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What it is and how to avoid it

the llm positioning lag.png

Repositioning your enterprise helps you keep related as markets shift.

For instance, possibly you are a marketing consultant who used to concentrate on one service and have since expanded right into a broader follow. Or possibly you are an organization that started off serving small companies and have since moved upmarket to enterprise. 

Both manner, repositioning takes time and prices cash. So as soon as you’ve got carried out it, you want individuals to truly learn about it.

However here is the catch: Extra individuals now use LLMs to find out about merchandise, and providers and if a chatbot repeats your previous positioning, prospects will depart with the unsuitable thought of what you do and who you serve.  And so they could by no means go to your web site to get the correct data.

I name this the LLM positioning lag. It’s successfully when your positioning has modified, however LLMs have not caught up. And as you may see from actual examples, this lag can have an effect on companies for longer than you would possibly count on.

At this time, we’ll have a look at the results of a positioning lag, what causes it, stroll via some actual examples, and canopy how one can keep away from it.

What occurs when your positioning in LLMs is outdated?

When your positioning in LLMs is outdated, customers asking about your {industry} or enterprise will not get correct data when AI-generated solutions talk about your model. 

That is a much bigger downside than it’d sound: The portion of shoppers who changed serps with generative AI for product and repair suggestions went from 25% in 2023 to 58% in 2025, in line with Capgemini. Meaning a rising share of your prospects are forming their impressions of you based mostly on data that does not essentially replicate your newest positioning. 

Let’s say you used to promote accounting software program for small companies, however you’ve got since pivoted to enterprises. If an enterprise purchaser asks AI for the most effective accounting software program and your model is listed as a small-business software, they’ll assume you are not constructed for his or her wants and skip you.

And it isn’t simply first impressions on the road. Agentic commerce (the method of AI brokers making purchases on behalf of customers) is rising. With out correct data, you would possibly lose out on gross sales. 

Why LLMs get positioning data unsuitable

LLMs get positioning data unsuitable about your enterprise for 3 essential causes: 

Repositioning not mirrored within the mannequin’s coaching knowledge

When your repositioning is not mirrored within the mannequin’s coaching knowledge, the LLM is working from an outdated image of your model. 

Rebrands, new product traces, and market expansions that occurred after the coaching cutoff will not be in there in any respect. 

A mannequin can typically shut the hole by looking out the online — however provided that it decides the query wants it, or if the person explicitly chooses the online search operate. Left on autopilot, many fashions nonetheless default to coaching knowledge. 

Inconsistent details about your enterprise

If completely different sources on-line describe your enterprise otherwise, LLMs gained’t know which supply is right.

Your individual website would possibly replicate your present positioning whereas your social media profiles replicate completely different positioning. Plus, third-party lists, previous interviews, or evaluate websites may even have outdated data. When an LLM encounters sufficient conflicting data, it has to resolve which model to belief. And it won’t be your model.

Years of previous positioning outweigh a current change

Years of previous positioning can outweigh a current change as it may be troublesome to beat an intensive file of your previous model.

LLMs study from what has been beforehand printed about your enterprise. For those who described your self a technique for a decade, that is years of potential critiques and authoritative citations that you will need to now override. 

The longer the previous narrative ran, the broader that hole. Your new positioning will be correct and nicely documented and nonetheless be outnumbered. Till sufficient new content material builds up, an LLM could preserve leaning on the model it has seen most frequently. 

Actual examples of the LLM positioning lag

I made a decision to see what sorts of corporations the positioning lag affected, and I discovered that it ranges from giant enterprise merchandise to particular person consultants.

As the next examples present, even well-funded visibility efforts do not assure that an LLM will catch as much as your new positioning straight away.  

Hotjar

Hotjar was a behavioral analytics software (assume heatmaps and session recordings) that Contentsquare acquired in 2021 and formally merged with by July 2025.

But, after I requested ChatGPT for the most effective heatmapping software program, Hotjar was second on its listing with no point out of Contentsquare. 

ChatGPT response to a prompt asking for the best heatmapping software with the outdated information, "Hotjar", highlighted.

Hotjar’s web site redirects to a web page on Contentsquare’s website, however the desk above has no clickable hyperlink. Customers are unlikely to discover a hyperlink elsewhere, like within the search outcomes, so few will attain Hotjar’s previous web site organically. Meaning anybody asking this query walks away considering Hotjar remains to be an unbiased product, with no thought it is now a part of a much bigger platform.

That is a model consciousness downside for Contentsquare, since Contentsquare paid to accumulate Hotjar’s identify recognition and buyer base. 

But when ChatGPT retains recommending Hotjar as its personal factor, none of that consciousness transfers — prospects evaluating heatmapping instruments inside an LLM don’t find out about Contentsquare and all the different instruments they provide.

Contentsquare even made the acquisition extremely seen throughout its web site and communications. Since 2021, a few of their publishings embody: 

  • A number of press releases asserting the acquisition  
  • A number of weblog posts detailing the acquisition
  • Devoted assist paperwork for Hotjar clients
  • Social media content material like YouTube movies 
  • A touchdown web page for these trying to find Hotjar
Contentsquare landing page created for users searching for Hotjar.

