reddit ranked in 8 of 10 searches and every one showed an AI Overview.
The basics
Startup SEO, now that AI answers.
Startup SEO puts your product and comparison pages in Google when buyers search for a tool. GEO gets you named when they ask AI. An SEO startup plan needs both.
Assistants and Google both lean on pages beyond your site. In our Google test, every one of 10 buyer questions showed an AI Overview. See where AI gets its information.
The work has two jobs. Make your category, use case and comparison pages specific enough to rank and be quoted. Keep reviews and listings complete. We handle both.
GEO and SEO
SEO vs GEO for startups.
Both rest on clear product pages, reviews and listings, but Google ranks them and an assistant quotes them. This is where they differ for a young company.
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| What you win | A position in Google's list of links | Your startup named in the assistant's answer |
| Where buyers find you | The results for "best tool for X", with an AI Overview on top | The short list ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Perplexity gives |
| What decides it | Relevance, authority and page experience | Facts the assistant can confirm on your site, G2 and community threads |
| Sources that weigh most | Your own website and review sites | Your website plus G2, Reddit, Product Hunt and roundup articles |
| How it is measured | Rankings, clicks and signups | AI citations on the buyer questions we agree, plus AI referral visits |
Our own results
We do this for our own brand first.
Gemini · Named
“best agency for getting cited in LLMs”
ChatGPT · Named
“agency that gets you cited in AI models”
ChatGPT · Named
“best agency for getting cited in LLMs”
AI answers vary by platform and moment, so these show the method working on those days, not a promise of identical answers.
See all resultsReal Google results
The sites Google ranks when early customers search.
We searched Google for the same 10 questions your early customers ask AI. 10 of the 10 results pages opened with an AI Overview. Only 4% of the sites ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity cite for the same questions rank in that top 10: ranking in Google and getting named by AI are two jobs.
- 01reddit.comForumTested 5 AI note taking apps for in-person meetingstop 10 in 8 of 10 searches
- 02=g2.comReview siteBest AI Writing Assistants for Small Business in 2026top 10 in 2 of 10 searches
- 02=top 10 in 2 of 10 searches
Google
- 02=top 10 in 2 of 10 searches
Google organic top 10, US, desktop, searched on 8 October 2026. Each site counts once per search; subdomains count with their site.
What wins
Where startup SEO pays off, page by page.
Category pages
Buyers search for the best tool in a category. A clear page that names who you serve and what you do gives Google and assistants something to quote.
Comparison and alternative pages
Buyers ask for alternatives to known tools. An honest page per comparison helps you rank and gets you named beside the leaders.
Use case pages
Narrow searches are where a new domain wins first. One page per use case, with real examples, builds topical authority.
G2 and review profiles
Google showed G2 in 2 of 10 buyer searches. A complete profile with verified reviews gives you proof outside your own site.
Reddit and community threads
Reddit ranked in 8 of 10 searches. Knowing which threads buyers read tells us where your startup needs to be mentioned.
Technical foundation
Fast pages, clean structure and Product and FAQPage schema let Google and AI crawlers read you. See technical SEO.
What's included
Startup SEO services, plus the AI answer.
A 90-day engagement built around how early customers search for a new tool, in Google and in AI.
- Buyer keyword and prompt audit across Google, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Gemini, by category, use case and alternative
- Keyword research and pages that rank in Google for your category, comparisons and use cases
- Answer-first rewrites of your home page, product pages and comparison pages
- Technical SEO fixes plus Organization, Product and FAQPage schema
- A complete G2 profile and consistent listings on Product Hunt and integration directories
- Reviews from your first customers, collected where buyers and assistants read them
- AI crawler access checked in robots.txt, plus an llms.txt file
- Research into the Reddit threads where buyers compare tools before they sign up
- A baseline of your Google rankings and AI citations, taken before work begins
- Weekly updates on your Google and AI visibility
How it works
How startup SEO works: the Citation Stack.
We map what early customers search in Google and ask AI, from "best tool for X" to "alternative to Y". Then we agree the searches and prompts that bring in trials and demos.
Explore AI Prompt ResearchGoogle and AI crawlers can reach and read every product and comparison page. Site speed and schema are in place.
Explore technical SEOAnswer-first pages state what your product does, for whom and how it compares, in the first sentence. Claims are shown only where you can back them.
Explore on-page SEOResearch into the threads and roundups where buyers pick tools. Participation only where community rules allow it.
Explore Reddit MarketingWe track your Google rankings for category and comparison searches and count AI citations across the agreed prompts, against a baseline taken before work begins. You get weekly updates.
Explore AI Visibility Tracking
You approve every page. We do the rest: about an hour a week from you. See all our SEO services
Who this is for
Built for startups that win on proof.
Not for you
If any of these sound like you.
- You expect more signups and trials from day one
- You want the cheapest startup SEO you can find
- You only want a report on where your startup ranks
- You can't give us access to your site or approve the product pages we write
For you
If this sounds like you.
- Early customers compare tools before they sign up
- You have real reviews, listings or customers to point to
- You want pages built and fixes shipped, not advice
- You keep the final say on every page
- The work pays off where early customers compare tools before they sign up.
- It also works where you can back every claim with a review, a listing or a real customer.
FAQ
Startup SEO: questions founders ask us.
What does a startup SEO agency do now that AI answers?
It still earns rankings in Google: product pages, comparison pages, technical fixes and reviews. Now it also gets your startup named when buyers ask ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity. One team handles both in the same 90 days. Our guide shows how SEO and GEO differ for a young company.
What are SEO services for startups, in plain terms?
Keyword and prompt research, product and comparison pages, technical fixes, schema, review profiles and weekly tracking. We write the pages and you approve them. The first step is a free SEO audit of the searches your buyers use.
How long does SEO for a new startup take?
Usually months, not weeks. A new domain starts with little trust, so specific long-tail pages tend to move first. Competitive category terms take longer. Review profiles can move sooner. Cost depends on scope, and the free audit gives you the plan.
Can a new startup outrank big tools in Google?
Not for broad terms at first. It can for narrow searches it fits best, such as a use case or an alternative. Clear pages, topical authority and real reviews help. We pick the searches you can win, then widen.
Why does Google show Reddit and review sites instead of startup websites?
Those pages hold comparisons and honest opinions that buyers want. In our test of 10 buyer searches, Reddit ranked in 8 and G2 in 2. Your site must get specific, and your G2 profile and reviews complete.
Is startup SEO different from SEO for B2B SaaS or enterprise?
Yes. A startup has less authority and fewer reviews, so it needs sharper searches and faster proof. See B2B SaaS SEO and enterprise SEO for how those differ.
How do you get a startup named by ChatGPT and Perplexity?
We make your startup easy to confirm on the sites assistants read: G2, Product Hunt, roundups and community threads. Then we build clear pages per category and comparison. Our GEO for startups page covers that side in full.
How do you track startup SEO results?
We track your Google rankings and count citations of your startup across agreed buyer prompts in ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Gemini. A baseline comes first. Visits from AI assistants show in your GA4 as their own source.
Free AI Audit
Do customers find you on Google and AI?
You leave knowing where your startup is missing from AI answers, what is causing it, and which changes would matter first, whether we work together or not.
What to expect
Audit
Before the call, we run the questions your early customers ask through ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Gemini.
Map
On the call, we show you where competitors are cited and you are not, and what's causing it.
Decide
An honest read on whether the Citation Stack fits. If it doesn't, you'll hear it on the call.
Don't see a time that works? Email Karim directly: contact@llmreach.ai