The Financial Conduct Authority has concluded its consultation, ahead of new targeted support proposals to help offer financial advice to UK residents who usually miss out. According to Alistair Shipp, executive director for wealth management and private banking at Capco, companies in the sector need to analyse their customer base, and evaluate the best ways they can bridge their own advice gaps.
As a marketer, I’ve come to realize that no amount of clever branding can outweigh a bad online reputation. People trust other people more than they trust taglines.
Google explains how generic login pages trigger duplicate indexing. Learn fixes using noindex, redirects, and paywall markup.
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Everyone’s focused on what AI is taking away from consulting. They’re missing what it’s creating. Here’s why smart consultants aren’t afraid of the future—they’re preparing for it.RetryM
What AI Really Means for Consulting is a post from: Consulting Success®
Google is no longer the only place people search. Millions now bypass search engines entirely and turn to large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for answers.
ChatGPT alone fields over 2.5 billion prompts a day and serves more than 120 million users daily.
This creates a massive opportunity. LLM SEO is how you get your content in front of those systems. The idea is to make your content so clear and credible that a model has no choice but to pull from it.
That means writing in a way machines can process, and people still want to read. Do it right, and you’ll show up where the traffic is already shifting.
This isn’t a future concern. It’s happening now. If you don’t adapt, readers will still get answers—just not from you. You’ll lose the click before you even get the chance to earn it.
LLM SEO is the process of optimizing your content so that large language models can understand, interpret and surface is in their responses. Think of it as preparing your content for systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity just as you prepare content for Google.
Instead of focusing only on rankings, LLM SEO targets being recognized as a credible source. That means:
LLM and traditional SEO share the same goal: to connect your expertise with what people are looking for. What’s changing is where and how those answers show up.
LLM SEO and large language model optimization (LLMO) overlap, but they’re not the same. Think of LLM SEO as a slice of the broader LLMO pie.
LLM SEO specifically targets making your content easy for large language models to parse and cite, often in search engine-related contexts. This includes optimizing for Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) and ensuring your content is structured so it’s more likely to be surfaced by AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini.
LLMO goes further. It’s about increasing your brand’s overall visibility in AI-generated answers across platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude. That reach isn’t limited to search. It also means:
In short, LLM SEO helps you show up in AI answers connected to search. LLMO ensures your brand is present across any context where large language models generate responses.
LLM SEO builds on the foundation of traditional SEO but shifts the focus to how large language models process and deliver information.
Traditional SEO is about rankings. You optimize for Google or Bing so your content climbs the results page. Success is measured in keyword positions, clicks, and traffic.
LLM SEO is about citations. Instead of fighting for position one, you make your content easy for LLMs to read, trust, and include in their responses. Success is measured in mentions and visibility inside tools like ChatGPT or Gemini, even if the user doesn’t click through.
The overlap is important. Both require:
The differences matter. Traditional SEO leans on backlinks and click-through optimization. LLM SEO rewards clear language, structured formats like FAQs and lists, and transparent sourcing. Whereas SEO optimizes for crawlers, LLM SEO optimizes for language models.
Marketers who stop at traditional SEO risk losing visibility as more searches end inside AI answers.
Large language models are quickly becoming the go-to source for answers. In fact, 27 percent of people in the U.S. now use AI tools over traditional search engines.
Instead of clicking through search results, people ask AI tools like ChatGPT direct questions and get immediate answers. That shift is changing brand discovery.
You can already see this shift playing out, with some industries showing up in AI Overviews far more often than others.
For businesses, the risk is obvious. If your content isn’t structured for LLMs, your expertise may never surface, even if you rank well in Google. That means losing visibility to competitors optimizing for both.
There’s also the matter of trust. LLMs lean heavily on authoritative, clearly written content with well-cited sources. If your brand is not putting out content that signals credibility, you’re less likely to be included in the answers users see.
Finally, this shift is accelerating. More platforms are rolling out AI-driven responses, and users are adopting them quickly because they save time.
Every month you wait is a month of lost visibility. LLM SEO puts your brand where attention is headed, not where it’s fading.
Visibility in large language models isn’t about hacks. It comes down to making your content easier for these systems to understand, trust, and reuse. The following practices build on what already works in SEO but adapt it for how LLMs process and deliver information.
