How to get ranked in AI search in 2026

If you’re creating content for any business, you know how important it is to get seen by potential customers. I’ve been in the content and search marketing game for over a decade, and I’ve been carefully tracking the single biggest shift our industry has faced.

In this guide, you’ll learn my complete AIO (AI Optimisation) strategies for creating web content that gets featured, cited, and trusted by generative AI engines.

TLDR:

• Master AI Search Optimisation (AIO) by changing your goal from "ranking #1" to becoming a citable, authoritative source for AI-generated answers.

• Focus heavily on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to prove your content's human-first value.

• Use structured data (Schema) to explicitly tell AI models what your content is about, who wrote it, and why it’s trustworthy.

• Build topical authority by focusing on "entities" (concepts) rather than just "keywords" (word strings).

• Structure your content for "extractability," using clear headings, lists, and tables that AI can easily parse and quote.

• Optimsze for conversational, long-tail questions that reflect how real users ask for information.

• Use a clear, simple writing style, as AI models prioritize content that is easy to understand and synthesize.

• Prepare for "Agentic AI" by structuring your service and product data for actions, not just information retrieval.

Essential AIO content writing tips:

• Know your subject matter inside out (E-E-A-T).

• Focus on benefits and answers, not just features.

• Use simple, clear language.

• Write for your target audience’s deepest questions.

• Use your credentials and author bios as social proof.

• Write compelling, question-based headlines.

• Use Schema markup to remove all ambiguity.

• Keep the text highly scannable and structured.

• Focus on your Topical Authority (your USP).

• Use visual aids (especially video transcripts).

• Use storytelling and first-person experience.

• Optimise the text and page for SEO (it still matters!).

• Use language that reflects your brand values.

• Be transparent with your data and sources.

• Prioritise clarity over cleverness.

• Always use an active tone of voice.

• Use numbers and original data to back yourself up.

• A/B test your answers and headlines.

What is AI Search, and how does it work?

AI Search, which you've likely seen as Google's "AI Overviews" or standalone tools like Perplexity, represents a fundamental shift from the traditional search engine model. For the past twenty years, search engines have acted like librarians; they indexed the web, ranked pages based on relevance, and gave you a list of links (the "10 blue links") to visit.

AI Search, however, functions as a researcher or synthesist. It ingests and understands the content from billions of pages, then composes a brand-new, unique answer for the user directly on the results page. It often cites its sources (like footnotes in a paper), and getting your content cited is the new #1 ranking.

With AI Search, customers receive their answers immediately within the search engine, meaning your goal is no longer just to get a click but to be the source of the answer itself.

What is AI Search Optimisation (AIO)?

AI Search Optimization (AIO), also called Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), is the art and science of creating written content that communicates your unique value proposition and expertise directly to AI models.

It basically involves using persuasive language, clear structure, and technical markup to highlight your content's benefits, address user pain points, and ultimately encourage the AI to select and cite your information as the most trustworthy source.

A thorough AIO strategy considers the buyer persona, the depth of their potential questions, and the company's brand values. Effective AIO can significantly improve your brand's visibility, user engagement, and authority in a "zero-click" world.

6 easy AIO strategies to implement into your content:

1. Know your product and subject inside out (E-E-A-T)

Knowing your subject matter inside out provides the foundation for creating outstanding content that converts visitors and convinces AI models.

You’ve probably seen E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) thrown around a lot in the last four or so years as the guideline for high-ranking content, but now it’s the primary filter. Having a deep, demonstrable understanding of your topic means you can address your audience's pain points with genuine, first-hand experience. AI models are specifically trained to look for this.

You can demonstrate E-E-A-T by:

• Writing detailed, transparent author bios.

• Linking authors to their social proof (e.g., LinkedIn).

• Publishing original research, data, and case studies.

• Writing from a first-person perspective ("I tested," "In my experience as a...").

The more you can prove a real, experienced human is behind the content, the better equipped you are to craft persuasive messaging that resonates with readers and AI.

