As the world pivots towards Artificial Intelligence (AI), the landscape of digital visibility is transforming, and search engines are no longer the sole gatekeepers of information. Leading this shift is Indian entrepreneur Apoorv Sharma, founder of Derivate X, a Bengaluru-based trailblazing agency that ensures brands aren’t just found by people, but by AI itself.
The name says it all:
“The derivative of x is always 1.”
For Apoorv, that’s a metaphor for constant, consistent growth: one keyword, one AI mention, one answer at a time.
Derivate X: The LLM SEO Approach
The search pattern has evolved, and AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are becoming the go-to sources for information. Yet, most brands remain fixated on Google, overlooking how Large Language Models (LLMs) perceive and recall them.
Apoorv Sharma well-spotted this gap and with Derivate X, he’s pioneering a bold new frontier in digital visibility- LLM SEO: a future-ready approach to making brands discoverable in an AI-driven world.
Traditional vs LLM SEO- The Difference
As we all know, traditional SEO focuses on rankings on search engine result pages, but LLM SEO is about training AI models to recognize and recall your brand as a trusted source of information, making it digital evidence.
| Aspect | Traditional SEO | LLM SEO (AI-First SEO) |
|---|
| Discovery Platform | Google, Bing, Yahoo | ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, AI agents |
| Goal | Rank on search engine results pages (SERPs) | Be the answer AI models give in natural conversation |
| Content Strategy | Keywords, backlinks, meta tags | Context-rich, AI-parsable, citation-friendly content |
| Success Metric | Page ranking & organic traffic | Inclusion in AI responses, brand recall in LLMs |
| Audience Behavior | User searches with intent and clicks | User asks a question, AI gives a direct answer |
| Optimization Techniques | On-page SEO, technical SEO, link-building | Structured data, prompt-based training, AI source trust |
| Discoverability | Driven by search engines | Driven by AI model training and memory |
| Updates Frequency | Algorithm updates (Google Core Updates) | AI training cycles (e.g., GPT version updates) |
| Tools of the Trade | Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMrush | Prompt engineering, AI audits, citation tracking |
Derivate X: The Playbook
1. LLM Audit:
Every engagement begins with an audit of how GPT and other models currently perceive your brand.
- Are you cited?
- Do your key differentiators appear in AI answers?
2. Programmatic SEO at Scale:
In one standout case, Derivate X ranked over 40,000 keywords in just 15 days, using programmatic SEO strategies to dominate niche SaaS segments.
3. AI-Centric Content Strategy:
They create content that performs both on Google and within AI responses, training models through citations, structured data, and trusted narratives.
4. Visibility Engineering:
Using prompt-engineering experiments and citation trails, Derivate X ensures that LLMs not only mention your brand but recommend it.
Derivate X- The Niche
Derivate X works primarily with:
- B2B SaaS companies in the U.S. and India
- Brands in emerging tech, AI, and deep vertical niches
- Growth-stage startups are ready to scale through organic channels
Their clients aren’t just looking to “rank”, they want to be the answer.
Derivate X- Fixing the Invisibility
AI tools are increasingly being used as primary research tools by professionals, students, and businesses. If your brand doesn’t show up in those results, you’re invisible to a growing share of your audience.
Hence, the startup is fixing the invisibility and helping companies train the AI models of today, so they become the default answer tomorrow!
In an AI-first world, ranking isn’t enough; being remembered is key. Derivate X is leading this shift with LLM SEO, helping brands stay visible where it matters most: inside AI.
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