Explaining AI SEO, and how to keep your business visible.

If your content isn’t being cited by AI, it’s already being overlooked.

Search has changed, and most businesses haven’t caught up. Traditional SEO still matters, but it’s no longer the only game in town. We’ve entered the AI era of search, where people increasingly get their answers from chatbots, voice assistants, and AI-generated overviews, often without clicking a single link.

If your content isn't being cited by AI, rightly or wrongly, it's already being overlooked. And in this new landscape, it's not enough to rank. You need to be the answer that AI pulls.

So what is AI SEO, why does it matter, and how do you optimise your content to get chosen? Let's get into it.

What is AI SEO?

Let’s clear up a common misconception: AI SEO isn’t some futuristic hack or a brand-new discipline. It’s a strategic extension of classic SEO, that's adapted for a world where AI search tools are increasingly the ones finding, reading, and quoting your content.

At its core, AI SEO is very similar to 'traditional' SEO. It's about making sure your content:

• Can be understood by AI systems

• Can be trusted as a reliable source

• Can be quoted in generative answers

(Similarly to before how we wanted it to be understood, trusted, and quoted by Google Bots to increase those rankings).

Because it's still a relatively new term, the world hasn't really agreed on a universal name for this. You might see it referred to as:

• AIO (AI Optimisation): ensuring your presence is machine-readable across all AI systems

• GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation): getting cited in tools like ChatGPT, Google SGE, Bing, or Perplexity

• AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation): formatting content as clear, concise answers for AI and voice assistants

• LLMO (Large Language Model Optimisation): structuring your site so AI “readers” can interpret and trust it

For the sake of this article and for looking at it from a business website SEO perspective, these are all broadly the same thing and all overlap. You don't need four different strategies, and for now, I will personally continue to reference it as AI SEO. Just to add a fifth term into the mix.

Why AI SEO is different from traditional SEO

Whilst some of those core principles might remain the same across traditional and AI SEO, you're no longer optimising to be at the top of a list. Now, you're optimising to be the one or two sentences that gets pulled into an AI-generated answer.

As someone who struggles to be concise, I get that sounds overwhelming. But let's break down the key differences:

1. Optimising for citations instead of rankings

Traditional SEO focused on getting to position #1 in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). But generative AI tools don’t always care about your ranking, they care about what’s easiest to quote.

There is a bit of conflicting advice out here (again largely due to this being kind of new). It is a valid argument that AI has a massive popularity bias, meaning the more something is spoken about across different sources, the more they're likely to recommend it. But when looking for a specific answer to a question, it won't necessarily pull the answer from the top ranked spot. It will pull the one it thinks is best, even if you're hidden on page 10.

But generally, this means a good tactic for small businesses in particular will be to provide good, short, answers to niche questions relevant to your brand. You might not get direct links to your page, but they could pull a paragraph or definition from your cite. And maybe cite where they got that from. Then maybe someone might click on said citation.

If you're not one of the couple of sources selected to cite, your content likely won't be seen at all. So I appreciate this doesn't sound too appealing, but it's one of the biggest changes we are seeing in the world of SEO.

2. AI pulls chunks rather than pages

AI engines don’t display your whole blog post or service page. They extract the most relevant snippets, which is sometimes just a bullet point or a few lines of text.

That means your content must be modular. Each section needs to stand on its own, with clear labels and concise explanations.

Previously, you could always rely on a user seeing the copy on your page in the context of your whole page, but that's no longer the case. This is a key thing to be aware of as you're writing your website copy.

3. Zero-click search is rising already

Google’s AI Overview now appears in over 50% of searches. More than 60% of users get what they need from the summary, and never click a link. (And those stats are only rising seemingly every time I check)

This means that even if your content is cited, it might not drive traffic.

It does still builds brand authority, which can ultimately get you those clicks. So I definitely don't think features like blog posts are 'dead' (else you would not be reading this), but the strategy behind them is without a doubt changing.

So how do AI search engines choose what to show?

Understanding how AI tools select content helps you design yours to be selected. Now, as a common point in this post, it's important to remember these tools are changing literally every day. I'm writing this in August 2025 and whose to know what's still relevant in even a few months time.

But, this is the current picture of what AI search engines prioritise:

Clarity and structure

AI prefers content that’s easy to parse: clear headings (H2s/H3s), bullet points, and short, focused paragraphs. If you bury your insights in walls of text, the AI will skip you.

