If you work in content marketing, you’re learning about AI in leaps and bounds.
As a writer and editor, I’m noticing more editorial guidelines sharing tips for AIO, or Artificial Intelligence Optimization. What is this, why should you care and how can you boost AIO in your online content?
I’ve got ideas!
- What is AIO in Content Marketing?
- Writing Marketing Content That Gets Found By AI Search Bots
- Add Takeaways Or TL;DR Sections
- Use Keywords and Synonyms in Headings
- Start Sections With Complete Sentences
- Answer All Questions You Present
- Include an FAQ at the Bottom of the Content
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What is AIO in Content Marketing?
Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO) in marketing refers to creating content that can easily be found and chosen by AI bots to get featured in AI overviews or AI snippets in search engines.
When you Google a question or topic, and a quick paragraph, often followed by bullet points and more information pops up at the top of the results, you’re viewing an AI overview or snippet. That information gets sourced from a few pieces of online content and melded into a long-form answer to your question, with the hope you’re satisfied instantly and don’t need to click through and scroll several websites.
For marketers looking closely at pageviews numbers and average time on page, this isn’t good news. But for those simply hoping to provide informative details for readers, and get mentioned as a source for the AI content, AIO is worth your focus.
Writing Marketing Content That Gets Found By AI Search Bots
As I work through my current roster of content marketing projects and deadlines, I’m taking note of the formatting, writing style and little tweaks being asked of me to make my content more AIO friendly.
Today, I’m sharing these insights with you.
1. Add Takeaways Or TL;DR Sections
Look at most long-form, in-depth content marketing pieces and you’ll see a section at the top labeled TL;DR, Takeaways, Key Points, a list of H2 subheadings or something similar that gives readers a quick rundown of what’s discussed in the article.
I’m noticing these are formatted with bullet points or numbered lists. Sometimes they are set off with graphics, italicized font or bold text. They’re short, easy to read and give AI bots detail-packed sentences or phrases to grab for search results.
I like this new addition to articles. I can scan the section to see if the information aligns with what I’m seeking without scrolling.
2. Use Keywords and Synonyms in Headings
When writing headings in the body of the content, especially H2s and H3s, keep them short, informative and use primary and secondary keywords. Or, weave in synonyms that closely relate to the topic.
AI bots scan subheadings to see if the article contents relate to the search inquiry. If specific words related to the main topic keep popping up over and over again, the article gets ranked higher, and is more likely to get featured in an AI snippet or overview.
3. Start Sections With Complete Sentences
The first sentence under an H2 should clearly answer the question asked in the subheading, or define the term(s) stated in the H2 with a concise, complete sentence. It should be able to stand alone and offer value.
Don’t start a section with a three-sentence analogy or back story. Get to the key point, and weave examples into the text later to reinforce the point. Why? AI bots tend to look at the first sentences under the headings in your article to see if they answer the search inquiry. If they don’t, the bot moves on to the next piece of content to scan.
4. Answer All Questions You Present
Re-read your headline to ensure you answered the question, or provided the details, you promised. It’s easy to craft a headline at the start of a project, then get focused on a different aspect once you’re deep into the writing process.
The same holds true for subheadings. Stay focused. Deliver what you promise and keep the information organized by section. AI bots feature questions and answers, not cliffhangers and incomplete thoughts.
5. Include an FAQ at the Bottom of the Content
Finally, wrap up your content marketing piece with a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section that offers a handful of questions and answers related to the article topic. These shouldn’t repeat what’s in the article, but rather expand on the topic and similar tangent topics, or ask questions readers might have if they desire to learn more.
This additional resource not only helps readers but also gives quick Q&A-style data to AI bots, which they love!
Making Content AIO Friendly
Whether you’re a content strategist or marketing director creating a content plan, or you’re writing and editing in the online space, AIO will become part of your language very soon if it isn’t already.
I personally don’t mind these changes. They make the content clear, concise and ultimately helpful to folks using search engines. Content creation now goes beyond being mindful of the destination website, and should get drafted with search engines in mind—far beyond basic keyword use.
Did you enjoy this article? What other content marketing topics would you like to hear about from a full-time writer and editor? I’m always looking for new ideas to add to my writing list. Reach out. I’m listening!
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FAQ About Writing For AI Snippets:
What is AIO in marketing?
AIO stands for Artificial Intelligence Optimization. Writers and editors focus on this technique to make their content more easily found by AI search bots, so their content can get featured in AI snippets and overview results.
Which online content should contain AIO?
Any written content online can benefit by being optimized for AI search features. This includes landing pages, blog posts, articles, ALT text on imagery, PDF files, product descriptions and more.
How are AI snippets and overviews different from search engine results?
AI snippets and overviews appear as summaries of a handful of sources, at the top of the page, to answer your question quickly on-page. In contrast, search engine results list multiple clickable sources to browse for the answer to your query.
