Search is changing. Traditional blue-link results are being pushed aside by generated answers that aim to summarise the web in one block. For businesses relying on organic traffic, this shift raises an urgent question: how do you stay visible when large language models (LLMs) summarise your content before a user even clicks?
The field of answer engine optimisation is still in its infancy, but we’ve figured out the fundamentals. Here’s how you can optimise for platforms like Google’s AI Overview and chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT by focusing on clarity, authority and technical execution.
Understanding AI's evolving role in search
AI-driven search tools are increasingly reshaping how people find and consume information. Instead of relying solely on traditional links, users are increasingly presented with summarised answers drawn from multiple sources.
Google’s AI Overview pulls together quick answers to user questions, aggregating information from various web sources into a short snapshot. Gemini, Google’s underlying model, powers these summaries and other generative features across search and advertising. ChatGPT, with its browsing capabilities, pulls data from live web sources to respond to questions in a conversational way.
Each of these platforms is trying to do the same thing: answer a user’s question as clearly and accurately as possible. Content that helps them do that will have a better chance of being referenced, linked or cited, even if it doesn’t show up as a standard blue link.
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How to optimise content for AI-generated answers
You don’t need to overhaul your SEO playbook to show up in these summaries. But you may need to adapt your content and tweak your approach so it’s better suited to use by AI systems. Here are 5 ways you can make your content more likely to be surfaced by answer engines and chatbots.
Write in clear, structured language
AI and machine learning systems work more effectively with data that is clearly structured. Use short paragraphs, subheadings and defined sections. Start with a direct answer to a common question, followed by supporting detail. Avoid vague fluff. Clarity helps these systems extract and present your content more easily.
Address specific, answerable questions
Think about how people phrase questions in search (things like ‘how much does x cost’ or ‘what’s the best way to y.’) Build content around those exact queries. Include variations of how someone might search for it. Content that mirrors real search behaviour is more likely to get picked up. With AI overviews, improvements in natural language processing mean that users are able to phrase queries much more directly and freely (more as they might to another person) than with search engines. So consider the way users are most likely to phrase queries in your field or industry. Â
Implement schema and structured data
Structured data helps search engines understand the context of your content. Use schema types like FAQ, How-To or Article markup to identify key parts of the page. This won’t guarantee inclusion in an AI answer, but it increases your chances by signalling what’s important.
Keep technical SEO tight
If your site is slow, poorly structured, or difficult to crawl, search engines won’t prioritise it in any format, AI or otherwise. Clean site architecture, fast page speeds and proper use of headers all support crawlability and performance in AI summaries.
Monitor how your content is being surfaced
Keep an eye on how your pages are showing up in AI features. While tools for this are still limited, you can track featured snippets, answer boxes, and changes in your branded traffic. Look at whether users are bouncing more quickly, or if conversion rates are changing, which could signal a shift in how users engage with AI summaries.
Conduct competitor analysisÂ
Regularly analysing your competitors and tracking their content performance can provide valuable insights into gaps in your own strategy. By monitoring what types of content rank well, which keywords they target, and how audiences engage, you can adjust your approach to stay competitive. Competitor analysis helps you identify opportunities, refine your messaging, and ensure your content continues to meet user needs while maintaining authority in your niche.
What about ChatGPT and other AI browsers?
If your content is behind a paywall, is script-heavy, or uses dynamic loading without fallbacks, it’s less likely to be picked up by tools browsing the web in real-time. Decide which pages you want to be visible and ensure they’re indexable and readable in a plain HTML format where possible.
Also consider publishing more evergreen, utility-driven content. Guides, how-tos, and definitions are likely to be referenced in answer generation.
Although LLM-generated answers are changing how people find and engage with content. The fundamentals still matter. Write useful content, structure it well, and make your site technically sound. But to stay visible in this new landscape, your content needs to be easily extracted, clearly targeted at searcher intent, and backed by authority.Â
Content that directly addresses specific user needs is more likely to be surfaced in search results and by AI tools generating answers. Organising content around intent also helps establish topical authority, signalling to search engines and AI systems that your pages are relevant and trustworthy.
Get in touch with our team
If you’re finding the rapid changes in this space a little confronting, don’t worry. Working with a team that understands how to align content with user intent can make the difference in visibility and engagement. Book a discovery call now to discuss AI strategies and how we can help optimise your content strategy for both search engines and AI-driven platforms.
