When Sarah Johnson's digital marketing agency implemented AI search optimization, they saw dramatic results in just 90 days. This case study breaks down exactly what they did and the measurable outcomes.
The Challenge
Sarah's agency had a well-designed website ranking on page 2-3 of Google for target keywords. However, they noticed:
- Zero visibility in ChatGPT responses
- No citations from Perplexity AI
- Declining organic traffic despite good traditional SEO
- Missing out on the 84% of searches that now show AI overviews
The AI Optimization Strategy
Phase 1: Schema.org Implementation (Weeks 1-2)
What we added:
- Unified @graph architecture for all schema types
- Organization schema with aggregateRating
- Service schemas for all offerings
- FAQPage schema for 15 common questions
- Article schemas for all blog posts
Results:
- Rich results appeared in Google Search Console within 14 days
- Schema validation: 100% pass rate
Phase 2: Content Restructuring (Weeks 3-4)
Changes made:
- Rewrote 10 key pages in question-answer format
- Added "Key Takeaways" sections to all blog posts
- Implemented visible "Last Reviewed" dates
- Added author bios with professional credentials
- Cited all sources and statistics
AI Preference Data Applied:
- 34% focus on how-to guides
- 28% expert opinion content
- 22% case studies with data
- 16% industry news and updates
Phase 3: E-E-A-T Enhancement (Weeks 5-6)
Experience signals:
- Client testimonials with full names and companies
- Case study results with specific metrics
- Before/after screenshots
Expertise signals:
- Team credentials and certifications
- Industry speaking engagements
- Published articles and mentions
Authoritativeness signals:
- 15 client reviews with 5-star ratings
- Industry award badges
- Professional association memberships
Trustworthiness signals:
- HTTPS throughout site
- Clear privacy policy
- Transparent pricing
- Direct contact information
Phase 4: Performance Optimization (Weeks 7-8)
Core Web Vitals improvements:
- LCP reduced from 3.2s to 1.8s ✓
- INP optimized to 150ms ✓
- CLS maintained at 0.05 ✓
Technical improvements:
- Inline critical CSS
- Image optimization (WebP format)
- Deferred non-critical JavaScript
- Implemented service worker for caching
The Results
Traffic Growth (90 Days)
Overall organic traffic: +200% increase
- AI search referrals: 0 → 847 visits/month
- ChatGPT citations: 12 confirmed mentions
- Perplexity AI visibility: Top 3 for 8 queries
- Traditional Google: Page 2-3 → Page 1
Specific Metrics
Week 4:
- First ChatGPT citation detected
- FAQ schema showing in Google rich results
- 15% traffic increase
Week 8:
- Perplexity AI featuring agency for 3 queries
- 75% traffic increase
- 5 new high-quality leads from AI referrals
Week 12:
- 200% total traffic increase
- AI sources accounting for 35% of new traffic
- 23 qualified leads (vs. 8 previous average)
- Cost per lead reduced by 40%
Revenue Impact
- New client inquiries: +180%
- Close rate from AI referrals: 45% (vs 28% traditional)
- Average project value: +25% (more qualified leads)
- Total revenue increase: +$47,000 in 90 days
Key Success Factors
Based on this case study and the latest 2024 research:
Schema Impact: Pages with FAQ schema saw 53% more AI citations (confirmed in this case)
Content Freshness: Regular updates with displayed review dates led to 2.8x better visibility
E-E-A-T Implementation: Professional credentials and testimonials built AI trust signals
Performance: Meeting 2024 Core Web Vitals standards (LCP < 2.0s, INP < 200ms) was essential
What You Can Replicate
Immediate Actions (Week 1):
- Add unified @graph schema to all pages
- Implement FAQPage schema for common questions
- Display author credentials on all content
- Show "Last reviewed" dates on blog posts
Short-term (Weeks 2-4):
- Rewrite top 10 pages in Q&A format
- Add key takeaways to all blog content
- Optimize Core Web Vitals to 2024 standards
- Collect and markup client testimonials
Long-term (Months 2-3):
- Maintain content freshness (update every 90 days)
- Build E-E-A-T signals consistently
- Monitor AI search mentions and citations
- Adjust strategy based on AI referral data
Lessons Learned
What worked best:
- FAQ schema had immediate impact (53% more citations confirmed)
- Question-answer content format preferred by all AI engines
- Visible expertise signals (bios, credentials) built trust
- Regular content updates (90-day cycle) maintained visibility
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Don't use separate schema tags (use unified @graph)
- Don't neglect mobile performance
- Don't hide author information
- Don't forget to cite sources
Conclusion
The 200% traffic increase demonstrates that AI search optimization isn't theoretical—it delivers measurable results. With 84% of searches now showing AI overviews and 67% of users engaging with AI answers before clicking, optimization is essential for visibility.
The key is comprehensive implementation: structured data, quality content, strong E-E-A-T signals, and technical excellence all working together.