How do you make your website ready for AI search?
AI-based answers in search engines and proprietary AI platforms mean that fewer people click through to websites. At the same time, new research shows that AI doesn’t give the same recommendations every time; rankings can vary greatly from answer to answer. That’s why visibility in AI is less about “winning a position” and more about […]
1. Map out what questions customers are actually asking
Stop starting with keyword lists alone. Start with real problems.
- Collect questions from customer service, sales meetings and emails
- Note what people ask before they buy
- Look at search suggestions in Google and related questions
- Use any data from internal searches on your website
Create separate pages or sections that answer one main question at a time, don’t try to cover everything in one general article.
Example:
Don’t just write “Our accounting services”.
Instead, create “How much does an accountant cost for small businesses?” or “When should you switch accounting firms?”.
2. Get to the point early in the text
AI and humans like the same thing, clear answers quickly.
Each side should:
- Have a clear question in the headline
- Give a concrete answer in the first 3-5 lines
- Then elaborate with explanations and examples
Structure the text like this:
- Short answer
- Explanation
- Example
- When is this right for you
- Common mistakes
This increases the chance of the page being used in AI summaries.
3. Update old pages and articles
Many have hundreds of pages that are only half good.
Start with:
- Top 20 sites with the most traffic
- Pages that rank on page 1 or 2 in Google
- Articles older than two years
Update them with:
- Recent facts and figures
- The company’s own experiences
- New examples
- Better structure
- Clear answers at the top
This often has a faster effect than producing completely new content.
4. Think broader than just traffic
When the clicks go down, you need to follow several signals:
- Visibility in search
- Brand search
- Direct traffic
- Inquiries that refer to articles
- If customers say they found you through AI
SEO is now also about being known, not just visited.
Want to know more?
In summary, it’s not about “winning” a position in AI answers, but about becoming a player that is often considered relevant when your topic comes up. Content that clearly answers real questions, is professionally credible and regularly updated will have a greater chance of being used as a source over time, even if the actual recommendations vary from time to time. The goal going forward is therefore not just more traffic, but stronger visibility and trust in the market.
Sources: https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-ais-are-highly-inconsistent-when-recommending-brands-or-products-marketers-should-take-care-when-tracking-ai-visibility/