Search is changing. With the rise of AI-powered search engines and generative assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), and Microsoft Copilot, the way people find information online is fundamentally evolving. Traditional search engines aren’t going away, but the interface, the format of results, and the expectations of users are all shifting.
For SEO marketers, this means adapting strategies to stay visible in these new AI-driven environments. While the core principles of SEO—quality content, technical health, and authority—still matter, they now need to work hand in hand with new tactics that make your brand discoverable by machines designed to synthesise and summarise information rather than just list it.
If you’re wondering how to make your brand show up in AI search results, this SEO OPrguide will walk you through what’s changing and how you can future-proof your SEO strategy.
How Does AI Search Work
Before diving into tactics, it’s helpful to understand what makes AI search different. Unlike traditional search engines, which display a list of blue links based on keyword matches and link authority, AI search engines aim to answer questions directly. They often pull together information from multiple sources to generate summaries, insights, or conversational responses.
Instead of just returning the top 10 websites for “best running shoes,” an AI assistant might generate a paragraph explaining the best options based on comfort, performance, and budget, referencing various brands and review sites. In this model, the visibility you’re used to—ranking in the top spot—may be replaced with being mentioned in a generated answer.
This is a different kind of SEO. You’re no longer just trying to win a ranking; you’re trying to earn inclusion in an AI’s summary or citation. That changes how content needs to be created, structured, and distributed.
Focus on Topical Authority, Not Just Keywords
In AI-driven search, keyword stuffing and narrow targeting just won’t cut it. AI models prioritise sources that show a deep understanding of a subject area. That means your site should aim to become a topical authority—someone who doesn’t just dabble in a subject but covers it comprehensively and insightfully.
If your brand is in the skincare space, for example, don’t just publish content about moisturisers and sunscreens. Build out detailed guides, research-backed posts, tutorials, and reviews that cover a wide range of related topics: ingredients, skin types, dermatology trends, and product comparisons. AI models are trained to identify reliable sources, and that often means sites that demonstrate consistent depth and breadth of expertise.
This also means you should think more like a publisher than a keyword chaser. What are the big questions people are asking in your niche? What are the nuanced subtopics that only an expert would cover? Addressing those will give AI models more reason to reference your site.
Make Your Content AI-Friendly
Traditional SEO focuses heavily on optimising for human readers and search engine crawlers. But AI search is different—it’s trained on large datasets and uses natural language understanding to extract meaning from your content. That means your writing style, structure, and clarity all matter.
To be AI-friendly, your content should be factually clear, well-structured, and easy to parse. Use plain language, write in full sentences, and include definitions, comparisons, and real examples. Avoid vague or overly promotional language that lacks substance. If you’re stating a fact or statistic, cite your source clearly. AI models are more likely to pull from content that reads like a helpful, balanced answer than from content that sounds like a sales pitch.
Formatting helps, too. Use clear headings and logical paragraph structure. While AI can handle unstructured text, it’s far more likely to extract useful summaries from content that’s well-organised. For example, including a short summary at the beginning or end of a page, answering a specific question, or providing a concise product overview can increase the chances of being used in AI-generated snippets.
Create Structured and Context-Rich Data
Another way to increase your visibility in AI search is to make your site’s data more digestible to machines. Structured data, like Schema markup, helps search engines and AI models understand what your content is about and how it relates to other information on the web.
By using Schema, you can mark up your articles, products, reviews, FAQs, and business information in a way that’s machine-readable. This helps AI models identify key details quickly—like your product specs, review scores, event dates, and author information. But structure isn’t just about code. Context matters too. Surround your content with relevant internal links, related articles, and clarifying explanations. For example, if you mention a product, explain what it is, how it’s used, and why it’s relevant. AI systems are more likely to cite content that’s complete and self-contained, especially when it answers the user’s question in full.
Earn Mentions and Citations from Other Sources
While your own site is your primary asset, AI models don’t just pull from brand websites—they also look at third-party mentions. If your brand is featured in news articles, review sites, industry blogs, or trusted directories, it increases the likelihood that an AI will consider your business a reputable source.
This is where digital PR, influencer marketing, and thought leadership can support your SEO strategy. Getting quoted in articles, publishing research or whitepapers, participating in expert roundups, or appearing on podcasts can all generate valuable signals for AI. These mentions act as endorsements in the machine-learning world, and they help reinforce your authority.
Unlike traditional backlinks, which pass SEO equity to improve rankings, citations in AI search serve as credibility markers. If multiple sources mention your brand in a helpful, factual context, AI models are more likely to reference you when constructing answers.
Optimise for Branded Search and Long-Tail Queries
Even as search becomes more conversational and AI-driven, users still search for brands by name. This is where branded search becomes an important signal. The more people search for your brand, the more likely AI models are to recognise it as a notable entity. Encourage branded search by building awareness through campaigns, social media, partnerships, and PR. When people search for “[your brand] reviews,” “[your brand] vs competitor,” or “[your brand] how to use,” they’re reinforcing your brand’s relevance in specific contexts—contexts that AI models take into account.
Additionally, long-tail queries—specific, nuanced questions—are often where AI shines. You can win in this space by creating content that directly addresses these kinds of questions. Think “How does [product] compare to [competitor]?” or “What’s the best [solution] for [specific use case]?” These pages may not always rank #1 in traditional search, but they’re extremely valuable for inclusion in AI-generated responses.
Think Beyond Google
While Google remains the dominant search engine, AI-powered search is broader than that. Bing’s integration with GPT models, OpenAI’s ChatGPT browsing features, Perplexity’s citation engine, and even voice assistants like Alexa and Siri are all potential touchpoints.
Your goal should be to make your brand discoverable wherever people ask questions. That includes optimising for voice search by using natural, conversational phrasing in your content. It also means tracking new AI products as they launch and ensuring your content is indexable and useful in those environments. Some platforms, like Perplexity.ai, directly cite sources in their answers. Getting mentioned there can drive traffic and credibility. Staying aware of how these tools operate—and adjusting your strategy accordingly—can give you a competitive edge as AI search continues to evolve.
Final Thoughts
For SEO marketers, AI Search represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The old playbook of chasing keywords and backlinks isn’t enough anymore. Success in AI search requires deeper authority, clearer content, and a strategy that prioritises trust, relevance, and user value.
Brands that adapt early will have the advantage. In this new world, the question isn’t just “How do I rank?”—it’s “How do I earn a place in the conversation?” And that’s what the future of SEO is really all about.