What exactly is 'AI search'?
When people talk about 'AI Search' they usually mean either asking an AI tool (like ChatGPT or Claude.ai) a question, or the AI Overview that appears at the top of Google search results.
Here's an example of a Google AI Overview (click to expand it):
The techniques to get your website to appear in results from either of these methods is the same.
AI search is still just search
Here's the best news - the techniques you use to get onto page 1 of Google are exactly the same ones you'll use to get found by AI search. So if your website is ranking well on Google, you probably don't need to do anything else - but read on, just in case you've missed something! There are some techniques you can employ that you'll need to get your website developer to help with, but you can make a big impact just by tweaking your web content. I'll concentrate on those in this post but let me know if you want the tech stuff too.
AI likes what people like
AI often uses high-ranking search results to formulate its answers. Yes, even ChatGPT uses Google search! That means if you get your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) right, and start appearing near the top of Google's results, you're likely to start appearing in AI generated results too. And we all know (don't we?) that Google likes content that's written for people. So write your content to be easy to read and understand and everyone will be happy.
Writing content that suits everyone
There are a number of things you need to remember when you're writing (or rewriting) your content. These will hold true whether you're trying to attract Google search, AI Search or real, human prospects.
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness) is a framework developed by Google to assess the quality of content, which in turn influences which content gets featured in search results. So basically, E-E-A-T is a set of techniques that demonstrate that your content is worth including.
Use these techniques to demonstrate the E-E-A-T of your content:
• Use conversational language
People and AI like content that's easy to read. Using a conversational tone rather than 'corporate speak' will gain you better results.
• Use questions in your headings
Don't write 'Best Air Fryers reviewed', write 'Which are the best air fryers for a family?'. This will be more likely to make people read on, but is especially useful for AI Search due to its conversational tone - which is the way AI communicates.
• Use keywords naturally
Thankfully, long gone are the days of "keyword stuffing" - writing paragraphs of town names to get found in those locations.
Until recently SEO involved using key phrases - 'long-tailed keywords' - to help search engines find you. More modern SEO techniques - which also address AI - use multiple versions of these phrases with naturally related terms and concepts to describe your topic.
So basically, you write conversationally about a topic, in much the same way you might discuss it with someone. As you speak, you'd probably use different words that mean the same thing to avoid repeating yourself, and you'd mention other, related things for context. Do this when writing content and it helps everyone.
• Use lists, formatting and headings
It's a fact that people read websites by 'scanning' the content to decide if it's worth reading. AI does this too, so make your content scannable to keep all parties happy.
- Use formatting and headings to make your content easy to scan and easy to read.
- Use headings and subheadings with the relevant h1, h2, etc. tags (sorry for the tech speak) to indicate importance to readers (human or computer).
- Use bullet points and numbered lists to make the content easy to scan. AI particularly likes these as they can be quoted directly.
• Make your content easy to read
Use simple, clear language in short, easy to understand sentences. Add examples and analogies to help where relevant, but only if they add value.
In conclusion
There's no deep, dark secret to getting found by AI search. No magic or complex coding. Just common sense.
The best way to write for AI and Google search is to write for people. Providing useful, meaningful original content, building trust and showing your expertise is the best way to attract both clients and search engines.
Need help to make your website content more human (& AI) friendly? Get in touch and let's discuss how WhiteStar can help.