An adapted version of Karlie's article, first published in Security Sales & Integration.
Think about the last time a facility manager went looking for a new access control partner. A few years ago they typed a search, scanned ten blue links and clicked. Today there's a good chance they asked an AI tool instead, and got a short answer with two or three company names in it. If your company wasn't one of them, you never had a shot.
Traditional SEO still matters. It's the foundation everything else sits on. But page one of Google is no longer the only place buyers find answers, and for a growing number of them it isn't even the first. That means integrators need a plan for three newer layers on top of SEO: AEO, GEO and LLMs.txt.
The four layers at a glance
SEO: still the foundation
Search engines and AI tools both lean on the same signals: a fast, secure site, clear page titles, helpful content and a solid local presence. If Google can't crawl and trust your site, AI tools that draw on search results won't see you either. Keep your Google Business Profile current, make sure every service and service area has its own page and fix technical issues before chasing anything new.
AEO: answer the questions buyers actually ask
Answer engine optimization is about being the source a search engine or assistant quotes when someone asks a direct question. "How much does a commercial camera system cost?" "Do I need a monitored fire alarm?" "What's the difference between cloud and on-prem access control?"
- Build pages and FAQs around real questions your sales team hears every week.
- Lead with a clear, short answer, then add the detail.
- Use plain headings, lists and tables so the answer is easy to lift out.
- Add FAQ and local business structured data so search engines know exactly what each page covers.
GEO: earn a spot in AI recommendations
Generative engine optimization is about getting named when an AI tool builds its own answer, like "the best security integrators in Denver for healthcare." These tools pull from many sources at once, so being consistent and visible across the web matters as much as your own site.
- Show your expertise: case studies, certifications, manufacturer partnerships and the industries you serve.
- Keep your name, address, services and service areas the same everywhere they appear.
- Earn mentions beyond your site: reviews, trade publications, association listings and partner pages.
- Write in specifics. "We've secured 40 K-12 campuses in Colorado" gives an AI tool far more to work with than "trusted local experts."
LLMs.txt: a guide for AI tools
An LLMs.txt file is a short, plain-text file at the root of your website (yoursite.com/llms.txt) that summarizes who you are and points AI tools to your most important pages. It's a newer, emerging standard and not every AI tool reads it yet, but it's quick to set up and gives you a say in how your company is described.
Where to start
- Ask ChatGPT, Google and Perplexity the questions your buyers ask, and note who gets named.
- Fix the SEO basics: site speed, page titles, Google Business Profile and service area pages.
- Turn your top 10 sales questions into clear answers on your site.
- Publish proof: one new case study or project story a month.
- Add an LLMs.txt file and keep it updated as your services change.
Search is changing fast, but the integrators who win are doing what good salespeople have always done: answering real questions clearly and proving they've done the work. SEO gets you found. AEO, GEO and LLMs.txt make sure you're the one recommended.