AI is transforming the way we search, and your brand needs to act now to keep up. Strategies like answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO) are critical to staying relevant in this new era. Boost your content today with these practical tips for connecting with both humans and AI.
Use silo pages, bulleted lists, FAQs, and “how-to” sections to provide clear, direct answers.
Break down complex topics into bite-sized chunks (150-200 words) to make them AI-friendly.
ANSWER
QUESTIONS
Update your top-performing pages regularly with fresh stats, original research, and expert quotes.
KEEP IT FRESH
Add timestamps to your content (e.g., “Updated October 2025”) to boost credibility with both humans and bots.
Create a pillar or anchor page on your specialty.
Showcase Subject Matter Leadership
Link out to deep-dive articles that support your expertise.
Build your reputation by earning mentions on respected industry sites, “best-of” roundups, or even Wikipedia.
Generate
External Validation
Answer questions on forums like Reddit or Quora to establish credibility.
Test ad placements within AI overviews to shorten the path from discovery to decision.
Get Experimental
Use AI-powered targeting like broad match and smart bidding to capture high-intent queries.
Confirm that your site isn’t blocking AI crawlers like GPTBot or Google-Extended.
Ensure
Technical Accessibility
Set up IndexNow to notify search engines every time you publish new content.
Track brand mentions and citations in AI overviews.
Measure
What Matters
Set up analytics to monitor referral spikes from AI platforms.
Think like your audience—what questions are they asking, and how can you answer them better than anyone else?
Keep your insights concise, authoritative, and easy to excerpt.
The more credible your brand appears, the more likely AI is to cite you.
Don’t be afraid to try new approaches—what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.
Set a calendar reminder to refresh your content every few months. AI prioritizes recent content.
Collaborate with your IT team to ensure your site is AI-ready.
Forget clicks—focus on tracking how often your content is cited and how it influences conversions.
SEO alone isn’t enough—AEO and GEO need to be part of your content strategy. The good news: Enhancing AI discoverability also improves accessibility and usefulness for human users.
Want guidance building content that resonates with humans while optimizing for AI?
All photography credited to peopleimages.com - stock.adobe.com
get in touch