By now, we’ve all experienced it - AI has changed the way modern web users find answers to their questions. From AI mode to search summaries, people are accessing content differently.
In this blog post, I’ll dive into some of the ways TKG is leaning into this new normal and strategies your businesses can take to succeed in the changing landscape.
Of course, take it with a grain of salt. AI programs and our recommendations could change tomorrow. We’re all in the same boat, navigating these changes in real time, so if you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Okay, let’s get into it.
If you can't beat them...
We know website users are getting answers to their questions in AI summaries and using AI chatbots as alternatives to traditional search engines. There’s no sense fighting against it, so we’re leaning in instead. By aligning our content strategies with these user behaviors, we can continue showing up in search engines and providing value to target audiences.
We can do this with:
- Early-funnel content designed to be the source AI pulls from in summaries and chats
- Mid- to bottom-funnel content to own the user journey once curiosity turns to intent
- Conversion-oriented product and service detail pages with strong calls to action
That’s all great, but what do those fancy terms really mean? Let’s take it a step further.
Position your content for the customer journey
To help make sure we’re getting content in front of relevant audiences, it’s important that we align content deliverables to corresponding stages in the customer journey (and monitor performance accordingly).
Top of funnel: zero-click content
AI pulls from the best information across the internet, and we can be what it summarizes.
How can we do that?
- Answer questions in the first one to two sentences – that means we need to be accurate, concise and clear
- Use structured formatting, including headings, bullet points, tables and lists for easy summarization
- Include statistics, insights or definitions that are citable and verifiable
- Don’t gate all the value (AI won’t fill out a form to see our content)
- Include authors and contributors to increase attribution likelihood (respected names in the industry will help with credibility)
Mid-funnel: thought leadership
AI summarizes the consensus that’s widely accepted and understood. Human audiences want a unique perspective.
How can we stand out?
- Draw on unique subject matter expertise that AI can't confidently summarize
- Use original data or customer stories that are not available to AI
- Lean into quotes, not just keywords, for memorable and attributable ideas
- Jump on new developments right away (AI may have a lag processing current events)
- Overcome known AI limitations by removing biases and showing diverse imagery and perspectives
Bottom of funnel: conversion ownership
AI can assist conversions, but only real companies can complete the conversion with products and services.
What sorts of content are we talking about?
- Create compelling product pages reinforced with multimedia
- Shine a light on your services and capabilities with clear calls to action
- Include social proof like testimonials, certifications and performance statistics
- Ensure a UX-optimized path to conversion with minimal friction
Use best practices to guide your content creation
Now, we’ve covered the strategy side of the coin, but how can we practically craft content to get it represented in AI summaries?
Structure content for AI
- Use schema markup to enhance visibility
- Provide semantic structure with subheadings (H2s/H3s)
- Lean on bullet points and lists to make content easy to summarize
Make attribution easy
- Include company and product names naturally in your content for easy attribution
- Sprinkle internal links throughout your content to help AI tie the content back to your core pillar pages
- Meet Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) expectation for priority rankings
Track performance
- Rather than fixating on organic traffic numbers, monitor zero-click content performance to get a full picture (you can do this by reviewing search appearance metrics in Google Console)
- Search your top focus keywords to see if your content is attributed in results (keep in mind, your search results may be a little biased)
- Track growth in direct traffic and branded searches to measure discoverability/brand awareness
Find a partner who can help
At TKG, our stance is pretty simple. We know AI is not a replacement for original human thought, but it is an important consideration for how we approach content going forward. By blending AI efficiency with nuanced human understanding, we can deliver content that reaches users and provides value - even if they don’t click through.
Contact TKG to set up some time to chat about your content strategy.