How to optimize your website for AI search

AI search is changing the way marketers create their websites. Here's what you need to know.

jhvjFor the past decade, search engine optimization (SEO) has reigned supreme. It has been one of the key goals for any marketer or business owner, and it has been a make-or-break component of any marketing strategy.  

But now, with the shift to AI Overviews becoming extremely common in search results, marketers are having to pivot to ensure their brands aren’t just rising to the top of the results page, but are also being showcased in the AI Overviews as well.  

With this, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that it’s not a huge leap from classic SEO strategies. The bad news is that customers no longer have as much of an incentive to click through to your website as they used to.  

With that in mind, here are a few key ways to help your business feature in an AI Overview.  

1. Answer user queries  

It seems simple, but it’s not something all businesses will naturally feature on their website.  

For example, if someone runs a search for ‘things to do in Squamish’, the AI Overview currently pulls up lists from bloggers and travel websites like Tourism Squamish. A savvy local attraction business might be able to work their way into that Overview by including their own list of things to do (highlighting their own business of course).  

2. Use simple language  

AI is increasingly sophisticated, but clear, simple language is best suited for its purposes when it’s creating a short and concise Overview.  

Even if you have to go into further detail further down the page, aim to have a short, simple explanation to an answer at the top of the page that the AI can pull from.  

For example, for the previous ‘things to do in Squamish’ search, you might include a bullet point list of fun things to do at the top of the page, then cover each attraction in more detail. 

3. Include an FAQ section on your site  

Even if you don’t have a blog section or manage to update your website as frequently as you’d like, an FAQ section is a quick and easy way to answer questions that people might be looking for.  

Be sure to update this section any time you notice several people asking the same questions, whether that’s in person or via your contact lines.  

4. Use lists 

Due to the short, concise nature of bullet pointed lists, AI Overviews tend to favour them.  

For example, a study from Surfer SEO found that 61% of overviews use an unordered list, and only 21% didn’t use a list at all.  

If you can make the AI’s job easier by creating that list in your website content, it might showcase your site in the Overview, therefore placing your brand name ahead of all the others on the results page.  

5. When in doubt, optimize for search 

Even though AI Overviews is changing how the search engine results page looks, it isn’t actually changing much about how you should be optimizing your website to make an appearance on that page. In fact, all the classic SEO strategies are just as effective as getting you a spot in the organic results as they are in the generative results.  

These include:  

• Encouraging backlinks to your site 

• Creating regular new content relevant to your audience 

• Using keywords in headlines, image captions, links, and body copy 

• Ensuring your website is quick and easy to use  

• Avoiding typos and errors that make your content appear low quality 

• Use internal links to help users navigate your website  

Need more business advice?  

 

Free, reliable business advice is available to you through Community Futures Howe Sound. As a government-funded non-profit, we exist to support local businesses, and therefore local employees and the community.  

Get started by booking a one-on-one session with one of our local business experts today.