How To Prepare My Website For The Future Of AI Search?| Biddrup

AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s new AI Overviews are revolutionizing how users find information.

Unlike traditional organic search, these tools analyze queries and generate answers directly, rather than just returning a list of links. Preparing your website for this shift means understanding AI search dynamics and optimizing content for conversational discovery.

In practice, that involves focusing on quality, context, and user intent — while still maintaining SEO fundamentals like keywords and backlinks. The following guide covers everything from voice search to schema markup, helping business owners build a future-proof AI SEO strategy.

Understand AI-Driven Search Dynamics

AI search platforms offer a new search experience. For example, ChatGPT and Perplexity “scour the internet” for information and then synthesize a conversational answer rather than a ranked list of pages.

These tools use large language models and real-time web data (ChatGPT may use Bing for browsing; Perplexity conducts its own live searches).

In other words, ranking has shifted from “who’s number one” to “what answer is best?” Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the process of optimizing your content for these AI-driven search engines.

Google itself now provides AI Overviews – quick summaries of queries with source links – which have been used billions of times and lead to higher user satisfaction.

To adapt, think like a user seeking a direct answer. Your site should aim to satisfy queries on the page. This often means rich, complete content that can stand alone in a summary.

Remember, AI search can reward being the answer above all. As one SEO specialist notes, if your SEO isn’t strong now, AI search isn’t going to magically prioritize you tomorrow.

Start by reinforcing SEO basics: well-structured pages, fast load times, and mobile-friendliness still set the foundation.

Define Your Niche: AI engines will pick authoritative sources. Identify your industry topics and plan content that thoroughly covers them.
Stay Conversational: Frame answers in a natural tone, as these tools aim to mimic human conversation.
Follow GEO Principles: Prioritize visibility in AI search by optimizing content specifically for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google SGE, etc..

Create Unique and Valuable Content

High-quality, original content is more important than ever. AI answer engines favor depth and usefulness: “AI systems favor long-form, well-structured articles that thoroughly answer user questions”.

Generic or thin content won’t stand out. Instead, aim to provide unique value:

Thorough Answers: Cover topics in detail. Use bullets, tables, and clear headings to organize information. As Pallas Advisory notes, well-structured content is more likely to be cited by AI.
Unique Insights: Add proprietary data, case studies, or expert commentary. One analysis points out that with “more than 400 million terabytes” of new content daily, cutting through the noise means creating something truly distinctive.
Rich Multimedia Content: Include images, videos, infographics, or interactive tools. Multimedia not only engages users but can also be a signal of high-value content (Google’s documentation shows structured data and rich media lead to higher CTR). For example, a video tutorial or an interactive calculator can make your page more engaging than a text-only post.
Up-to-Date Information: AI models like Perplexity update their index constantly. Refresh content regularly with new examples, updated statistics, and current references.
Authority and Trust: Cite reputable sources and link to authoritative sites. Building credibility (through expert authorship and references) helps AI systems view your content as reliable.

By focusing on unique, valuable content, you increase the chance AI search will select your site as a source for its answers. Remember, AI and Google both reward helpful, informative pages.

Focus on Human Needs and Interests

SEO for AI search starts with the user. Understand why someone is searching. This means aligning your content with human intent and interests, not just stuffing keywords.

Generative search excels at understanding context and motivation. As Pallas Advisory explains, AI engines “prioritize understanding the intent behind a query over matching exact keywords”. In practice, this means:

Address Search Intent: Break content into sections (or separate pages) by intent (e.g. “What is…?”, “How to…?”, “Best way to…”). Determine if the user seeks information, a solution, or a purchase, and structure your content accordingly.
Use Natural Language: Write the way people speak. Use first- or second-person (“you,” “we”), and answer common questions directly. This matches conversational AI input and improves relevancy.
Answer Core Questions Quickly: Many users now get answers directly in search (often without clicking your site). Think like a voice assistant: provide concise, direct answers at the top of your content. For example, include a brief summary or a featured snippet-style paragraph right at the start.
Keyword-Rich Title Tags: Even in an AI-driven world, clear titles still matter. A keyword-rich title tag and meta description help both human readers and AI understand your page’s topic.
Consider Zero-Click Searches: A growing number of queries end with no click because the answer is on-screen. Optimize for this by making sure your content would be a helpful standalone answer. For instance, local businesses might find AI assistants pulling data from directory listings (like Google Business Profile), so ensure those listings are complete and consistent.
User Behavior Signals: Monitor how users engage with your site. High dwell time and low bounce rates indicate your content is satisfying users (which can indirectly influence ranking by reinforcing your authority on a topic).

