SEO Tactics for Algorithm-Driven Search Results

I tested dozens of AI SEO tactics and found 7 that actually work. Implemented on a client site, these strategies drove 2300% more AI traffic… And got them appearing in 90 keywords in AI Overviews (from 0): #1: TARGET CONVERSATIONAL QUERIES Traditional keywords don't trigger AI Overviews like conversational queries do. Traditional: "15-minute home workout" (no AI Overview) Conversational: "What's a quick 15-minute workout I can do at home without equipment?" (triggers AI Overview) Use Google's "People Also Ask" section to find these conversational queries. Add these exact questions as H2s, then answer them directly. #2: STRUCTURE WITH CLEAR HEADINGS AI loves content it can easily scan and understand. Use this exact heading hierarchy: - ONE H1 that states the topic clearly - H2s for major sections/questions - H3s for sub-points within sections #3: BE DIRECT & CONCISE AI will ignore #1 ranking sites in favor of lower-ranking pages with clearer writing. Vague, metaphorical language entertains humans but confuses AI. Direct, factual statements get featured in AI Overviews. #4: ADD SUMMARY SECTIONS FOR EASY EXTRACTION AI loves content that summarizes key points upfront. Add either: - A brief TL;DR summary (2-3 sentences) - A bullet-point "Key Takeaways" section Place them at the beginning of articles. This makes it easy for AI to extract your main points without crawling the entire page. #5: MONITOR YOUR BRAND ACROSS AI PLATFORMS AI often describes your brand differently than you'd expect. Use these exact prompts in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot: "What can you tell me about [your brand]?" "What does [your brand] do?" Check if the descriptions are accurate. If you find discrepancies, fix them by: - Updating your About Us and FAQ pages - Claiming and updating Google Business Profile, Yelp, LinkedIn and Trustpilot listings - Making your brand description consistent across all platforms AI pulls from these sources directly to form its opinion of you. #6: DEMONSTRATE AUTHORITY WITH REAL EXPERTISE AI prioritizes content from trusted sources. Add these specific trust signals: - Expert author bios with credentials - Case studies with real data - Industry certifications displayed prominently - Citations from reputable sources #7: COLLECT AND SHOWCASE REVIEWS We did a single-variable test on a law firm site stuck in rankings for months. The ONLY change we made was adding Google Reviews. Result: Immediate ranking improvements in both traditional AND AI search. Display reviews prominently on your site. Then actively engage with all user content: - Respond to comments (even negative ones) - Answer questions on forums - Engage with social mentions AI sees this as proof of legitimacy.

AI search is already deciding which early stage tech companies get seen and most are completely invisible inside it (even with solid SEO) I've been testing AI visibility strategies with B2B SaaS startups over the past year. What I've learned: Traditional SEO metrics tell you very little about whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Overviews will surface your brand. The gap between what founders think works and what actually gets cited is massive. Here's the framework I've found that consistently moves the needle: 𝟭. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 AI evaluates content using E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust. Of these four, trust matters most. What this looks like in practice: → Include detailed author bios with specific credentials → Share first-hand experience with real outcomes → Support every claim with verifiable sources → Update content regularly (53% of ChatGPT citations come from content updated in the last 6 months) 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 Over 72% of first-page results use schema markup. AI systems need structured data to understand your content. The tactical approach: → Implement JSON-LD schema markup → Use logical heading hierarchies (H1/H2/H3) → Break content into short, scannable paragraphs → Create standalone quotable statements with specific data 𝟯. 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 Searches containing 5+ words grew 1.5× faster than shorter queries in 2023-2024. AI chat interactions last 66% longer than traditional searches because users are asking complete, conversational questions. How to adapt: → Research "People Also Ask" questions in your space → Target long-tail, question-based queries → Structure answers as standalone responses → Use conversational, clear language 𝟰. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘀 Content over 3,000 words generates 3× more traffic than shorter pieces. Featured snippets have a 42.9% clickthrough rate, and 40.7% of voice search answers come from them. The formats that work: → Comparison articles with modular sections → Detailed listicles (2,300+ words for voice search) → FAQ sections with direct answers → Data-rich content with clear statistics 𝟱. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗘𝗢 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 Traditional SEO metrics show weak correlation with AI citations. You need specialized Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tools. What to track: → Brand mentions across AI platforms → Citation rates in ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews → Share of voice for key queries → Sentiment in AI-generated responses This isn't about abandoning SEO. It's about expanding your visibility strategy to include the platforms where your buyers are already searching. Repost this ♻️ if you found it helpful! P.S. If you're a technical founder trying to get visible in AI search, start with this 5-st