2. Focus on entities (topical authority) over keywords

When writing copy, it's crucial to emphasise your deep, holistic authority on a topic, rather than just stuffing in keywords. Focusing on keywords is an outdated mistake that can alienate users and AI alike.

AI models think in "entities" (which are concepts, people, or places), not just "keywords" (which are strings of text).

• Keyword: "best coffee maker"

• Entity: The brand "Breville," the concept "pour-over coffee"

You build this authority by creating a topic cluster. Instead of one article, you write a "pillar page" (e.g., "The Ultimate Guide to Coffee") and surround it with dozens of supporting articles ("How to grind beans," "Best espresso machines") that all link to each other. This proves to the AI that you are a comprehensive authority on the entire topic.

3. Use simple, scannable language

Your AI-focused content must be understandable and accessible, which means adopting a user-centric and machine-centric writing style.

Avoid using complex jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to a broad audience (unless you clearly define them). Instead, opt for simple, straightforward language that communicates your message. AI models favor content they can parse and understand with high confidence.

Many potential customers (and AI bots) will only skim your copy. So, it's important to make it easy to scan and digest.

• Use clear headings and subheadings (H2, H3) to break up your content.

• Use bullet points or numbered lists to make your key points stand out.

• Avoid giant walls of text.

4. Write for your target audience's questions

While writing for your audience may seem obvious, it’s important to put yourself in their shoes and thoroughly understand how they ask for information.

AI search is conversational, and it’s changed how we write. Users aren’t typing "coffee bitter." They are asking, "Why does my coffee taste bitter, and how do I fix it?"

Use this information to craft copy that speaks directly to their needs.

• Use your main headlines and subheadings to ask and answer these questions explicitly.

• Tailor your content to different stages of the sales funnel, moving from informational questions ("What is AIO?") to transactional ones ("How do I prepare my site for agentic AI?").

5. Use schema markup to remove objections

A well-crafted page needs to guide both users and AI toward a specific action or understanding. For AI, the best guide is Schema markup.

Schema is a form of "structured data" that you add to your website's code. It's an explicit "language of AI" that removes any objections or ambiguity the AI might have about your content.

You can use it to explicitly state:

• Article / BlogPosting: "This is an article."

• Person: "This is the author, here are their credentials."

• Organization: "This is the brand behind the site."

• FAQPage: "These are the specific questions and answers on this page."

By highlighting the facts for the AI, you remove any barriers to it trusting and citing your content, ultimately leading to more features in AI-generated answers.

6. Use visual aids and storytelling

Visual aids like images, infographics, and especially videos are powerful tools for enhancing your AIO strategy and making your content more engaging.

AI models do not just read article text; they also ingest video transcripts. A well-explained YouTube video on your topic can easily become a citable source for an AI answer. By incorporating visual aids alongside your copy, you provide customers (and AI) with a complete understanding of your product's features and benefits.

Storytelling also builds an emotional connection and demonstrates first-hand Experience (the first 'E' in E-E-A-T).

• Show, don't tell: Use descriptive language and sensory details.

• Highlight the transformation: Use case studies to show the "before-and-after" effects of your solution.

• Identify your protagonist: Make your target customer the hero of the story.

Quick-win edits for your existing content

You’ve probably got a lot of articles already, and rewriting everything is a massive, unrealistic job.

A better approach is to just take your 5-10 best-performing articles, the ones that already get some traffic, and make a few specific edits to align them with this new way of thinking. Here’s a practical checklist.

1. Fix your 'About' and 'Author' pages

This is probably the most overlooked, high-value edit you can make. It's a one-time fix that helps every other page on your site.

Go to your "About Us" page and make sure it's clear who you are and what your credentials are. Then, for every author bio (even your own), make it detailed. List credentials, professional experience, and link to their other professional profiles, like a LinkedIn page or other sites where they've been published.

AI models are actively trying to verify E-E-A-T. When they see an article, they will try to figure out who wrote it to see if they're a credible source. A detailed, verifiable bio makes this check simple and positive, adding a layer of trust to the content.

My author bio

2. Re-think your internal inks

We were all taught to link to our main "money pages." That's fine, but a more helpful way is to link contextually.