By prioritizing user needs, you create content that meets what searchers are really looking for. This human-centric approach naturally aligns with how AI search evaluates and surfaces results.

Move Beyond Traditional Keywords

Traditional SEO relied heavily on exact-match keywords. AI search shifts the focus to topics and entities rather than specific terms. In other words, you need to build content around concepts.

For example, rather than peppering “best coffee maker” everywhere, write a comprehensive guide on “choosing a coffee maker,” covering types, features, and user goals.

Cover Related Topics: Map out your content around clusters of related terms and questions. Use entity-based optimization: incorporate synonyms, related phrases, and semantically connected concepts. As one SEO expert notes, AI connects topics and intent rather than just keywords.
Conversational and Contextual Language: Include phrases people use in natural speech. Instead of “coffee maker purchase,” phrase it as “how to buy a coffee maker” or “best coffee makers for home use.”
Long-Tail Phrasing: Integrate longer, specific phrases that reflect real queries (e.g. “affordable coffee maker with timer for home”).
Structured Headers: Use clear, descriptive headings (H2, H3) that capture subtopics. This helps both AI and users find the exact sections they need.
Internal Linking and Clusters: Link related articles on your site (topic clusters) so AI sees your site as a comprehensive resource. A strong internal linking structure builds topical authority.

Keyword tools are still useful, but also leverage NLP (Natural Language Processing) tools and AI-powered SEO tools to discover related terms and topics. This way, your content aligns with the context-based nature of AI queries.

Optimize for Conversational Search

Conversational search means answering full questions in natural language. Chatbots and voice assistants treat queries as dialogue. To prepare:

Use Q&A Sections: Explicitly answer questions on your pages. For example, create an FAQ or Q&A list with the question as a subheading and a concise answer below. Perplexity’s SEO research recommends adding Q&A content: “focus on conversational questions and direct, concise answers”. This is similar to targeting featured snippets.
Mirror User Queries: Identify common questions your audience asks (tools like ChatGPT itself can generate these). Incorporate those questions verbatim into your content, then answer them in short, direct paragraphs.
Short, Clear Answers: Keep answers to questions succinct (1–2 sentences) before expanding. AI answer engines prefer clear, straightforward responses.
Conversational Tone: Write as if you’re speaking to a person. Use phrases like “you can” or “try this” to make content feel like friendly advice.
Featured Snippets: Since many voice searches pull from Google’s featured snippets, optimize for them. Use bullet lists, tables, or step-by-step formats where applicable, as these are often read aloud by assistants.
Conversational Keywords: Think of phrases that start with question words (“how,” “what,” “why,” “best,” etc.). Include them in titles and headings.

By structuring content around questions and answers, you align with how AI searches interpret user intent. This not only helps in Perplexity and ChatGPT, but also boosts chances of being used in Google’s quick-answer boxes.

Emphasize Context-Based Queries

AI search engines excel at understanding context. They consider previous questions, location, and user signals. To leverage context:

Rich Context in Content: When answering a question, provide all necessary context in the answer itself, as AI snippets often present isolated facts. For instance, if your content mentions a product, also state what it is and who it’s for.
Location and Time Cues: For local businesses or news, include location names and dates. Voice assistants often use location context (“near me”, “today’s”) to filter results.
Session Flow: If your content is part of a series or has follow-up questions, make it easy for AI to follow (e.g., link to related topics or include transitional phrases).
Cross-Referencing: Point to other relevant pages on your site for deeper context. This helps AI build a fuller picture of your expertise.

The goal is to make each page as self-contained and context-aware as possible, so AI answer engines can accurately extract and present the information when relevant.

Implement Voice Search Strategies

Voice search is a subset of conversational search but with its own quirks. Millions use devices like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, and this is growing. To optimize:

Natural, Conversational Phrasing: People use full sentences in voice search (e.g., “Where can I find the nearest coffee shop?”). Write content that sounds like an answer to such a question.
Long-Tail and Question Keywords: Focus on question phrases (who, what, where, when, how) and longer queries. Tools like Google’s “People also ask” can help find popular voice-style questions.
Local Focus: If you have a local business, emphasize local SEO: include city/state, landmarks, hours, and service areas. Voice searches often have local intent.
Structured Data: Use schema markup specific to voice-friendly content:
- FAQ and HowTo Schema: These help assistive devices find concise answers.
- Speakable Schema: Tag short paragraphs that are ideal for voice reading.
- Local Business Schema: Ensure your address, phone, and hours are marked up.
Featured Snippet Optimization: About 40% of voice answers come from featured snippets. Structure some content as lists or concise definitions to target that.
Page Speed and Mobile: Voice search is often on mobile devices; fast mobile pages improve chances of being chosen for answers.

By treating voice search as part of your content strategy, you’ll also improve overall readability and structure. And since voice assistants often pull from Google’s index or featured results, the same content that works for voice can boost your general SEO.

Build Deep Topical Authority

Answer engines value expertise and trust. Building a strong topical authority makes your site a go-to source in AI search:

Domain Authority: Acquire high-quality backlinks and citations. Authoritative domains (and businesses) are preferred by AI platforms. Focus on earning links from industry sites, news outlets, and reputable directories.
Content Cluster Strategy: Create pillar pages on core topics and cluster related articles around them. This shows AI systems that you thoroughly cover a subject area.
Expert Contributors: Use authorship (with bios) to highlight expertise. AI may give weight to content by recognized experts.
User Reviews & Testimonials: Positive reviews (on your site or platforms like Yelp, G2, etc.) signal trust. Pallas Advisory notes ChatGPT uses data from known directories, ignoring unverified forums. Encourage customers to leave detailed reviews on Google Business Profile and industry sites.
Brand Mentions and Press: Get featured in industry news or guest post on authoritative blogs. Brand mentions (even without links) on trusted sites can improve perceived authority in AI algorithms.
Interactive and Shareable Content: Invest in unique content (interactive infographics, calculators, surveys) that others want to link to. Shareable content extends your reach and authority.
Consistent Updates: Regularly add new, relevant content to maintain freshness. AI engines notice when a site stays current.

In essence, treat AI SEO like you would expert validation: be the authority. A brand with strong domain and content authority is more likely to be cited as a source in an AI-generated answer.

Foster User Engagement

Engagement metrics (time on site, social shares, comments) can indirectly boost AI SEO by signaling content value. Encourage actions:

Interactive Features: Use quizzes, tools, or calculators. For example, a mortgage calculator on a finance site can increase dwell time and shares.
Comments and Community: Allow comments or a forum. Engaged users spending time on the page tell search engines (traditional and AI) your content is worthwhile.
Rich Multimedia: Videos, podcasts, and graphics not only diversify content but also increase session length. Embedding relevant videos (e.g. how-tos) and optimizing their descriptions (with transcripts) adds value.
Call-to-Action: Prompt users to share, subscribe, or explore related content. Email sign-ups and social follow links help build a loyal audience.
Analyze User Behavior: Use SEO tools and analytics to see what keeps users engaged. For instance, if a certain topic gets more clicks or shares, create more content around it.
Personalized Content: If possible, tailor content based on user data (e.g. location-specific landing pages). AI can pull from this context if it’s clearly indicated.

While AI ranking signals are still evolving, there’s evidence that user behavior remains important.

For example, Google’s data shows that with AI Overviews, “links included… get more clicks than if the page appeared as a traditional listing”, suggesting that satisfying the user’s query can still translate into visits. Ultimately, a well-engaged visitor is a sign to any search engine that your site is useful.