If you’re leading SEO in 2026, here’s a practical playbook I’m seeing work: simple, repeatable, and measurable. 1. Measure total search visibility (not just rankings) Track where your brand appears across classic SERPs and AI answers. If you’re not measuring mentions, citations, and referenced pages, you’re flying blind. 2. Establish an AI visibility baseline Before optimizing, benchmark how often AI tools mention you vs competitors. You need a starting point to prove progress. 3. Study who AI already trusts Look at competitors that get cited consistently. Reverse-engineer: – Topics they own – How their answers are structured – Why AI prefers them 4. Research prompts, not just keywords People don’t “search” in AI, they ask. Map real questions users ask AI and identify: – Intent – Difficulty – Brands mentioned This replaces classic keyword research for many use cases. 5. Monitor brand sentiment inside AI answers AI doesn’t just mention brands, it frames them. Track how your brand is described: – Strengths highlighted – Weaknesses repeated – Narratives forming over time 6. Create content designed to be cited This is where most content fails. Winning formats: – Direct answers first – Clear definitions – Tables, FAQs, structured sections – Claims backed by data or examples If AI can’t extract the answer easily, it won’t reference you. 7. Track high-value prompts continuously Treat prompts like keywords with intent. Monitor when you gain or lose visibility so you can react early. 8. Audit your site for AI accessibility Check for: – Blocked AI crawlers – Weak internal linking – Missing or broken structured data – Pages AI can’t parse properly Technical SEO now directly impacts AI visibility. 9. Report SEO + AI together One dashboard. One story. Include: – AI mentions growth – Traditional rankings – Traffic impact – Competitive share – ROI If leadership only sees SEO or AI separately, you’ll underinvest in both: AI search isn’t replacing SEO. It’s raising the bar. The teams that win won’t chase tricks. They’ll build systems that make their expertise easy to understand, easy to trust, and easy to reuse. And this is where tooling matters. Platforms like Semrush make this transition practical: combining classic visibility metrics, competitive research, content structure insights, and technical audits into one workflow. Not to “game” AI, but to understand where you’re trusted, where you’re invisible, and what to fix first.

We interviewed Kevin Indig recently on how Google is shifting traffic to AI Overviews (AIOs) recently and the takeaway’s clear: AIOs are reshaping click-through rates, ranking factors, and long-tail visibility to the point that the old SEO playbook just won’t cut it. The ground is changing fast under our feet: → AI Overviews are dominating search. Correlation between ranking and AIO citations is 0.65—3x stronger than domain authority alone. → Click-through rates are dropping. → Long-tail queries are being answered directly by AI, skipping your links entirely. 30% of marketers report traffic loss as AI engines pull users away from classic search results. That’s why today winning teams are: 1. Publishing AI-optimized content in static HTML (avoid dynamic JS) 2. Delivering deep, owned insights that answer real user intent 3. Earning citations through original, high-authority content, often with proprietary first and 3rd party data One AirOps customer, previously hit hard by traffic decline, pivoted fast with an AI-focused strategy—and saw a 130% lift in CTR in just six weeks. The plan teams are using to stay ahead of the curve: → Audit your content for AI-readiness: clarity, depth, and structured answers → Use schema markup and formats built for AIOs and voice search → Prioritize unique POVs that are worth citing → Stay nimble—adaptation is the real moat We’re just scratching the surface of what AI search means for content visibility, ranking, and click-throughs. Drop a comment below if you’re seeing the same shift.

How AI improved rankings for 73% of 500 pages in 60 days without backlinks. AI-driven optimization of entity relationships across 500 pages resulted in ranking improvements for 73% of pages within 60 days. No new backlinks, purely enhanced semantic signals. Here's the framework: What is Entity SEO? Entities are people, places, things, concepts. Not keywords, but actual subjects. Connected in knowledge graphs. How Google understands context. Example: "Apple" could mean fruit, company, or record label. Entity optimization helps Google understand which one. Why Entity Optimization Matters Google's shift: From keyword matching to semantic understanding, from strings to things, from pages to knowledge graphs. Entity relationships signal topical authority. Better entity coverage equals better rankings. The 6-Step System Entity extraction, relationship analysis, gap identification, content enhancement, schema implementation, performance monitoring. Step 1: Entity Extraction Use Google Natural Language API or ChatGPT. Feed article text to AI, extract all entities, classify by type and salience score, map relationships. Output: Entity map showing what Google "sees." Step 2: Relationship Analysis Ask AI: "For topic [keyword], what entities are typically related? Provide core entities, supporting entities, related entities." AI uses knowledge graph data to suggest connections. Step 3: Gap Identification Compare your content versus competitors. Extract entities from top 10 ranking pages, identify entities you're missing, find weak relationships, spot under-covered concepts. Real Example Topic: "Email marketing automation" Entities we were missing: Specific tools (Mailchimp, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign), related concepts (lead scoring, segmentation, drip campaigns), industry standards (GDPR, CAN-SPAM). Added these and ranking improved from position 12 to position 4 in 45 days. Step 4: Content Enhancement AI prompt: "Enhance this section to include [entity] and its relationship to [primary topic]. Maintain natural flow. Add 150-200 words." Guidelines: Don't force entities unnaturally, explain relationships clearly, use entities in context. Entity Density Formula Optimal per 2,000 words: Primary entities 8-12 mentions, secondary entities 4-6 mentions, tertiary entities 2-3 mentions. Too few equals weak signals. Too many equals keyword stuffing. Step 5: Schema Markup Connect entities with structured data. Key types: Article schema, FAQ schema, HowTo schema, Organization schema, Person schema. AI can generate schema code automatically. Step 6: Performance Monitoring Track: Rankings for entity-related queries, featured snippet wins, knowledge panel appearances, "People also ask" coverage. AI-powered entity optimization helps Google understand your content better, improves rankings without new backlinks, strengthens topical authority. Are you optimizing for entities or still stuck on keywords?

