Stop Chasing Prompt Volume: Build a Winning Generative‑Engine Optimisation Strategy Around Your Customers

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people discover brands. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews answer questions directly instead of sending users to search result pages. This shift has given birth to Generative‑Engine Optimisation (GEO) — the art of influencing how AI answers recommend your business. If you've already heard the hype: just find the highest‑volume AI prompts and crank out content that matches them. For many marketers, that sounds familiar — after all, search engine optimisation was built on analysing keyword volume.

But there's a problem. LLMs don't work like search engines. There is no public AI search volume. Tools that promise prompt data are modelling and estimating, not reporting actual user behaviour. They often rely on opt‑in panels or API calls, which skew towards tech‑savvy users. Worse, AI responses are non‑deterministic — the same prompt produces different results because models pick words based on probability. Research by Rand Fishkin and Gumshoe.ai tested 2,961 prompts across ChatGPT, Claude and Google AI with 600 volunteers, and found less than a one‑in‑100 chance of getting the same brand list twice. In short, ranking in AI doesn't exist yet.

So why are marketers still chasing prompt volume? Partly because it feels comfortable to have numbers to track. We're used to Semrush or Ahrefs telling us how many searches a keyword gets. But we're in a pre‑Semrush era for AI search. The infrastructure to measure LLM prompts reliably doesn't exist. Tools can be useful for directional signals, but basing your entire content plan on them is like building a house on sand. Instead, the brands succeeding in AI search share a common trait: they understand their customers deeply and translate that knowledge into authoritative, helpful content.

For readers new to Infinity 1, it's worth noting why this topic matters now. Many trade‑based businesses are being pitched AI "growth hacks" that promise easy wins. In reality, chasing algorithmic tricks rarely generates lasting growth. Queensland tradespeople, for example, succeed when they understand local homeowners and offer genuine advice that solves real problems. Generative search isn't some mystical force; it's another channel where authority, trust and customer insight pay off.

Why Prompt Volume Misleads Your GEO Strategy

The promise of prompt volume tools is enticing. They claim to show which AI prompts drive visibility for your brand so you can prioritise content. Yet the reality is that prompt volume is an unreliable foundation for several reasons.

Start With Your Ideal Customer (ICP)

If prompt volume isn't the answer, what is? The most reliable signal you have is your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Your ICP describes the people who benefit most from your product or service — their pain points, goals and language. Instead of letting a vendor's dashboard tell you what to optimise for, start with what you already know about your audience. Ask: what problems do your best customers hire you to solve? What words do they use when they're searching for solutions? Those phrases belong in your content because they reflect real intent.

For example, suppose you run a solar installation company. Instead of guessing which AI prompts might mention "top solar installers in Brisbane," talk to your customers. Why did they choose solar? Maybe they wanted to reduce energy bills, get independence from the grid or benefit from government rebates. Listen to the exact language they use — is it "solar panels," "solar system," or "PV installation"? Once you capture that language, you can create content that answers their questions directly. If you've done solid ICP work, you're sitting on better data than any prompt tool can provide.

Design an Actionable GEO Plan – Clustering, Tools & Monitoring

Once you understand your customers' language, the next step is to structure and monitor your strategy. Treat each potential prompt as part of a larger conversation rather than an isolated keyword. Cluster prompts by intent and theme so you can identify patterns in how your audience thinks about problems. For example, the overarching topic "how to measure the success of a solar installation" might include sub‑prompts about metrics (payback period, kilowatt‑hours saved), stakeholder communication (reporting ROI to the CFO) and benchmarking (comparing suppliers). Each deserves its own content piece. Clustering helps you build a coherent narrative that signals topical authority to both users and AI.

Conclusion

Generative‑engine optimisation is still in its infancy. There's no magic dashboard showing the exact prompts your customers use or a stable ranking to chase. The data behind prompt volume is largely estimated and biased, and AI responses change from one interaction to the next. Studies show that brand lists in AI outputs are essentially random, and citation patterns drift wildly month‑to‑month. Relying on such shaky numbers to guide your strategy is a recipe for frustration.

The solution is to flip your approach. Put your customers at the centre. Build a detailed ideal customer profile and listen to the questions they ask in forums, reviews and your own conversations. Organise those prompts into clusters around core themes and create authoritative content that answers them thoroughly. Support this with tried‑and‑true SEO practices — publish consistently, earn backlinks, secure placements in authoritative lists and directories, encourage reviews and monitor social sentiment. Use prompt‑tracking tools for directional awareness, but let your ICP guide your priorities.

By adopting this customer‑first mindset, you'll build topical authority and trust that resonates not only with generative engines but also with human readers. Over time, monthly monitoring of your key prompt clusters will reveal meaningful trends. Instead of chasing an elusive "prompt volume," you'll invest in content that addresses real pain points and positions your brand as the expert.

At Infinity 1 we've seen this play out across dozens of campaigns. When we pivoted a client away from generic AI prompts toward answering the specific questions their customers asked on forums and in sales calls, their organic traffic and leads improved — not because a tool predicted it, but because people found value in their content. That's the essence of GEO: aligning what you produce with what people actually need, then giving AI models something credible to cite. If you'd like help building a customer‑driven GEO plan, reach out. We love collaborating with businesses that care about serving their customers.