SEO in the age of AI: How to build content for humans and language models
AI is changing how people search. Here’s how to build content that earns trust—from humans and large language models alike.
The SEO game is changing. Fast. Large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok are already transforming how people search for answers, compare options, and make decisions.
Google is now testing AI-generated overviews directly in search results, and platforms like Perplexity and You.com use AI to pull from across the web to answer queries.
That means users may get what they need without ever visiting your site.
But that doesn’t mean your content is any less valuable. It just means we need to think differently about how and why we’re creating it.
SEO used to be about visibility. Now it’s about credibility
Historically, SEO has focused on getting your site to rank on the first page of search results. And while traditional SEO tactics like meta descriptions, H1 tags, and backlinks still matter (and we’ll get to that), AI-powered search is shifting the goalposts.
AI tools aren’t just looking for keywords. They’re looking for authoritative, well-structured, trustworthy content they can confidently summarize and recommend.
That means your website content needs to build credibility and demonstrate expertise. And it also means thinking about your audience in more nuanced ways. What do they want? How do they ask questions? What makes your content useful to them?
Top of funnel traffic may never reach your site
LLMs and AI search tools are increasingly handling early-stage questions. Things like “What is regenerative farming?” or “How much does a new website cost?” often get answered directly in AI-generated results, without requiring someone to click through.
The good news is that people still need to make decisions. They still need to compare solutions, evaluate providers, and find partners they trust. The questions people ask when they’re further along in the sales funnel are the ones most likely to lead them to your site.
This is where your content strategy should focus. High quality, credible content that supports people as they move from information gathering to decision making.
Content strategies that support AI and people
Write for your niche
Generic content won’t cut it. You’re more likely to be pulled into AI summaries and attract the right kind of attention if you’re creating content that demonstrates deep, specific expertise.
If you’re an arborist in the Midwest, don’t just write about “tree care.” Write about sun exposure, root damage from snow plows, storm recovery, emerald ash borer management, and the best time to trim silver maples in Champaign County. These are the kinds of questions people ask language models. And if your answers are rich, accurate, and credible, the AI is more likely to cite you.
Think in clusters
Building topical authority means creating ecosystems of content. One-off blog posts or service pages can help, but AI and traditional search engines both benefit from seeing structured clusters of related content. For example:
- A long form guide to managing software projects
- Follow-up posts like “Top 10 launch day mistakes” or “How to write better feature documentation”
- FAQs, how-tos, checklists, or case studies related to the same topic
This structure helps search engines and LLMs understand the scope and depth of your expertise. And it gives readers a path to go deeper once they land on your site.
Structure your content so AI can understand it
The easier it is for a model to extract and summarize your content, the better your chances of being featured or cited.
That means:
- Use clear and consistent heading hierarchies like H1, H2, and H3
- Include bullet points, numbered lists, and clear summaries
- Add FAQs, how-tos, and strong takeaways
- Write in natural language that avoids jargon unless it’s necessary
You’re not simplifying your expertise. You’re making it easy to understand, for both humans and machines.
Mix content formats
LLMs and search tools prefer content that’s modular, skimmable, and well-labeled. Your audience does too. Consider incorporating:
- Long form guides and detailed blog posts
- Quick summaries, lists, and FAQs
- Visuals like charts, diagrams, and illustrations
- Audio or video content with transcripts and good metadata
Just like people learn in different ways, AI benefits from seeing your content presented in multiple formats with clear structure.
Prioritize accessibility
Accessibility is about people first. But it also helps AI better understand your content. Well labeled elements like descriptive alt text, semantic HTML, and clean navigation all make your site easier for both users and search engines to work with.
An accessible website benefits everyone. That includes your readers, your editors, and the technology powering search.
Humanize your brand even if AI strips your voice
When users interact with your website, through your About page, blog, or contact form, they should get a clear sense of who you are. That means voice, tone, values, and personality still matter.
They may not show up in the AI snippet. But they will shape how people feel about working with you once they land on your site.
And that connection is often what turns visitors into leads and leads into long term partners.
Know what to measure
Referral data from AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude is limited or nonexistent right now. That means it’s difficult to know exactly what content is driving traffic or where those visitors are coming from.
That doesn’t make your content any less important. It just means success needs to be measured differently.
Try tracking:
- Time spent on important content
- Traffic from phrases with high sales intent
- Contact form submissions or demo requests
- Repeat visits and behavior over time
- Referrals from trusted niche sources
And pay attention to the questions your audience is asking when they do reach you. In many cases, they’ll be further along in the buying process than they used to be.
Traditional SEO still matters
Headings. Meta descriptions. Internal links. Structured data. These aren’t outdated. They’re the foundation that helps both search engines and language models make sense of your site.
Schema markup, in particular, helps AI understand the context and content of your pages. It shows relationships between topics, products, services, and more. If your site has good schema and thoughtful structure, your chances of being cited or summarized correctly improve significantly.
Don’t forget E-E-A-T
Google’s guidelines on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness are more relevant than ever. They help signal to AI tools that your content is legitimate and valuable.
Ask yourself:
- Does this content reflect real world experience?
- Is it attributed and well sourced?
- Does it demonstrate niche expertise?
- Is the user experience strong?
And just as importantly, does it feel like you?
Build for trust, not just traffic
Search is changing. And while your site may not get as many top of funnel clicks as it once did, it can still play a critical role in:
- Converting leads who are ready to act
- Demonstrating credibility with people and AI
- Answering complex questions that go beyond the basics
- Supporting your sales and outreach efforts
Your voice still matters. Your expertise still matters. And your content is still a bridge to the people who need what you offer.
To get some insight into the different models, we asked four LLMs the following questions:
- Q1: Can you explain the difference in how you handle search queries vs. Google’s search algorithm to the best of your ability?
- Q2: When a business wants to be a resource for your answers and a suggestion when someone is looking for a product or service recommendation, how do they accomplish that?
- Q3: If you were creating a checklist for businesses to make sure that they are recommended when people ask questions related to their products/services, what would you include?
See what the LLMs had to say:
Ready to build a content strategy that works in the age of AI? We’d love to help.