In a previous post, How to Increase Your Website’s Odds of Being Found by ChatGPT & AI, we shared practical steps to help your website get discovered by AI tools like ChatGPT. That post focused on your overall website strategy—from clear messaging to technical setup.
This article takes it one step further.
Here, we’re zooming in on a specific part of your site that often gets overlooked: your blog. Because while it’s one thing to rank well on Google, it’s another to have your blog content actually show up in AI-generated answers.
If you’re ready to write posts that are easy for ChatGPT and others to find, understand, and use, this guide will increase your odds of getting your blog picked up by AI tools like those.
How AI Tools Differ from Traditional Search Engines
Traditional search engines like Google and Bing use algorithms to crawl, index, and rank webpages. They focus on things like keywords, backlinks, page structure, and domain authority to determine where a page should appear in search results.
AI tools, on the other hand, aren’t just looking for the “best ranked” website. They’re trying to answer a question by pulling relevant information from multiple sources and summarizing it in a conversational way.
In many cases, these tools are not showing your webpage directly—they’re quoting a sentence, referencing a paragraph, or paraphrasing an explanation. So while traditional SEO still matters, it’s not enough.
Do These Rules Apply to Gemini, Copilot, and Other AI Tools?
Yes—and not just for Gemini and Copilot.
While these two platforms are major players, they’re part of a growing field of AI tools that generate answers directly from online content. That includes:
- ChatGPT (powered by OpenAI, now with real-time web browsing in its pro version)
- Claude (by Anthropic, often used for summarization and Q&A)
- Perplexity (a research-focused AI with live search and citation features)
- You.com, NeevaAI (now acquired by Snowflake), and others
Each of these tools pulls information from public websites, forums, and knowledge bases to construct helpful, natural-language responses.
Here’s how they work with your blog:
Gemini, integrated with Google Search, favors clearly written and well-structured content. While traditional SEO still applies—think schema, internal links, and domain authority—Gemini looks for content that can be quickly scanned and cited. Summaries, bullet points, and question-based headers make a difference.
Copilot, powered by OpenAI models and embedded across Microsoft tools, looks for content that’s useful and easy to paraphrase or summarize. Because it pulls from Bing, content that is both fact-based and conversational tends to perform better.
ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity rely on clarity and helpfulness above all. These tools often cite websites directly in their answers (especially Perplexity), or summarize key points when answering a question. If your blog answers common questions directly—without sounding like a pitch—it’s more likely to be used.
In short, if your blog helps someone find an answer fast and with minimal confusion, it’s already on the right track for AI tools. The clearer, more useful, and better structured your content is, the more likely it is to be quoted, referenced, or summarized by AI search tools—regardless of the platform.
How to Optimize Blog Content for AI Tools
1. Answer Real Questions Clearly
AI tools are question-driven. If your blog doesn’t clearly answer specific questions, it probably won’t get referenced. Try using actual questions as subheadings, then provide short, direct answers immediately underneath.
Use natural language that sounds like how people speak when they’re trying to learn something.
Example:
Q: How can B2B companies improve lead generation through their websites?
A: Offer something of real value in exchange for contact information. That could be a demo, a self-assessment quiz, or a downloadable guide. Make the process quick and easy.
2. Write Like You Talk
Avoid technical jargon or formal, salesy language. AI tools are trained to understand natural language, so the more your writing sounds like a real person explaining something, the better.
Focus on clarity. Break long sentences into two. Use everyday language and avoid stuffing your paragraphs with abstract marketing terms.
Instead of saying, “Our innovative platform empowers organizations to drive meaningful outcomes,” say, “Our software helps companies collect feedback and act on it.”
3. Use Good Structure
AI tools favor content that’s easy to scan and summarize. Structure matters.
Use headings (H2 and H3), bullet points, and short paragraphs. Limit each paragraph to one main idea. Include section breaks for readability.
This makes your content easier for people to digest—and easier for AI tools to pull the right pieces from.
4. Include a Summary or Key Takeaways Section
AI tools often reference summaries when building their responses. Adding a “TL;DR” or “Key Takeaways” section at the top or bottom of your article gives them something clear to grab onto.
Keep it short. Use bullets or a single paragraph to wrap things up.
For example:
In Summary:
If you want your blog to show up in AI-generated answers, write for clarity. Use questions, give direct answers, avoid fluff, and structure your content in a way that’s easy to scan.
5. Focus on Facts and Use Examples
AI models are cautious about surfacing incorrect or vague information. Content that includes facts, examples, or data is more likely to be seen as trustworthy.
If you can cite a study, reference a real-life scenario, or show how a tactic has worked in your own experience, do it. AI tools often favor content that is both specific and evidence-based.
Don’t write, “Studies show this can help.” Instead, write, “According to a 2023 HubSpot study, 61% of B2B buyers say downloadable tools like checklists influence their decision-making.”
6. Avoid Over-Selling
AI tools deprioritize content that reads like an advertisement. If your blog is too promotional or filled with product talk, it may be ignored.
Instead, focus on being helpful. If you’ve earned the reader’s trust, you can introduce a call-to-action at the end of your article.
Think of it this way: The goal is to teach, not pitch. That makes your content more valuable—and more visible.
7. Use SEO Basics, Just More Thoughtfully
Traditional SEO still matters, but it needs to evolve.
Use long-tail keywords that reflect how people ask questions. Optimize your page title, headers, and meta description. Use schema markup to help AI tools and search engines understand your content.
Avoid stuffing in keywords. Instead, focus on intent. If someone is asking, “What’s the best AMS for mid-sized nonprofits?” make sure your post clearly answers that, rather than just repeating the phrase.
8. Link to Other Helpful Content
AI models—and people—like content that shows topic depth.
If you’ve written related posts, link to them. If there’s a guide, worksheet, or product page that expands on your point, mention it.
These links show that your site has a broader understanding of the topic, which can increase trust and visibility in AI-generated content.
Final Thoughts: Think Usefulness, Not Just Visibility
The shift toward AI-powered search doesn’t mean traditional SEO is dead. It means you need to do more than check technical boxes.
You need to write content that genuinely helps someone answer a question or solve a problem. You need to make that content easy to scan, quote, and summarize. And you need to think of your blog as part of a bigger conversation—not just a place to pitch your services.
If you focus on clarity, structure, and helpfulness, your content will perform better in AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and others—because that’s what they’re looking for.
Is Your Website Ready for AI Search?
The LeadGen Impact (LGI) Score can help you find out.
It’s a quick assessment we use at Hatrick Marketing to measure how well your site is set up to attract and convert leads—especially in a world where AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot shape how people find answers.
We look at five key areas: AI-readiness, SEO, lead capture, user experience, and content clarity. The score shows what’s working and where to improve.Want your site to show up more—and generate more? Request your LGI Score and let’s get started.