SEO isn’t “dead” or  broken. (The definition of search changed) SEO isn't just about keywords and backlinks anymore. Search now happens across multiple engines, AI systems, and user behaviours. Traditional SEO still matters: Google alone processes 8.5B searches/day. But if you're only optimizing for traditional search, You're missing out on real visibility (aka revenue) opportunity. Because in 2025, search lives across 4 layers: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Layer 1: SXO - Search Experience Optimisation ↳ Turn clicks into conversions with UX that actually works. Best practices: - Optimise page speed for sub-2 second loads - Design mobile-first experiences (60% of searches are mobile) - Align your content with user intent - Test your conversion funnels ruthlessly - Track dwell time and scroll depth, not just rankings Layer 2: AIO (AI Optimisation) ↳ Scale visibility with AI-powered content systems. Best practices: - Automate internal linking strategies - Use AI for content drafting and optimisation at scale - Create content templates that maintain quality across volume - Implement AI-powered site audits for continuous optimisation - Build systems for multi-format content repurposing Layer 3: GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) ↳ Be cited by AI in summaries and retrieval-based answers. Best practices: - Publish factual, data-backed content that AI systems trust - Create comprehensive industry studies and original research - Build topical authority through consistent, expert-level content - Structure information in formats AI can easily extract and cite - Focus on being the definitive source on specific topics Layer 4: AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) ↳ Get chosen by AI overviews and zero-click answers. Best practices: - Structure content with clear questions as headers - Lead every section with one-sentence answers AI can extract - Implement schema markup (FAQ, How-To, Q&A structured data) - Target question-based keywords people ask voice assistants - Create content that directly matches how people prompt AI systems - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you've noticed your SEO stalling, The answer might be in what you're lacking... Not in what you're doing wrong. If you want your site analysed, fixed, and optimised 24/7, Searchable automates all four layers (end to end). It’s designed to: - Show where your brand is visible (Google + AI search) - Automatically optimise for all search environments - Turn visibility into clicks and revenue So you can prepare for the new era of search, without burning yourself out. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/djHykzsY ♻️ Repost to help your network prepare for AI search Follow me Emilia Möller for AI search tips and frameworks.

AI search is rapidly changing how content gets discovered. To stay visible, the foundation still matters. Before chasing complex strategies, strengthen the basics that help your content show up in LLM-powered results. Start here: ✔️ Right Topic: Focus on high-value queries your audience actively searches for. ✔️ Right Format: Comparative, structured content performs best for AI and readers. ✔️ Clean Metadata: Keep authors, publication dates, H1s, and meta descriptions current. ✔️ Strong Opening: Speak to your persona’s pain point and define your product category early. ✔️ Readable Structure: Use lists and tables that LLMs and humans can both interpret easily. ✔️ FAQ Section: Close with specific answers to likely follow-up questions. ✔️ Competitor Mentions: Add them neutrally to improve credibility. ✔️ Trusted Links: Reference G2, Gartner, or Capterra to back your claims. ✔️ Real Stories: Include customer outcomes and ROI data to strengthen authority. AI search rewards clarity, structure, and authenticity; not volume. Curious how visible your brand is in AI search today? Reach out for an AI SEO Visibility Report and see where you stand.

SEO is shifting under our feet. For years, the playbook was simple: optimise for page 1 rankings, fight for clicks, measure traffic. But buyers don’t browse the same way anymore. They’re asking AI tools for direct answers, and getting them. Google’s Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, even Bing. They’re not serving links, they’re serving summaries. Traditional SEO = earn visibility on results pages Answer-Engine Optimisation (AEO) = position your content so search engines (and AI tools) choose you as the answer Why? Because the “10 blue links” era is fading. How to adapt: 1. Answer questions directly – structure content in a Q&A style. 2. Think entities, not keywords – context and meaning matter more than exact matches. 3. Build authority signals – AI wants trusted sources: backlinks, reviews, named experts. 4. Mix depth with clarity – long-form guides + short, snappy explanations. We’re not abandoning SEO, it’s evolving. The winners will be those who optimise for both humans and machines. Curious: has your business started planning for AEO yet, or are you still doubling down on the old SEO model?