Large language models are built to handle natural conversation. Content that reads conversationally and adapts to context is more likely to be included in generated answers. Drop the keyword stuffing and rigid phrasing. Instead, write the way people actually ask (and follow up on) questions.
LLMs thrive on clarity. Adding FAQ sections and concise takeaways gives them ready-made snippets they can use to build answers. It helps readers, too, breaking content into scannable, useful chunks while giving AI systems obvious entry points into your page.
Traditional SEO often leaned on exact-match keywords. LLM SEO works better with semantic and contextual phrasing, language that reflects how people naturally ask questions. Build around related terms and long-tail queries so models can recognize intent and surface your content more often.
LLMs look for signals of authority and consistency across multiple platforms. A brand that regularly publishes on its own blog, contributes to third-party sites, and maintains a strong profile across social channels is more likely to be trusted. Consistency reinforces your credibility.
Original insights stand out. Publishing unique research, case studies, or proprietary data makes your content more valuable to LLMs. These models are designed to identify and prioritize information not easily found elsewhere. For example, graphics like the piece below showcase data points that my team sourced on its own.
Optimization does not stop at publishing. Regularly test how your brand appears in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity. Query these platforms with the same questions your audience might ask. Monitoring performance helps you identify where your content is being cited and where you need to adjust. In the example below, you can see how a brand can be portrayed in AI tools based on different sources. We’ll cover later on how you can go about doing this.
Stale content gets overlooked. Updating old posts with new statistics, recent examples, or revised insights signals that your brand is current.
LLMs draw from a variety of different sources, and this is where Search Everywhere Optimization comes in. LLMs pull from forums, video transcripts, and social media. The more places your brand shows up, the more likely it is to be discovered and cited by AI.
This is the essence of search everywhere optimization: making sure your expertise is visible wherever people (and AI models) go looking for answers.
Measuring success in LLM SEO is not as straightforward as checking keyword rankings, but there are now tools and methods that make it possible.
Specialized platforms like Profound are built to track how often brands and websites appear in AI-generated answers across platforms. See below for a look at the Profound interface and how it helps showcase AI visibility.
Established SEO platforms, including Semrush, have also rolled out features that measure AI visibility alongside traditional search metrics. In the screenshot below, you can see how Semrush showcases AIO presence for a given page.
These tools give you a clearer picture of whether your content is surfacing where people are asking questions.
In addition to platforms, hands-on monitoring still matters. Query the models directly using the same questions your audience would ask. Document when your content is cited and watch for changes over time. This kind of manual testing tracks progress beyond what analytics alone can show.
You should also monitor referral traffic. Some AI tools now include links to sources, and those clicks show up in analytics as traffic. Another thing to keep an eye out for is brand mentions. Even if an AI result doesn’t give a link, brand mentions inside AI outputs are valuable, as they reinforce awareness and authority.
Finally, fold LLM SEO tracking into your broader SEO reporting. Look at engagement signals like time on page, repeat visits, and social shares for optimized content. If people find your content more useful, LLMs are more likely to treat it as a trusted source.
The bottom line is that measurement is evolving. You now have tools, data, and direct testing methods that show whether your LLM SEO efforts are paying off.
LLM SEO is the process of optimizing content so large language models such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity can understand, interpret, and surface it in their responses.
Traditional SEO focuses on ranking in search engine results. LLM SEO focuses on being cited inside AI-generated answers. Both rely on quality content, authority, and structure, but the measurement of success is different.
No. LLM SEO is a subset of LLM optimization (LLMO). LLM SEO focuses on search-related visibility in LLM outputs, while LLMO covers the broader goal of increasing brand presence across all AI-generated answers.
Tracking visibility in LLMs involves querying the models directly, monitoring referral traffic from AI tools in places like GA4, and using platforms such as Profound or Semrush that offer AI visibility tracking.
Adoption of LLMs is growing rapidly. Users are increasingly asking questions on these platforms instead of traditional search engines. Brands that optimize early gain visibility where attention is shifting, while others risk losing ground.
Large language models are already changing how people search and discover brands. More users are asking questions in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity instead of clicking through a list of Google results. That shift is real, and it’s growing.
LLM SEO is how to meet that change head-on. The same fundamentals still matter: quality content, structure, and authority. But they need to be applied in ways LLMs can understand and reuse. That means writing conversationally, answering questions directly, and keeping your content current and credible.