Open one of your popular articles. As you read it, if you mention a specific concept (e.g., "schema markup") and you have another article that explains that concept, link to it. This creates a web of your knowledge. You're showing the AI (and the user) that you haven't just written one article, but you have a deep, interconnected library of content on the subject. It helps the AI map your topical authority.

3. Use your video transcripts as blog posts

If you have videos on YouTube, you have a pile of almost-finished articles. Get a clean transcript of your video (don't just use the raw, auto-generated one). Edit it for clarity, add subheadings that match the topics you discussed in the video, and post it as a new article on your site. Then, embed the original video at the top.

This works because AI is very good at reading. A clean transcript is naturally conversational and question-oriented, which is exactly the kind of material AI models are trained on. This turns your spoken content into a readable, structured, and citable source.

You can transcribe your videos using speech-to-text platforms like Amberscript.

4. Highlight your unique data (even if it's small)

You don't need a massive 1000-person study to have "original data." You just need your own experience.

Read through your best posts. Look for any sentence where you shared a unique personal observation, like "In our 10 years of doing X, we've found that..." or "We tested the 5 top tools and noticed..." When you find it, don't just leave it in a paragraph. Pull it out. Put it in a blockquote or use a subheading like "A Key Observation:"

This is a simple formatting trick that acts as a visual flag for an AI (and a human skimmer). You're clearly separating your original, experience-based insight from the rest of the text. This makes that specific "fact" much easier for an AI to identify and quote as a source.

Phew - that was a lot!

Congratulations if you made it to the end, and I hope you learned something new!

An effective AIO strategy is important for any product or service in the modern market. To be successful, remember the tips outlined in this article while working on your content. Additionally, hiring a professional content strategist to assist you in crafting compelling and persuasive copy that resonates with your target audience may be helpful.

• Is traditional SEO completely dead now? Should I just stop?

  No, definitely not. Think of it as the foundation. You still need a fast, secure, mobile-friendly site (that's technical SEO). You also still need to know what people are searching for (that's keyword research).

  But, the old tactics of just stuffing those keywords into thin articles to try and hit #1 are finished. AIO is the new layer of strategy you build on top of that solid SEO foundation. It's about the quality and trustworthiness of your answer, not just the keywords you used.

• If I only have time for one thing, what's the most important AIO first step?

  This is a great question. The fastest, highest-impact "quick win" is to go and fix your 'About' and 'Author' pages.

  Seriously. Go and add real, detailed bios for your authors. Link to their LinkedIn profiles or other articles they've written. Explain why you are an expert on your "About" page. It's a one-time edit that adds E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to every single article on your site. It makes you verifiable.

• How can I possibly compete with huge brands on "Authority"? I'm just a small blog/business.

  A giant corporation struggles to write with a genuine, first-hand voice. You don't. You can write "I personally tested this..." or "In my 10 years working as a [plumber/designer/etc.], I've seen this problem a dozen times..."

  That specific, real-world, first-person experience is something AI models are actively looking for to separate generic content from helpful content. Your niche expertise is your advantage.

• How do I even measure if this is working? There's no free "AIO Rank Tracker" tool.

  You're right, the metrics are changing. You need to shift your thinking from "ranking" to "authority."

  Instead of just watching your rank in the blue links, start tracking:

  • Citations: Are you being cited as a source in the AI-generated answers?

  • Branded Search: Are more people searching for your brand name or your name directly? (e.g., "Phoebe Lown copywriting tips"). This is a huge sign that your overall authority is growing.

  • Traffic to "Answer" Pages: Are your deep, specific Q&A pages getting more traffic? This shows users (and AI) are finding your specific answers valuable.

• Are you saying keywords are completely useless now?

  No, but their job has changed.

  Don't think of keywords as words you need to stuff into your article. Think of them as research tools. They are the "voice of the customer." They tell you what topics people care about, what problems they have, and what questions they're asking.

  Your job is to take that keyword (like "bitter coffee") and write the most comprehensive, human-first, and helpful answer to the question behind it ("Why does my coffee taste bitter and how can I fix it?").