Factual accuracy and authority

Despite many cases of inaccuracy, generative engines do typically cross-check sources. They prefer content with clear facts, cited data, and author bios, especially when competing answers exist.

Interestingly, this should suggest that a lot of AI generated blog posts would not meet this standard, but we will stay tuned for that impact.

Entity awareness

AI engines build knowledge graphs of people, brands, and products. Having a clear “About” page, expert bios, and being mentioned on third-party sites (even Reddit or G2) all improve your visibility. This is where that theme of popularity bias comes through again. The more backlinks and references to your business you can get, the stronger AI will deem your brand.

Now what's really interesting about these three points is that these have always also applied to traditional SEO too. Whenever I've worked with SEO clients, some of the first things we do include structuring all content properly and establishing authority in your space. So whilst it may seem scary, there truly is a lot of crossover to the best practice I am sure you're already doing.

What can you do right now to optimise for AI SEO?

Saying that, there are of course a few differences and new learnings we can take that will help boost your website for AI SEO.

These are so far my top 10 tips on how to keep up with the game. Because spoiler alert, if someone is telling you that they can get you ahead of the game with how quickly AI SEO is changing, I think they're lying.

1. Front-load the answer

Open each section with a clear 40–60 word answer. Then explain the why. This is good human copywriting practice anyway, but also satisfies the AI.

2. Use FAQ and Q&A formats

AI loves pulling direct question/answer content. Add an FAQ section to key pages (homepage, service pages, blog posts) using:

• Plain, conversational questions (like “How does this service work?”)

• Concise answers (40–60 words is ideal)

• FAQ schema markup if possible

I've also just launched a dedicated FAQ page for some of my clients with larger websites where there might be a lot of FAQ overlap to avoid duplicate information across pages, and give AI one clear place they can go for answers on their niche.

3. Structure your content like a machine would scan it

• Use meaningful H2/H3 headings (not vague ones like “Let’s dive in”)

• Break steps and tips into bullet lists or numbered formats

• Keep paragraphs to 2–4 sentences max

This is no different to the current SEO best practice (as well as human usability), but if you've been putting off sorting out your site structure, now is the time.

4. Cite your sources and build topical authority

Include stats, expert quotes, and linked references. Build clusters of content around key topics to demonstrate depth, like a hub (pillar post) with multiple supporting pages.

If AI engines see that your site “knows its stuff,” you’re more likely to appear repeatedly in answers. I personally do still think blogs have a good place on your website for this very point, but only if they're good posts that are worthwhile people reading. (Like you hopefully think this is!)

5. Update your content regularly

Outdated content gets skipped. AI search engines favour freshness, especially for time-sensitive queries. And I'm seeing more and more advice for ChatGPT prompts to include a date range of information you want it to look at.

Add “last updated” timestamps and review old posts for accuracy. You don’t need to rewrite everything, just tweak and refresh key sections to stay current.

Why does AI SEO matter for founders?

If you run a service business, consultancy, or content-driven brand, AI SEO isn’t optional.

Let’s say a potential customer asks ChatGPT:“What should I look for in a financial broker?” If your content isn’t cited, or can’t be, you’re invisible at the exact moment that person is ready to learn and decide.

AI citations are becoming a new kind of brand awareness. Even if people don’t click, they can subconsciously remember who was quoted. That can lead to branded searches, direct traffic, and long-term trust.

And the good news is that AI SEO best practices are often just good content practices.

• Accessibility (alt text, clear headings) helps both humans and machines.

• Q&A formatting helps both skimmers and search engines.

• Structuring for AI means you’re also simplifying for overwhelmed readers.

This is where AI SEO overlaps beautifully with people-first design. I firmly believe if you focus on creating the most accessible, scannable, and helpful version of your site, you'll be pleasing both your customers and the ever changing AI algorithms.

What's your AI SEO next steps?

AI SEO is the future of visibility. And the earlier you adapt, the easier it is to stay ahead.

If you want help reviewing your content through an AI SEO lens, check out:

• Business Blueprint: Get strategic clarity on what content your business needs

• Website Design: Human-first, AI-friendly sites built for the future of search

Or reach out directly to explore how to future-proof your business for where search is going.