In a recent LinkedIn post, Ross Simmonds discusses the underlying factors that contribute to brands successfully earning AI-generated citations today. Simmonds, a prominent voice in content marketing and SEO, argues that the current AI-driven landscape is not a starting point for new strategies but rather a reward for sustained, foundational efforts in digital presence and distribution.
The Myth of Starting with AI
Simmonds challenges the notion that brands can achieve AI-driven visibility by focusing solely on AI tools from the outset. He emphasizes that the brands currently benefiting from AI’s ability to surface content and citations have built their success over years of consistent, organic efforts. According to Simmonds, the key lies in what brands did before AI became a dominant force in search and content discovery.
“The brands winning AI citations today didn’t start with ‘GEO.’”
This statement underscores Simmonds’s core argument: that a strong, pre-existing organic presence is paramount. He posits that AI is merely a mechanism that recognizes and rewards established authority and distribution channels.
Building the Foundation for AI Success
Simmonds outlines several critical areas where brands must invest to build the necessary foundation for AI to recognize and amplify their presence. These are not new tactics but long-standing principles of digital marketing that have become even more crucial in the age of AI.
Key Pillars of Presence, According to Simmonds:
- Ranking for Real Queries: Simmonds highlights the importance of traditional search engine optimization, focusing on ranking for genuine user search terms.
- Earning Reviews: Positive customer reviews build trust and social proof, signals that AI algorithms can interpret as indicators of quality and reliability.
- Showing Up on Reddit: Active and valuable participation in communities like Reddit demonstrates authentic engagement and can lead to organic mentions and backlinks.
- Publishing on YouTube: Video content remains a powerful medium for engaging audiences and establishing expertise, with AI increasingly indexing and utilizing video content.
- Getting Mentioned Offsite: Off-page mentions and backlinks from reputable sources are strong signals of authority and credibility in the eyes of search engines and AI.
As Simmonds notes, these elements collectively contribute to a brand’s overall digital footprint and authority. He explains that AI systems analyze these established signals to determine which content and brands are most relevant and trustworthy.
“AI is just rewarding past distribution.”
This sentiment is central to Simmonds’s advice. He argues that AI doesn’t create authority; it identifies and amplifies existing authority built through consistent effort across various channels. The implication is that simply generating content with AI tools without a strong distribution strategy will not yield the desired results.
A Call to Action for Lagging Brands
For businesses that may not have prioritized these foundational elements, Simmonds offers a clear call to action. He stresses the urgency of beginning to build and stack presence immediately, suggesting that the window for gaining a significant advantage by establishing these channels is now.
“If you’re behind, start stacking presence now.”
In Simmonds’s view, the future of leveraging AI for business growth is intrinsically linked to the strength and breadth of a brand’s pre-existing digital distribution. His post serves as a reminder that while AI tools are evolving rapidly, the fundamental principles of building a strong online presence remain the bedrock of sustainable digital success.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Ross Simmonds on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 2, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →