As generative AI (artificial intelligence) continues to evolve, platforms like ChatGPT, Apple Intelligence, Google Gemini, and Perplexity are reshaping how users discover information. Instead of browsing a traditional search engine results page (SERP), users are increasingly getting direct answers from AI-powered assistants. If you’re looking to enhance your website’s visibility and ensure that your brand appears in these responses, it’s time to adopt a strategic approach. Below, we break down five essential SEO actions to help you capture attention and stay relevant in this new landscape.
1. Optimize for Conversational Queries and Long-Tail Keywords
Generative AI tools excel at answering highly-specific, conversational queries. This shift means that your SEO strategy must evolve from targeting short, high-volume keywords to embracing long-tail, question-based phrases. When users ask tools like Perplexity or ChatGPT for nuanced information, they often phrase their queries as natural questions or detailed prompts. Your content must be ready to match these patterns.
Action Plan:
- Use Q&A Formats: Create FAQ sections or standalone articles that directly answer common questions in your niche. This structure increases the likelihood that your content will be pulled into an AI-generated answer.
- Incorporate Structured Data: Implement FAQ schema and how-to formatted copy to give AI systems a clearer understanding of your content.
- Leverage AI-Powered Keyword Research: Tools like AnswerThePublic, SEMrush’s “Keyword Magic Tool,” and Google Search Console can help identify emerging conversational search trends.
Pro Tip: Keep a balance between specific phrases and broader industry keywords to capture both AI-generated responses and traditional search traffic.
2. Strengthen Your Topical Authority with Deep, Relevant Content Clusters
Generative AI prioritizes sources that are considered authoritative and comprehensive. If your website has a surface-level approach to content, it may be overlooked in favor of competitors with more robust, in-depth resources. By creating a series of related articles or “content clusters” around a central topic, you send a strong signal to both traditional search engines and AI systems that you’re a trusted expert.
Action Plan:
- Create Pillar Pages: Develop comprehensive cornerstone content that serves as an overview of a topic, linking out to detailed subtopics.
- Internal Linking Strategy: Ensure that all your supporting content links back to your pillar page and vice versa. This structure helps AI systems understand the relationship between your content pieces.
- Keep Content Fresh: Update older pages regularly with the latest insights, statistics, and findings. AI models like ChatGPT and Perplexity pull data from sources perceived as current and credible.
Example: If your website is about digital marketing, create a detailed guide on “SEO Best Practices for 2024” as your pillar page, and link it to supporting posts on keyword research, schema markup, and algorithm updates.
3. Prioritize E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness
The concept of E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) has long been a foundational component of SEO for Google, and it’s equally important in AI-generated answers. Generative AI tools pull from content that they deem credible and trustworthy. Building your online reputation as a trusted expert not only improves your chances of ranking in search engines but also increases the likelihood that AI will reference your content.
Action Plan:
- Author Pages and Bios: Include detailed author bios that showcase the expertise and experience of your contributors. Mention credentials, relevant experience, and links to their work.
- Use Social Proof: Highlight case studies, testimonials, or partnerships that reinforce your authority.
- Transparent Content Sources: If you reference external data, make sure your citations are clear and link back to credible sources. AI tends to prefer content that is well-referenced and authoritative.
Pro Tip: Collaborate with industry leaders for guest posts or co-branded content. These partnerships can increase your site’s visibility and credibility in both human and AI-driven searches.
4. Optimize for Local Relevance (If Applicable)
If your business has a local component, optimizing for local queries is crucial for visibility in AI-generated responses. Generative AI often prioritizes content with location-specific context when responding to questions about nearby services or events.
Action Plan:
- Google Business Profile: Ensure your Google Business Profile is fully optimized with accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information, business hours, and categories.
- Location Pages: Create unique pages for each service area, including hyper-local keywords and references to landmarks or neighborhoods.
- Geo-Relevant Content: Write blog posts or updates that are locally relevant, such as announcements about local events, community partnerships, or location-specific tips.
Example: A pediatric therapy center in Texas could create posts about local school partnerships or advice for seasonal allergies in the area to boost relevance in location-based queries.
5. Improve Page Experience and Technical SEO for AI Indexing
While conversational AI models don’t “crawl” websites the same way search engines do, they still draw from sources that rank well due to excellent technical SEO and user experience (UX). Pages that load quickly, are mobile-friendly, and use structured data have a better chance of being referenced in AI-generated content.
Action Plan:
- Boost Page Speed: Compress images, use lazy loading, and leverage a content delivery network (CDN) to improve loading times.
- Ensure Mobile Optimization: Most queries to AI tools come from mobile devices, so a seamless mobile experience is crucial.
- Use Schema Markup: Structured data helps AI systems parse your content efficiently and increases the likelihood that your information will be presented as a trusted source.
- Audit for Broken Links: Clean up 404 errors and redirect loops that could hurt your credibility.
Pro Tip: Perform regular technical SEO audits using tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console to ensure your site remains error-free and optimized for discovery.
Bonus Tip: Create “Originality Signals” to Differentiate Your Content
Generative AI tools are designed to synthesize information from multiple sources, but they prefer unique content over overly generic material. To stand out, ensure your content offers original research, unique insights, or exclusive case studies that can’t be found elsewhere.
- Publish Primary Research: Share survey results, internal data, or experiments that make your content unique.
- Thought Leadership: Include expert commentary and opinion pieces that showcase your company’s unique perspective.
Be Proactive, Not Reactive
The rise of generative AI in search is not a passing trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how people find information online. To stay ahead, focus on aligning your SEO strategy with what generative AI tools prioritize: relevant, trustworthy, and comprehensive content that answers real user questions. By implementing these five actions, you can position your brand as a go-to resource in both human and AI-assisted searches.