Enhance User Experience

A great user experience (UX) ensures visitors stay on your site and easily find what they need. AI-driven search may favor content that comes from sites with good UX. Key aspects:

Site Speed: Load times matter especially for voice and mobile users. Use page speed tools to optimize images, server response, and code.
Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure your site is fully responsive. Many AI searches happen on phones or smart speakers, so optimize for mobile-first interaction.
Clear Navigation: Organize your content logically. Menus and site structure should help both users and AI crawlers understand your site hierarchy.
Readable Layout: Use short paragraphs, bullet lists, and subheadings. This makes information scannable for users and clearer for AI to index.
Accessibility: Alt text for images, captions for videos, and proper headings help everyone (including AI) understand your content.
Error-Free Content: Typos and broken links undermine trust. Regularly audit and fix any issues so AI sees a polished site.
Security: A secure site (HTTPS) is a must. AI search tools from reputable companies will avoid unsecured sites.
Rich Snippets: Implement metadata so that search results (and AI-generated answers) can show star ratings, prices, etc. This boosts credibility.

Good UX increases the chance that a user satisfied with the AI answer will click through. In fact, Google reports that people are more satisfied with their search results when AI overviews provide clear answers.

This implies that helping users find what they want quickly (even via AI) can enhance your site’s reputation and traffic.

Utilize Structured Data and Semantic Markup

Structured data (schema) is a key bridge between your content and AI search algorithms. It explicitly tells machines what your content means. Use schema markup throughout your site to stand out:

General Schema: Apply relevant Schema.org types (Organization, Person, Article, Product, Event, FAQ, HowTo, etc.) via JSON-LD in your HTML.
FAQ and Q&A: Mark up your FAQ sections so AI assistants can extract answers directly.
HowTo Schema: For step-by-step guides, HowTo markup can yield rich how-to snippets.
Local Business Schema: Include it on your Contact or About page to highlight address, hours, and phone (important for local AI queries).
Speakable Schema: Identify sections suitable for audio playback by voice assistants.
Product Schema: For e-commerce, markup products with price, availability, and reviews.
Bilingual/Multilingual Tags: If you serve different regions, use hreflang tags to clarify content language/locale.

Google specifically notes that structured data can greatly improve search appearance and engagement. In the AI context, Pallas Advisory emphasizes that “technical elements like schema markup… dramatically increase your chances of being cited by AI platforms”.

In short, schema makes your content machine-readable. It helps search engines (and AI) categorize your page more precisely, which can lead to rich results or being chosen as an AI answer source.

Diversify Traffic Sources

While optimizing for AI search, don’t ignore other traffic channels. Reliance on one source is risky. Gartner predicts organic search traffic may decrease by over 50% as users move to AI-powered search. To compensate, diversify:

Social Media: Share content on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and industry networks. AI tools may crawl popular social posts or integrate knowledge from them.
Email Newsletters: Build a mailing list. Regular emails drive engaged traffic and signal user interest to search engines.
Content Partnerships: Guest post on relevant blogs or collaborate on webinars/podcasts. This not only brings new audiences but also earns backlinks and brand recognition.
Video Platforms: Publish on YouTube and embed videos in articles. Video is a search engine of its own and often appears in AI answers.
Paid Advertising: Target keywords and audiences with Google Ads or social ads for critical terms. This can boost visibility while organic channels mature.
Local & Events: Sponsor local events, run webinars, or use PR to attract attention. Media coverage leads to authoritative backlinks.
Other Search Engines: Don’t forget Bing (which powers ChatGPT’s browsing) and niche search engines.

Diversifying helps future-proof your traffic. If AI search cuts into organic volume, you’ll still have engaged visitors from other sources. It also builds overall brand authority, which in turn can boost your standing in any search paradigm.

Collaborate with AI Providers

Stay connected to the companies building AI search. They often offer ways to include your content:

ChatGPT Plugins: If relevant, develop a ChatGPT plugin. Plugins let you provide up-to-date, specialized data directly to ChatGPT users.
OpenAI & Google Feedback: Engage with developer programs and feedback channels. Report issues or opportunities where AI misunderstood your content.
Bing Webmaster Tools: Since ChatGPT browsing uses Bing, ensure your site is indexed by Bing and optimized (using Bing’s SEO tools).
Google Search Labs: Sign up for experiments like the Search Generative Experience (SGE) previews. You can see how Google AI Overviews display your content and adjust accordingly.
Data Sharing: Provide datasets or APIs if your business has proprietary data (e.g., product catalogs, health info). Trusted data sources may get special access to AI.
Industry Initiatives: Keep an eye on initiatives (e.g., knowledge panels, schemas for COVID or legal topics) where collaboration with tech platforms is happening.

The goal is to integrate with the AI ecosystem, not sit outside of it. If major AI tools have programs for content partners, sign up. Ensuring your content can be easily consumed by AI—whether through APIs, structured feeds, or plugins—gives you a direct path into their answers.

Stay Informed on AI and Algorithm Updates

The AI search landscape evolves rapidly. Stay up-to-date so you can adapt:

Official Announcements: Follow Google’s Search Central Blog and OpenAI or Microsoft news. Google’s May 2024 I/O blog (for example) laid out new generative AI features in Search. Such updates signal the direction of AI SEO.
SEO Communities: Participate in SEO forums, Reddit’s r/SEO, LinkedIn groups, and industry newsletters. When new AI tools emerge (like ChatGPT’s browsing or new Perplexity features), these communities discuss optimization tips.
Conferences and Webinars: Attend SEO and AI conferences. Sessions on “AI SEO” or “Generative Search” can highlight cutting-edge tactics.
SEO Tools and Alerts: Use SEO tools that integrate AI trends (such as monitoring AI answer visibility). Set alerts for your brand and keywords to see if AI summaries start pulling from your site.
Experiment and Monitor: Regularly test your own queries in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google SGE, etc. See which content appears in answers and iterate. Use Google Search Console and analytics to watch for traffic changes after big AI releases.

By staying informed, you ensure your strategy evolves with the algorithms. When Google rolls out a new AI tool or ChatGPT changes its data source, you’ll be ready to respond rather than react.

Adapt SEO Strategy to AI Trends

Preparing for AI search doesn’t mean abandoning traditional SEO; it means combining both. In fact, they often reinforce each other:

Maintain SEO Fundamentals: Keep building backlinks, optimizing title tags and meta descriptions, and improving page speed. These factors still drive organic traffic and trust, which AI systems leverage.
Leverage New SEO Tools: Use AI-based SEO tools for keyword research, content auditing, and competitive analysis. Tools that simulate ChatGPT queries can show gaps in your content.
Entity and Topic SEO: Begin optimizing for entities (people, places, things) by incorporating schema and knowledge graph references. SEO is shifting from keywords to “aboutness,” which aligns with AI’s understanding of context.
Monitor Both Rankings and Answers: Track your Google rankings as usual, but also track visibility in AI results. Some emerging tools show when your content is used in a ChatGPT or Perplexity answer.
Brand Focus: AI answers often include brand names or quotes. Build a strong brand presence so your site is recognized in AI answers (e.g., if ChatGPT trusts your product for answers).
Stay Flexible: Be ready to test and adjust. AI-generated answers are still experimental. Keep an eye on which strategies work (like certain content formats) and scale those.

As Ink Digital’s Michael Ryan emphasizes, “AI search doesn’t create new information – it pulls from the web.” If your SEO and content are strong, AI is more likely to use your content.

Conversely, if you neglect SEO now, AI won’t compensate for that weakness. So invest in fundamentals (on-page optimization, quality content, backlinks) alongside AI-focused tactics. The combination will maximize your visibility both now and in the evolving future of search.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are AI Search Engines?

AI search engines (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s AI Overview) use artificial intelligence to process queries and provide answers in a conversational manner. They scan the internet for information and then synthesize an answer, rather than returning a list of links. This means they deliver a human-like response, often with source links, directly to the user.

How Do AI Search Engines Work?

These platforms use large language models (LLMs). When you ask a question, the AI breaks it down, retrieves relevant data (often by web search or its own index), and synthesizes a coherent answer. For example, ChatGPT’s browsing feature uses Bing to find information and then writes a summarized answer. Perplexity AI conducts a real-time web search and provides inline citations with its answers. Both focus on understanding the intent of your query, not just matching keywords.

How Can I Optimize for AI-Powered Search Engines Like ChatGPT or Perplexity?

Optimize your site by building high-quality, user-focused content. Continue practicing strong SEO fundamentals: ensure crawlable URLs, use keyword-rich title tags, and maintain fresh, authoritative pages. Additionally, adapt to conversational search: create clear Q&A content (e.g. FAQ sections) with concise answers, and use schema markup (FAQ, HowTo, Product, etc.) so AI can understand your content better. Essentially, treat your website as the source of an answer: answer likely questions in a friendly, precise tone.

Why Aren’t My Pages Showing Up in AI Search Results?

If your site isn’t ranked high in traditional Google search, it’s likely invisible in AI search too. AI models “summarize and source from well-optimized, authoritative content,” so if your SEO is weak, AI won’t pick up your pages. Also, AI engines often favor established, trusted sources. Ensure your content is comprehensive, properly marked up with schema, and your site has good authority (backlinks, reviews, mentions). Finally, be patient: AI search is new and results may not appear immediately for all queries.

Where Do AI Systems Get Content From?

AI search engines pull content from the open web and their own knowledge bases. For example, ChatGPT (with browsing) fetches current web results via Bing, while Perplexity crawls the web in real time. They also leverage vast training data (books, articles, etc.). Google’s AI Overviews use pages from Google’s index and summarize them. In short, they get content from the same places Google does (the indexed web, trusted databases) but present it differently.

How Do AI Answer Engines Find Content if They Don’t Crawl Like Google?

While AI chatbots themselves don’t crawl the web, they partner with crawlers or use their own indexes. For instance, ChatGPT’s browsing mode uses Bing’s search results. Perplexity maintains its own crawl of the web and updates it daily. Some AI models also rely on community-curated knowledge bases or licensed data. The key is that AI engines will only use content they can access and trust, which usually means well-indexed, authoritative sources.

What Defines High-Quality Content in the Age of AI-driven SEO?

High-quality content now means thorough, well-structured, and user-centric content. AI search favors long-form, detailed answers that directly address user questions. It also prioritizes content from experts (authoritative sites) and content that clearly explains or demonstrates a topic. Well-organized content (with headings, lists, and schema markup) is more likely to be picked up. In practice, high-quality content is informative, engaging, and trustworthy.

How Does Google’s AI Overview Impact SEO?

Google’s AI Overviews (also known as Search Generative Experience) provide quick answers at the top of results. They pull links from various sites and summarize them. According to Google, AI Overviews have increased user satisfaction and actually drive more clicks to included sites than standard results. This means if your content is featured, you can get high visibility. The flip side is that some users may get answers without clicking further (a “zero-click” scenario). To benefit, ensure your content is the type that Google would cite: well-written, authoritative, and clearly structured. Google’s initial tests show pages used in AI Overviews receive more clicks than if they were just a regular listing.

How Does Understanding Search Intent Help with Generative Engine Optimization?

Understanding search intent ensures your content aligns with what AI users are asking. AI search engines look beyond keywords to the meaning of a query. By tailoring your content to the user’s goal (informational, transactional, navigational), you increase the chance AI will use it. For example, answering “how” questions with step-by-step guides or providing product comparisons for “best X” queries matches AI needs. Essentially, clarity on intent makes your content a more precise answer. Dave Shillingford summarizes it well: AI “prioritise[s] clear, structured, and reliable content”. Focus on giving the exact information the user intends to find.

How Do I Stay Ahead in AI-Powered Discovery Without Losing Sight Of Traditional SEO?

The best strategy is balance. Continue to build your traditional SEO (backlinks, speed, keywords) while adopting AI-friendly practices. As Michael Ryan notes, “If your SEO isn’t strong today, AI search isn’t going to prioritise you tomorrow”. In other words, don’t chase AI buzzwords at the expense of fundamentals. Use both AI SEO and classic SEO tools: analyze organic search performance and also use conversational analytics (like how your content appears in chatbots). Keep producing authoritative content and earning links (these still matter, even to AI). In summary, maintain strong SEO basics and layer on AI-specific tactics: that’s how you win in both worlds.

How to Prepare my Website for the Future of AI Search?