tl;dr
With ChatGPT and other AI platforms endlessly scanning for online content, it’s important now more than ever to optimize your website for better visibility. Think of AIEO as a heightened version of SEO—if you already have a good SEO strategy, you are already partway there. Specific strategies to make your website readable to AI include directly answering questions in structured formats like lists and tables, using Schema to enhance how your website is indexed, incorporating trust signals, and optimizing multimedia with alt text and transcripts.
How Can I Make My Website Searchable to AI?
If you’re not already optimizing your website for Artificial Intelligence Engine Optimization (AIEO), you’re losing brand visibility. AI-driven search platforms are now the main source of content discovery. This includes people asking ChatGPT for local business recommendations, and Google’s AI Overview on all search results.
Visibility is tied to how well AI understands and trusts your content. Optimizing for AI means better brand trust, which will push your content into AI’s responses. AIEO also impacts your website’s user experience, as AI-optimized content is also accessible to users who use disability aids such as screen readers.
To make your website readable to AI engines, your website should:
- directly answer questions in structured formats like lists and tables
- use Schema to enhance how your website is indexed
- incorporate trust signals
- optimize multimedia with alt text and transcripts.
What to know about AIEO
Understanding where AI gathers its information helps you to determine what you need to do to be cited in AI searches. Your efforts should focus on the following areas.
- Indexed web pages—your website should be crawlable to both search and AI engines. There is significant overlap between AIEO and SEO.
- High-authority websites—authoritative content and backlinks highlight your expertise, which makes your content more attractive than your competitors.
- Structured databases—Schema markup helps AI and search engines sort your content for the right query.
- Multimedia optimization—things like alt tags on images and video transcripts broaden AI’s understanding of your content.
AIEO Strategies You Can Implement Today
If you’re following SEO best practices, you’re already on the right track! Here is what you can do today to improve how you’re indexed by AI.
Be Specific With Content
Answer questions directly before elaborating, and enhance explanations with lists, tables, and infographics. For headings, ditch the eye-catching brand messages for something that’s targeted and informational. AI can’t make a logical jump like a human can, so it’s best to be specific.
- List all the services you offer, and highlight your specialties
- State your target audience, such as industries, job titles, company sizes, and so on
- List every location your organization works in
- Show off the credentials, certifications, and memberships your brand has earned
Include Trust Signals and Sources
E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trustworthiness) still applies with AIEO.
- Expertise comes from detailed insights, case studies, and sharing industry-specific knowledge
- Experience is shown through interactions with your audience
- Authority is established with credentials, publications, reviews, ratings, certifications, licenses, and industry affiliations
- Trustworthiness is built from citations, being transparent about policies
Use Schema
AI systems use search engines to gather information, so using the correct Schema markup is important for being seen on appropriate searches. Schema is code that a developer adds to your website’s HTML and acts as a label for search engines.
At the most basic, Schema includes organization information such as business name, available hours, and contact info. Its power comes from more complicated labels such as geographic location, which shows your organization to “near me” searches, product information like SKUs and customer reviews, tutorials which are picked up by “how to” searches, and frequently asked questions which are pulled in for search overviews. Types of Schema markup that will help. Check with your developer about adding these.
- LocalBusiness
- Organization
- Product/Service
- FAQpage
- Howto
- Article
Leverage Multimedia
AI engines are not able to scan images and videos. If your multimedia contains important information not featured anywhere else on the web page, AI won’t know to feature your brand.
- For images, use alt text to describe the image, including any text that appears.
- For videos, it’s useful to include the information presented in the video in the web copy. You can also add a video transcript.
Make sure that design elements on your website are crawlable. These include carousels, accordions, tabs, pop ups, expandable sections, dropdowns, and dynamic content.
Let Greenleaf Media Be Your AI Guide
With more than 25 years of experience staying ahead of marketing trends, Greenleaf Media is here to help you create meaningful connections with the latest technologies. We work alongside you to determine an AI Engine Optimization strategy that is engaging, relevant, and proven to drive results. Start the conversation by giving us a call at 608-240-9611 or send an email.