Nevertheless, ChatGPT nonetheless references Hotjar as an unbiased product with no point out of Contentsquare multiple yr after the official merger. 

Blue Apron

Blue Apron is a meal supply service that was purely subscription based mostly for over a decade, however they reframed in August 2025 and now embody a pay-as-you-go mannequin together with a subscription to attraction to a broader market. 

Nevertheless, ChatGPT didn’t point out the pay-as-you-go mannequin after I requested about Blue Apron. 

ChatGPT response to the prompt "What is Blue Apron?" with the outdated information, "flexible subscription", highlighted.

To announce the top of requiring a subscription, Blue Apron:

  • Made the official announcement on a nationwide talkshow (Good Morning America) that was then picked up by main information retailers like ABC Information, Yahoo, and CNET
  • Produced commercials to advertise the brand new mannequin
  • Offered interviews to the press
  • Repositioned the messaging on their homepage
Blue Apron home page with "No subscription required" highlighted.

That is a nationwide press push, paid media, and a homepage rewrite — about as a lot visibility as a repositioning can get. But ChatGPT doesn’t point out that subscriptions are not required, which is able to alienate potential clients who don’t wish to subscribe. 

Duolingo

Duolingo is a studying app that originally centered solely on instructing customers new languages. At this time, customers can study math, music, chess, and over 40 completely different languages. 

I requested ChatGPT for the most effective apps to study one thing new. It really useful Duolingo just for language studying, and steered different platforms for topics like math and science.

ChatGPT response to a prompt asking for the best apps to learn something new with "Duolingo" highlighted.

Duolingo launched math in 2022, music in 2023, and chess in 2025. Throughout that point, Duolingo has:

  • Made product bulletins at Duocon (their free digital occasion)
  • Revealed weblog posts about their new merchandise
  • Up to date their app description within the app retailer to incorporate mentions of math, chess, and music
  • Reworked their homepage to say chess and math
  • Revealed press releases for brand spanking new merchandise

That is an ongoing marketing campaign throughout a number of product launches. But ChatGPT nonetheless describes Duolingo as a language app solely, the identical positioning it held a decade in the past. 

Peep Laja

Peep Laja is an entrepreneur who based CXL, Speero, and Wynter. Peep grew to become broadly referred to as a CRO knowledgeable via CXL, however he left CRO to deal with enterprise technique round 2016.

After I requested ChatGPT who I ought to observe to find out about CRO, Peep was the primary individual on the listing, with no point out of his present firm, Wynter. 

ChatGPT response to a prompt asking for who to follow to learn about CRO with "Peep Laja" highlighted.

Peep has additionally posted about this on LinkedIn. The truth is, I used to be impressed to dig deeper into the positioning lag after seeing Peep’s submit.

A LinkedIn post by Peep Laja talking about LLM positioning lag.

Entrepreneurs won’t have the funds for an orchestrated PR marketing campaign like Blue Apron, however Peep’s digital footprint nonetheless reveals a constant, long-term effort towards repositioning:

  • His LinkedIn profile and private website each listing Wynter, not CXL, as his present firm
  • He persistently publishes LinkedIn content material on B2B technique
  • He has printed a publication and hosted a weekly podcast on B2B technique — not CRO — for years
  • He is talked brazenly about transferring on from CRO since 2016

Regardless of all of that, ChatGPT nonetheless leads with Peep’s decade-old status. 

Tips on how to see what LLMs affiliate together with your model

See what LLMs affiliate together with your model through the use of a software that analyzes AI solutions at scale.

Semrush’s Perception report offers you an in depth evaluation, so you know the way completely different AI platforms understand your model.

Enter your web site into the Notion report and scroll to the “AI Function Descriptions” part to see what options AI associates together with your model. You possibly can consider each non-branded and branded questions.

Click on the quantity within the “Solutions” column for a given row to learn particular solutions and uncover extra particulars. 

Perception report with the branded and non-branded tabs, the brand description column, and a number in the "Answers" column highlighted.

You’ll wish to deal with correcting any data that isn’t correct. We’ll present you ways to do this within the following part.

Tips on how to preserve model data correct in LLMs

Holding model data correct in LLMs takes coordinated motion throughout PR, content material, and model monitoring. 

Step

What it fixes

Announce adjustments with PR

Creates a citable information occasion

Replace previous content material

Removes outdated claims out of your website and exterior websites

Hold messaging constant site-wide

Minimizes contradictory alerts

Hold enterprise listings present

Aligns exterior sources together with your new positioning

Construction firm pages for LLMs

Makes new positioning straightforward for AI to parse

Monitor what LLMs say

Catches drift earlier than it spreads

Announce adjustments with PR

Saying adjustments with PR creates a citable information occasion that provides AI platforms a contemporary, dated supply to reference. 

Your announcement ought to make the change express. Clearly state what your organization does now, who it serves, and the way that differs out of your earlier positioning. This provides AI techniques a transparent file of each the previous and new variations of your enterprise.