This shift also fits into the bigger picture of search. The rise of zero-click searches shows how often users get the information they need without visiting a website at all. At the same time, semantic search highlights how engines and now LLMs look at meaning and context instead of just exact keywords.
If you want a practical first step, update one or two of your top-performing pages. Add FAQs, refresh the data, and shape answers around the questions your audience is actually asking. Then watch how often those pages begin showing up in both search engines and AI outputs.
Overwhelmed by GEO, AEO, and LLMO? Learn how to cut through AI search hype and evolve your SEO strategy without starting from scratch at MozCon.
Overwhelmed by GEO, AEO, and LLMO? Learn how to cut through AI search hype and evolve your SEO strategy without starting from scratch at MozCon.
When you work in marketing, you’re constantly making decisions that could go either way. Should that CTA say “Get Started” or “Try It Free”? Should the landing page headline focus on value or urgency? I’ve lost count of how many times I thought I knew what would convert better… only to be proven wrong by the data.
That’s why the best A/B testing tools aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential. Whether you’re tweaking headlines, testing button colors, or experimenting with entire page layouts, these tools take the guesswork out of optimization.
When most people think of midwifery, they typically think of the hands-on care that midwives provide to expectant mothers, from prenatal checkups to labor support and postpartum care. However, the ability to deliver excellent care is only one piece of the puzzle. The long-term success and sustainability of your midwifery practice depend on much more than just clinical expertise. A solid understanding of business principles is essential to ensure that your practice thrives, remains financially viable, and continues to serve families for years to come.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why having business knowledge is crucial for the long-term success of any midwifery practice, and how it can help you not only maintain but also grow your practice over time.
Running a midwifery practice without understanding basic financial principles is like driving without a map. The healthcare industry is complex, and midwifery practices face many financial challenges, from fluctuating patient numbers to ever-changing insurance policies. Business knowledge enables you to:
Create a budget: Knowing how to budget effectively is critical. With a clear budget, you can track your income, expenses, and profits, which allows you to anticipate financial challenges before they arise. You’ll be able to determine when and how to reinvest in your business (e.g., upgrading equipment, hiring additional staff, or expanding services).
Set appropriate pricing: A good understanding of cost structure, market analysis, and client expectations helps you set prices that are both competitive and sustainable. Without this knowledge, you might undercharge for your services or fail to account for hidden costs, leading to financial instability.
Manage cash flow: Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. Knowing how to track accounts receivable, handle payment plans, and manage expenses ensures that you won’t face cash shortages that could threaten your practice’s viability.
Plan for taxes: Understanding tax obligations—such as self-employment tax, business deductions, and how to file correctly—helps avoid costly mistakes that can put your practice at risk.
In short, business knowledge allows you to effectively manage the financial health of your practice, ensuring that you are prepared to weather any economic storms.
In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, standing out from the crowd is essential. Your midwifery practice may offer exceptional care, but without a strong brand and marketing strategy, it can be difficult to attract clients and grow your practice. Understanding business principles will help you:
Define your unique value proposition (UVP): What makes your midwifery practice stand out? Whether it’s your commitment to personalized care, specialized services like water births, or your holistic approach, understanding your UVP helps you craft messaging that resonates with your ideal clients.
Market effectively: Business knowledge helps you understand the basics of marketing, whether it’s social media strategies, email campaigns, search engine optimization (SEO), or local networking. An understanding of these tools allows you to strategically position your practice in front of the right audience, ensuring that you attract new clients consistently.
Create a professional reputation: Building a strong, professional brand isn’t just about logos and websites. It’s about maintaining consistency across all aspects of your practice—whether that’s in the quality of your services, customer service interactions, or how you present your business online. A cohesive, well-managed brand cultivates trust and loyalty among clients.
A strong, well-managed brand not only attracts clients but also helps retain them, building a sustainable practice that can expand in the long term.
Midwifery is all about relationships—building trust with expectant families and supporting them throughout one of the most important times of their lives. However, strong relationships extend beyond just providing excellent clinical care. Business knowledge plays a crucial role in maintaining positive relationships with clients:
Client communication: Business skills help you establish clear, open communication channels. Whether you use a practice management system to streamline communication or have automated tools for appointment reminders, implementing efficient processes improves the client experience. This saves time for both you and your clients, reducing the risk of missed appointments or misunderstandings.
