Optimising content for the AI era: Finding your depth
AI is definitely shaking up search engine optimisation, but honestly? A lot of the fundamentals haven’t changed as much as the hype would have you believe. The trick is knowing what’s changed, but – just as importantly – what hasn’t.
What's changed?
Google’s AI models are quickly getting better at parsing context, intent, and semantic relationships. This means that search is more conversational and users are expecting more in-depth, tailored content. Zero-click searches are on the rise as Google generates an AI summary, which means a lot of users don’t click through to an actual website to answer their query.
Long-tail keywords, which used to be largely ignored in a lot of SEO strategies, could now help you gain relevance for specific queries. So don’t be afraid to niche down into certain areas if you really specialise. Depth is good. Depth shows you know your stuff and aren’t churning out regurgitated content that adds no value. Depth is useful.
What hasn't changed?
What hasn’t changed is the fact that content should still demonstrate E-E-A-T: standing for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Where users do click through to a website, reputable sources are still shown at the top of the page or in a link recommended by the AI summary.
That means it’s still worth your while trying to create genuinely, useful, sharable, and well-structured content that will answer common questions. It’s also worth aiming to get pride of place in:
- Featured Snippets
- Knowledge Panels
- People Also Ask boxes
- Google Business Profiles
And AI summaries in general. That means answering questions as clearly and accurately as you can.
The cheat sheet for content in the AI era
In short: focus on clarity, robust content structure, and providing high-quality information that can be easily accessed by AI models. The basic stuff still appplies, including using clear language, proper headings, short paragraphs, and relevant keywords. Keeping content both comprehensive and current also matters, so don’t be afraid to revisit and freshen up any old yet quality content. And don’t be afraid to get deep with your knowledge, because that can help your people find you in a world flooded with generic info.
As always, I can help with all of the above.