Listed below are some suggestions for :

  • Publish the press launch by yourself website. This provides you a supply you management and ensures there is a canonical model of the announcement that clearly displays the change.
  • Distribute your press launch via a wire service. This provides different publications the chance to select up and republish the announcement.
  • Ask commerce publications to publish a narrative about your pivot. Respected publications can reinforce your new positioning and carry topical authority for AI techniques.
  • State your new positioning clearly and persistently. Do not make readers or journalists piece collectively what modified. Use the class, viewers, and outline you need related together with your model.
  • Clarify what modified and when. A transparent timeline helps distinguish your present positioning from the one which appeared in older protection.
  • Deal with PR as the start line, not the complete technique. A brand new announcement creates a contemporary sign, however it nonetheless has to compete with older content material and third-party sources that reinforce your earlier positioning.

Replace previous content material

Updating previous content material removes outdated claims LLMs would possibly nonetheless depend on.

When updating content material to replicate your new positioning, ensure you:

  • Audit content material for mentions of your previous class, product identify, or service mannequin
  • Replace or redirect pages that not replicate present positioning and add a brief clarifying assertion close to the highest of high-traffic legacy pages to make sure each readers and AI techniques see it
  • Discover authoritative websites nonetheless referencing your previous positioning and request an replace 

One solution to discover outdated, authoritative mentions on different web sites is by reviewing your backlinks (hyperlinks from exterior websites pointing to your website).

Begin by getting into your area into Semrush’s Backlinks software. 

Click on “Backlinks.” Discover any hyperlinks that use outdated anchor text (the clickable a part of a hyperlink), corresponding to incorrect product names, by scanning the “Anchor and Goal URL” column or utilizing the search bar.

Backlinks report with the "Anchor and Target URL" column and the search bar highlighted.

Prioritize updating hyperlinks from websites with the very best authority first, since these have the best influence.

Hold messaging constant site-wide

Holding messaging constant site-wide minimizes conflicting alerts that may push LLMs towards outdated data. 

Your web site ought to give AI techniques a transparent, repeated description of what you do at this time. Not a number of variations of your enterprise relying on which web page they discover.

Comply with the following tips:

  • Test your homepage, about web page, product pages, and footer for outdated descriptions
  • Use constant terminology on your class, merchandise, and providers. Do not use completely different phrases for a similar factor throughout completely different pages.
  • Replace internal links and anchor textual content. Previous terminology can proceed reinforcing your earlier positioning even after the vacation spot web page has modified.
  • Replace your meta descriptions (textual content that describes your web page) and title tags. Inconsistent metadata can ship the identical combined alerts as inconsistent copy.

Hold enterprise listings present

Holding enterprise listings present issues as a result of LLMs typically reference exterior sources to get details about manufacturers. 

Be certain that your enterprise data is correct all over the place you may have a presence — Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, G2, Crunchbase, Wikipedia, social media, and any industry-specific directories.

Semrush’s Listing Management software handles this at scale. It syncs your enterprise data throughout directories from one dashboard, so a positioning replace doesn’t suggest logging into dozens of platforms individually.

Listing Management tool categorizing listings by connected, submitted, processing, disconnected, and unavailable.

Construction firm pages for LLM extraction

Structuring firm pages for LLM extraction makes your positioning simpler for AI techniques to grasp, quote, and cite. 

Apply these practices to your homepage, about web page, product pages, and every other pages that include details about your model:

  • Hold sections self-contained — AI techniques retrieve excerpts quite than full pages, so a piece should not depend upon context from elsewhere on the web page
  • Use headings that match how individuals truly ask about your enterprise and services or products
  • Reply headings with the copy that follows

Here is a earlier than and after of how heading plus physique copy may look on an About web page:

A comparison of the headline and body page of an About page before and after optimizing for LLM extraction.

The second model names the class, states the present viewers, and dates the shift — three issues an LLM can pull straight into a solution. The primary offers it nothing to quote.

Monitor what LLMs say about you 

Monitoring what LLMs say about your model on a recurring foundation helps you see inconsistencies earlier than they unfold. 

Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit enables you to monitor what LLMs say about you and your rivals, so you already know what’s incorrect and the place rivals are incomes mentions the place you aren’t.

For instance, the Visibility Overview report reveals you ways your mentions and citations are rising inside LLMs. And the matters/prompts you seem for.

Your Performing Topics on Topics & Sources showing a list of topics a brand appears for.

It’s also possible to use this report back to see your “Subject alternatives” (the matters the place your rivals are showing however you aren’t).

Topic opportunities on Topics & Sources showing a list of topics a brand's competitors appears for but it doesn't.

Lacking alternatives is simply as dangerous on your model as inaccurate data. It means you will not even be a part of a related dialog. 

Click on “Monitor all prompts” so as to add the prompts you discover to the Prompt Tracking software, so you’ll be able to observe your efficiency. 

Topic opportunities report with the “Monitor all prompts” button highlighted.

For manufacturers with multi-market or multi-brand wants, Semrush’s Enterprise AIO gives monitoring that’s scalable and suited to complicated wants. 

Prepared to indicate up precisely in LLMs? 

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