How to make your content fit for AI search

If you’ve spent years mastering Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to help businesses rank high in online searches, you might be panicking now that everyone is talking about GEO, AEO, LLMO and AI search.

What is the difference? How do you write for AI search? And should SEO copywriters just give up and retire now?

There’s a lot of scaremongering around search optimisation at the moment. Many companies are cashing in on this ‘new type of copywriting’ and promising to get your content cited in AI searches.

But the truth is, whether you’re writing to improve SEO or AI search, it’s the quality of the content that matters more than the technology.

What is the difference between SEO and GEO?

Both Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) are designed for the same purpose: to drive people to specific websites.

Where they differ is in how they achieve this.

SEO focuses on getting websites ranked highly on traditional search engines such as Google and Bing. SEO techniques include keyword research, internal linking, on-page optimisation, backlinks and structured data (code) that make content eligible to search engines.

GEO – often referred to as Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), Artificial Intelligence Optimisation (AIO) or Large Language Model SEO (LLM SEO) – focuses on getting content included in AI-generated citations at the top of traditional search engines as well as on the AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, etc.) themselves.

GEO or AI search is still evolving. But it appears to be more about the quality, structure and easy-to-read content rather than traditional digital techniques.

How do you improve your chances of being cited by AI?

While traditional SEO techniques such as keywords, links and coding still play a role in helping AI cite your content, it’s the quality of your content and writing that will have the greatest effect.

AI models rely heavily on structured clarity, definitional statements and concise explanations. They cite content that clearly answers questions or provides authoritative phrasing. And they often favour content written in natural language, not keyword-heavy SEO copy.

When writing content for websites, ask yourself the following:

Is your content helpful?

Are you giving visitors information or advice that helps them solve a problem, improve their circumstances or answer a question?

Is your content people-focused and not search-engine focused?

• Have you prioritised the needs of your audience over SEO and GEO tricks and techniques?
• Is your content genuinely relevant to their interests rather than your own objectives?
• Is it easy to read, broken into manageable sections with plenty of white space for quick scanning?

Does it conform to E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T – Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness – is a set of guidelines that Google uses to assess content quality and decide which websites deserve higher rankings.

It’s also an excellent framework for evaluating content for any search engine or AI platform.

• Experience: the content creator has first-hand knowledge of the subject.
• Expertise: the content creator demonstrates in-depth understanding and skill within the topic and related fields.
• Authoritativeness: the website or content creator is a recognised and respected source in the subject area.
• Trustworthiness: the content is accurate, honest and reliable.

Learn more

If you’d like to learn more about writing content with or for AI, the PRCA runs several practical training courses, including How to make your best content creation assistant and GEO: a guide for PR and Communications Practitioners.