6 key takeaways from my "AI Search" episode of Ahrefs Podcast with Ryan Law: (...where we discussed insights from over a dozen data studies our team ran this year...) ▪️ 1. Off-page SEO is back (but not backlinks). The strongest correlation we found for appearing in AI Overviews? - Branded web mentions. Our research showed a 0.67 correlation between how often a brand is mentioned across the web and its visibility in AI search. AI models learn what your brand is about based on how others talk about you. Mentions on Reddit, Quora, G2, and industry blogs is what drives your visibility in AI search. ▪️ 2. AI chatbots don't just "Google" your question. Only 12% of the links cited by ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot appear in the top 10 Google results for the same query. That’s because AI chatbots use “fan-out queries” — they break your prompt into multiple, more specific searches. This means you no longer have to mirror the consensus of top-ranking pages all the time. Having a unique point of view can actually get you cited by AI. ▪️ 3. AI prefers fresh content (way more than Google). Our research on 17 million citations showed that ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini heavily favor newer pages. Likely because users ask about topics not yet in the training data, forcing AIs to fetch newer sources. ▪️ 4. Watch out for hallucinated URLs. When we checked our own analytics, we found almost 4% of all visits from LLMs went to pages that don't exist. Things like "ahrefs.com/keywords" — a URL that seems logical but isn't real. You should monitor for these hallucinated 404s (we have a one-click filter in Ahrefs' Web Analytics) and redirect them to the nearest alternative. The chances are, you might get some highly relevant traffic out of it. ▪️ 5. Find your "entity gaps". LLMs understand your brand through “co-mentions” — what topics and products you’re mentioned alongside arond the web. If your competitors are frequently mentioned in discussions about “school backpacks” but you’re not, AI assumes you’re irrelevant. Use tools like Ahrefs' Brand Radar to find and fill those missing associations. ▪️ 6. Stop obsessing over "AI-formatted" content. We're already seeing people publish 20,000-word, markdown-formatted, AI-generated pages with no images or links, purely for LLM ingestion. And that can actually get you cited. For now. But if a user clicks through to that spammy, unreadable mess, what have you gained? Good AEO tactics should also be good for users. If a tactic only works for robots, it's probably not a good long-term strategy. ... Check out the full episode: https://lnkd.in/gREaW6Fg All 46 minutes of it are well worth your time. I promise!

People don't search the way they used to. They're not opening 7 tabs anymore. They're asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude. Getting an answer. Asking a follow-up. Going deeper. And here's the thing: 95% of B2B buyers will use AI tools during their purchasing journey this year. AI is reshaping your brand story right now. The question isn't whether it's happening. It's whether you're guiding it, or letting AI make it up. Here’s what’s really happening: Research from Columbia University shows that leading AI models provide incorrect answers to over 60% of queries. If your site isn’t optimized for AI-driven search, you may not just be overlooked – you might be misrepresented entirely. But here’s the upside: visitors from AI-driven search are 4.4x to 23x more likely to convert than those from traditional SEO. The traffic volume is lower, but these visitors are incredibly qualified. Brands that act now will secure their position in AI search results. What can you do? 1. Prioritize content structure for AI Use clear heading hierarchies (H1, H2, H3). Provide direct, concise answers up front. Create topic clusters with one main piece supported by 5-10 related articles. 2. Focus on answering real questions Understand what your audience is asking. Address queries like “What is…?”, “How does…?”, or “Best tool for…”. Add detailed FAQs to your pages. 3. Get your technical setup in order Implement Schema markup (FAQ, Article, HowTo). Ensure your site loads quickly (under 2.5 seconds). Make sure AI crawlers are allowed in your robots.txt file. 4. Build authority in the right places Engage on platforms like Reddit, Quora, or LinkedIn. Publish original research. Include quotes from industry experts. Regularly update your content with timestamps to show relevance. 5. Test how AI sees your brand Search for your brand on tools like ChatGPT (in web browsing mode) and Perplexity. Review Google’s AI Overviews. Assess where your competitors show up in these spaces. Quick actions to take today: - Add FAQ schema to your key pages - Create an industry, persona specific pages - Start participating in niche conversations on Reddit or Quora - Refresh your top 5 pages with clear structure and updates - Display “Last Updated” dates on all content The landscape is shifting fast. And most of your competitors haven’t caught on yet. Every day you delay is another opportunity for machines to write your story – or worse, your competitor’s. What’s your biggest challenge with AI search right now? #AI #SEO #B2BMarketing #DigitalStrategy