Websites that are well optimised for search engines have a significant head start. After all, search engines also need machine-readable code.

People don’t notice if the hierarchy of headings is incorrect or if a text has the wrong content attribute. A machine needs this information to be able to process the content. 

If a website is not easily readable by AI agents, the information can either not be captured at all or only partially. Websites that are difficult to read are unlikely to feature in the AI agents’ responses. 

Present content in such a way that AI agents can make sense of it

AI systems need clear, concise statements. Clarity takes precedence over style: AI systems treat text as a data set, not as a story.

The post Checklists for AI optimisation of websites has first been published on start the loop_.

In future, however, it will not only be humans but also AI agents that browse websites. The person who sent the agent into action only comes into the picture later – once the AI agent has examined the website and deemed it relevant. Only once this hurdle has been cleared does the website have a chance of communicating with a human.

Why fewer people will visit your website

AI systems are the interface through which we will communicate with software in the future. Whereas five years ago you still had to understand the rules by which Photoshop operates in order to edit an image, today you simply come up with a prompt and the software delivers a result.  

The same applies to searching online. In the past, you would type in a few keywords, let the search engines look for them, and then work your way through the list of search results. Nowadays, you type a question into the AI window in your browser. The AI agent comes back with an answer.

When it lists the sources from which it has obtained his information, it is a very short list. This is because the AI agent has filtered out the majority of its search results during its research. What we get is a heavily pre-filtered summary. And we just have to hope that we aren’t missing anything important.

If you want to be found, you have to make yourself visible 

Many websites are not well readable by AI agents. Information may either not be captured at all or only partially. These websites remain invisible; they will not appear in the AI agents’ responses. 

People are forgiving of structural shortcomings; they don’t notice if the hierarchy of headings is incorrect or if a text has the wrong content attribute. Machines need machine-readable code; they cannot make sense of unstructured content. AI agents filter out anything they cannot read. 

Don’t forget the content

However, it is not just the technical optimisation that matters; content also plays a role. This has always been the case, but now that AI agents can actually read, this aspect has become even more important for a website’s ranking and visibility.

People scan two or three pages and read around 400 words; AI bots read EVERYTHING. People might patiently work their way through complex sentences, whilst AI bots expect clear, concise statements and filter out texts that do not get to the point. Easily digestible content formats such as definitions, comparison tables and instructions are more important than ever.

We need both: people and AI agents

Once again, people are at the heart of this journey. They may not have found their own way here – the AI agent led them here – but they are the ones who make decisions and interact. So we’re still building websites for people. 

The post An AI-readable website – why is this important? has first been published on start the loop_.

A website which performs well for search engines and whose structure and technical aspects are sound has a clear head start in the age of AI. The fact that websites must be machine-readable is nothing new. Seen in this light, GEO is not a replacement for traditional search engine optimisation; it is more of an extension. There is a great deal of overlap, as AI systems also require technically accessible, indexable content in order to read and evaluate websites.

Texts Take on a Different Meaning

Since AI systems “read” entire texts, it is no longer enough to simply place the right keywords strategically. Contextual connections and the structure of the text are becoming more important.

Headings should contain specific statements. It must be clear what the following text is about. Clear statements are better than flowery phrasing.

AI systems look for definitions and key takeaways. The goal here should be to write concisely, precisely, and in a way that’s easy to quote. Consistent terminology is also important. The product, service, or topic should always be referred to by the same name.

Whenever possible, use numbers and content formats that are easy to quote, such as definitions, comparisons, FAQs, or step-by-step instructions.

The SEO rules still apply, but with AI systems, the focus is shifting

Where to start: Check your SEO status

Checking the state of a website’s SEO optimisation is a good place to start. In my experience, Yoast SEO Checker is a good tool for this. It quickly provides an overview of a website’s SEO status. Google’s PageSpeed Insights also assesses SEO status by assigning a score.

The Yoast SEO Checker provides detailed guidance on areas that could be improved. Common issues include HTML errors, insufficient internal linking or missing meta information.

The post GEO and SEO – what’s the difference? has first been published on start the loop_.