Why Your SEO Foundation Determines AI Visibility

Google First, AI Second: The Smart Agent Strategy

Your prospects aren't abandoning Google - they're using it PLUS asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude for deeper research.

Here's the reality: Google still processes 373 times more searches than ChatGPT. But the 1% of prospects using AI answer engines? They're your highest-intent leads spending 23+ minutes researching before they ever call an agent.

Most real estate professionals are asking the wrong question. Instead of "Should I optimize for AI or Google?" the question is "How do I dominate both?"

Maurice White, SEO lead at Mod Op and former real estate professional, reveals why your SEO foundation determines your AI visibility. You'll discover why 80% of getting found by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity depends on fundamental SEO - and what that crucial 20% difference is that separates agents who get cited from those who remain invisible.

This isn't about replacing your Google strategy. It's about extending your reach to capture the early adopters who are doing deeper research and making more informed decisions before they contact agents.

If you serve local clients - real estate, HVAC, restaurants, professional services - this matters now, not later.

About Maurice White:

Maurice White is a Senior SEO Strategist at Mod Op with a unique background that bridges real estate and digital marketing. After spending over 10 years in the real estate industry as a broker's assistant, agent, and licensed broker, Maurice transitioned to leading SEO strategy for one of the industry's top agencies.

His hands-on real estate experience, combined with his technical expertise in data analysis and SEO strategy, gives him rare insight into how local businesses can leverage both traditional search optimization and emerging AI engine visibility. Maurice specializes in helping companies organize complex digital strategies, make data-driven decisions, and implement scalable SEO solutions.

 

BONUS ACTION LIST:

Here's the action list for this episode based on Maurice's insights:

Immediate Actions (This Week)

Test Your Current AI Visibility:

• Go to ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity and ask questions about your market that you should be the expert on
• Search: "Who are the most knowledgeable agents in [your area]?"
• Ask: "What's the market like in [your specific neighborhoods]?"
• Note if your name or business appears in the answers

Audit Your Current Content:

• Review your last 20 social media posts
• Count how many mention your specific market by name
• Identify which posts could be used by any agent in any city
• Calculate what you're actually paying per valuable, market-specific post

Foundation Check:

• Verify your Google Business Profile is complete and optimized
• Ensure your service areas are properly defined
• Check that your website has basic contact information and location details
• Review if your site loads quickly on mobile

This Month Actions

SEO Foundation Audit:

• Conduct a technical SEO audit of your website (or hire someone to do it)
• Review your site's information architecture and navigation to ensure a logical progression to the next step, which should lead to a conversation.
• Verify that schema markup is in place with all of your content. ASK the hosting company or developer. They may not know.
• Assess your heading structure (H1, H2, H3 tags)

Content Strategy Development: