How do you create website content that totally nails it for both old-school Google searches and those new AI Overview results?
While there is a lot to unpack with that question, the cool thing is that a lot of what works for one also works for the other. So, you’re not doing double the work, just getting a bit smarter about it! Here are 4 steps that will help your content shine for both traditional search and AI.
Step 1: Make Your Content Seriously Good
This is your foundation, no matter who’s “reading” your site.
- Go Deep, Be the Boss: Don’t just skim the surface. Dive deep into your topics, do your homework, and give your readers (and the AI) everything they need to know. AI loves to pull from reliable, in-depth sources, and Google’s always looking for the most comprehensive stuff out there.
- Show Your Smarts (E-E-A-T): This is super important now.
- Experience: If you’ve actually done what you’re talking about, say so! “I’ve personally tried every single method for baking sourdough…”
- Expertise: Prove you know your stuff. Get real experts to write or have clear bios showing your own qualifications.
- Authority: Become the go-to voice in your niche. When other reputable sites link to you, it tells everyone (including Google and AI) you’re legit.
- Trustworthiness: Be honest, be accurate, and if you’re quoting stats, show where they came from.
- Think About Your People First: Always write for your actual human audience. What are they wondering? What problems are they trying to solve? If you help them out, both Google and AI will see the value.
- Be Original, Not a Copycat: Don’t just rehash what everyone else is saying. Bring something new to the table – your own research, a fresh perspective, or unique data. AI is good at summarizing, but it really lights up for truly original content.
Step 2: Structure It So Everyone “Gets It”
This is where you make it easy for both humans and AI to quickly understand what you’re talking about.
- Headings are Your Friends (H1, H2, H3): Think of these as signposts. Use them to break up your content logically. It’s like giving AI (and your readers) a clear map of your article.
- Answer Questions Directly (Especially in FAQs): If you’re tackling a common question, give the answer upfront and clearly. This makes your content perfect for those quick “featured snippets” in Google and direct answers from AI.
- Lists are Your Besties: Bullet points and numbered lists are super easy for brains (human and AI) to digest. Use them for steps, features, benefits – anything that’s a list!
- Speak AI’s Language with Schema: This is a bit techy but totally worth it. Schema markup is like giving AI a cheat sheet about your content. You’re telling it, “Hey, this is a recipe!” or “This is an FAQ section!” It helps AI really understand what your content means.
- Table of Contents for Long Reads: If you’ve got a marathon article, a table of contents at the top helps both users and AI quickly see everything you cover.
Step 3: Fine-Tune for Those Smart AI Models
These points lean a bit more towards what AI specifically likes, though they still help with traditional SEO.
- Chatty & Natural Language: Write like you’re talking to a friend (or a smart robot friend!). AI models are trained on real human conversations, so natural, conversational language is easier for them to process and understand.
- Solve the Problem, Don’t Just Keyword Stuff: Forget just jamming in keywords. Think about what the user really wants when they type something in. Are they trying to buy something? Learn something? Your content should deliver on that underlying intent.
- Spice Up Your Vocabulary: Don’t just repeat the same few words. Use synonyms and related concepts. AI understands relationships between words, so a rich, varied vocabulary actually helps it grasp your meaning better.
- Beyond Just Text (Optimize Everything!): AI is getting smarter about images, videos, and even audio.
- Images: Use high-quality, relevant pictures. Crucially, add descriptive alt text so AI knows what’s in the image.
- Videos: If you have videos, make sure they have good transcripts. AI can learn a lot from video content.
- Link Up Your Content: Make sure your articles link to each other where it makes sense. This helps AI (and Google’s crawlers) understand how all your content fits together and shows your site’s overall authority on a topic.
Step 4: Don’t Forget the Basics (They’re Still Key!)
These are the non-negotiables for any website.
- Speedy & Mobile-Friendly: Your site needs to load fast and look great on phones. Slow sites are annoying for humans and a red flag for all search engines.
- Easy to “Read” for Bots: Make sure search engines and AI bots can easily crawl and index your site. Double-check your robots.txt and sitemaps. You want them to find you!
- Clean Code: Keep your website’s underlying code tidy. AI models prefer clean, well-structured HTML that’s simple to understand.
- Secure Site (HTTPS): Make sure your site uses HTTPS. It’s a fundamental sign of trust and security that both traditional search and AI models look for.
The Bottom Line…
By focusing on these 4 steps, you’ll build content that not only ranks well in those familiar Google search results but also positions you perfectly to be discovered and cited by the ever-evolving world of AI search. It’s all about being helpful, trustworthy, and organized – qualities that both machines and people can really get behind!
📞 Ready to stop guessing and start growing?
Contact Hammersmith Support we’ll make sure your business gets seen by both curious humans and sophisticated AI.