ARTICLES
“If you want to get your company mentioned in an AI search, you need to stop producing ‘non-commodity’ content.”
Is your website’s organic traffic way down? You’re not alone. AI has changed the way people search for and find information online. Google searches are now powered by its AI Mode and AI Overviews. And when AI provides search results, they’re usually summaries of information that it has found online, rather than clear source attribution. This makes it significantly more difficult for you (and everyone else) to get your company found by AI, or to have your website cited as a source.
Now, Google wants to change that. They just rolled out five new updates to make their AI-powered searches more helpful and informative, including inline citations, hover previews, and improved source attribution. (Digital marketing guru Neil Patel does an excellent job of breaking down the five updates and the opportunities they offer businesses who want to get found and cited in AI searches.)
However, these changes do not mean your company’s website will automatically get found and cited in a Google/AI search. According to Google, if you want to get your company mentioned in an AI search, you need to stop producing “non-commodity” content. The new Google updates favor “news publishers,” which means it’s looking for information that’s authoritative, informational, and helpful.
You see the irony here, right? If your website is full of AI-generated generic content, your company is less likely to get found or cited in an AI search. An SEO schema and a few keywords won’t help that “20 Best Landscaping Ideas” blog or your “Top 10 New Pool Designs” article show up in an online search if your content resembles information anyone can find in hundreds of similar blogs online.
So, what type of content gets found by AI? Here are just a few examples of the types of content your company should be producing (if it isn’t already).
Blogs still generate traffic and sales leads, and SEO is still relevant. However, your blog should provide content that isn’t easily found somewhere else. Your company’s subject matter experts should officially “author” your blogs and provide first-hand experience when possible. Forget catchy, clever headings and subheadings. Use clear, descriptive headings that can help your potential customers find answers to the questions they’re asking in AI searches.
For example, one of our Power Marketing clients engineers industrial air filtration and clean-air workstations for the military, aerospace/aviation manufacturers, and other industrial operations.
Their customers, often facility managers and environmental health engineers, may be searching Google to ask:
The answers to these questions are in a helpful, authoritative blog about ISO clean room classification. Think blogs don’t work? Our client recently closed a new sale, and the lead came from the ISO classification blog. And it was written long before ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI tools became the default way to write content. There are no catchy headings or clever quips in the blog. There are clear, direct headings related to the types of ISO classification, including helpful charts with data provided by the company’s lead engineer.
Neil Patel cites Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) as key indicators of content quality that is more likely to be found/cited in an AI search. Case studies are a great way to provide trustworthy content that demonstrates your company’s experience and expertise.
Your sales team and technical subject matter experts are an excellent source for case studies. This doesn’t mean they actually have to write them. But they should be able to provide you with the data and an overview of the situation for each client project.
A typical case study might break down like this:
White papers are educational content resources that are more comprehensive and lengthy than a typical case study. A white paper is often considered a “high value asset” or HVA in digital marketing, because potential customers are more likely to download it (and hopefully provide their contact information in an online form to get it).
White papers often do a deep dive into a particular industry challenge or problem that’s a high priority for a specific customer base, such as manufacturers looking to address their clean-air compliance challenges at their industrial facilities. This means it’s a great way to increase your company’s relevant expertise, which is key to getting found in AI searches.
A white paper should be authored by one of your company’s subject matter experts on the topic, who can accurately provide technical information or data related to the topic. However, your company’s sales team or technical experts (engineers, project managers, etc.) are likely too busy to write a lengthy white paper. Consider consolidating your case studies into a single comprehensive white paper. Then you can have your subject matter experts review the white paper for accuracy.
FAQs are one of the best ways to answer questions that potential customers are asking Google and AI. This is the case whether you’re a manufacturer, a new home builder, an HVAC services company, or a trucking operation.
Creating FAQs on your website shouldn’t be rocket science. Simply provide the most common questions (and answers) that potential customers are asking when they call or email your company, or when they fill out RFQs or contact forms. Much of this information may already be on your company’s website, which can be repurposed into more easily digestible (and more AI-searchable) information.
Additional resources that can help your company get found by a Google/AI search include:
One of the new Google updates includes improved attribution when referencing social content. According to Neil Patel’s recent overview of these updates, Google’s AI Mode may include displaying the content creator’s company names or profile handles alongside links, providing more clarity on who created the social post.
If you’re not including social media in your digital marketing efforts, you may be missing an opportunity to increase your company’s chances of getting found/cited in an AI search. Your social posts should provide useful, helpful (and compelling) information, such as links to your blogs, case studies, white papers, or even videos.
Videos, such as product demonstrations, how-to tutorials, and customer testimonials, are also a great way to increase your company’s EEAT for improved AI search visibility.
Need help attracting and converting more new customers? Your content marketing is a great place to start. Whether you’re targeting homeowners, contractors, or supply chain decision-makers, Power Marketing can create and promote content that helps buyers find your company, builds trust in your brand, and moves buyers through your sales funnel.
From B2B content that helps solve your customers’ challenges to B2C marketing that uses emotion-driven messaging, your content should speak your buyer’s language and earn their trust.
Contact us or call us at 301-416-7861 to learn how we can help you use marketing content to make your brand not only more searchable, but also recommended, cited, and visible in AI responses.