Customer service: Effective business practices help you define the level of customer service you want to offer. Having systems in place to respond promptly to inquiries, resolve issues quickly, and ensure client satisfaction can help foster long-term loyalty and referrals.
Retention strategies: It’s more cost-effective to retain existing clients than to attract new ones. By understanding customer retention strategies, like following up after birth, providing educational resources, or offering incentives for referrals, you can keep your current clients happy and engaged, ensuring steady revenue and long-term practice growth.
Operating a midwifery practice involves more than just providing care; it requires managing administrative tasks, scheduling, billing, and maintaining accurate records. The more efficient your operations are, the more time you can dedicate to your clients and personal life. Business knowledge enables you to:
Optimize workflow: Knowing how to streamline processes—such as client intake, appointment scheduling, and follow-up care—saves time, reduces stress, and improves client satisfaction. Utilizing practice management software can help keep everything organized and running smoothly.
Delegate effectively: As your practice grows, you may need to hire staff or contractors to assist with administrative work, client communications, or even clinical support. A good understanding of business management helps you identify tasks that can be delegated and ensures you have the right systems in place for onboarding and managing staff.
Time management: Effective time management skills allow you to balance clinical responsibilities with business tasks, ensuring you have enough time to care for your clients while also working on growing your practice. Business knowledge can help you develop strategies for prioritizing tasks and managing your workload efficiently.
Midwifery practices are subject to a wide range of regulations and legal requirements. From licensing and insurance to client contracts and data protection laws, business knowledge helps you navigate these complexities and avoid legal pitfalls:
Understanding contracts: Business knowledge helps you create contracts for clients that clearly outline the scope of services, payment terms, and your legal obligations. This is essential for protecting both you and your clients, and ensuring transparency in your professional relationships.
Compliance with regulations: Every state and country has specific legal requirements for midwives. Whether you’re dealing with licensure, insurance, or safety standards, understanding the legal framework for your practice ensures that you remain compliant with regulations, avoiding fines or legal challenges.
Risk management: Business knowledge helps you assess potential risks—whether it’s malpractice insurance, liability waivers, or client safety—and take proactive steps to minimize those risks. By investing in appropriate insurance and risk management practices, you protect both your practice and your clients.
A key element of long-term success is planning for the future. As your midwifery practice grows, business knowledge becomes crucial for managing that growth effectively. Here’s how:
Scalability: If you plan to expand your practice—whether by hiring additional staff, opening new locations, or offering new services—business knowledge allows you to plan strategically for scaling. This ensures that your practice can grow sustainably without sacrificing quality of care.
Financial planning for growth: Expanding a practice often requires upfront investments in marketing, equipment, or hiring staff. A solid understanding of business finance allows you to plan for these expenses, secure funding if necessary, and manage cash flow during the expansion process.
Evaluating new opportunities: Business knowledge enables you to evaluate new business opportunities and determine if they are a good fit for your practice. For example, you might consider offering online prenatal courses, expanding into doula services, or collaborating with other healthcare providers. Understanding the risks and benefits of new ventures helps you make informed decisions.
Whether you’re looking to secure loans for equipment, expand your practice, or invest in marketing campaigns, understanding how to manage financial resources is essential. With business knowledge, you’ll be able to:
Apply for loans or grants: If you need funding to grow your practice, you’ll need to understand the process of applying for loans or grants. Knowledge of financial management helps you put together the right documentation, make your case to lenders, and secure the capital you need.
Attract investors: If you’re planning a significant expansion, you might consider seeking investors. A solid business plan, financial projections, and an understanding of the midwifery market will help you present a compelling case to potential investors.
While providing excellent care is the heart of any midwifery practice, understanding business principles is crucial for ensuring its long-term success. Whether it’s managing finances, building a strong brand, retaining clients, or navigating legal requirements, business knowledge provides the foundation for a thriving practice. By equipping yourself with the right tools and strategies, you can create a sustainable, successful midwifery practice that supports both your professional goals and the families you serve.
Great midwife course available – https://midwiferybusinessconsultation.teachable.com/p/midwife_business_tips
The post Why Having Business Knowledge Is Essential for the Long-Term Success of Any Midwifery Practice appeared first on MIDWIFERY BUSINESS CONSULTATION.
AI search engines send users to 404 pages more than Google. A study of 16M URLs finds ChatGPT leads in hallucinating links.
The post AI Search Sends Users to 404 Pages Nearly 3X More Than Google appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
