How to Optimize Your Content for Generative Engines (Even While We're Still Figuring It Out)

The Ecommerce Download #12

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A continuation from GEO is The New SEO

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Let’s be honest—we’re still in the early innings of how AI-driven search is going to shake out. Google’s AI Overviews are still rolling out. ChatGPT’s browsing model evolves every month. Perplexity is gaining traction fast. And what “works” today might shift six months from now.

But just like early SEO, those who start experimenting now? They’re the ones who’ll be cited tomorrow.

So if you're thinking, “How do I actually make my content more GEO-friendly?”—you’re in the right place. Here’s a simple, actionable guide to start showing up in AI-generated answers. No hacks, no shortcuts—just clear, trustworthy, well-structured content that LLMs (large language models) actually want to reference.

Start by Answering Real Questions

AI tools are trained to deliver helpful answers. So make your content answer-focused.
Here’s how:

• Use tools like AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, or even Google’s “People Also Ask” box to find real questions your audience is asking.

• Turn each one into a blog post, product page addition, or FAQ.

• Don’t bury the answer—lead with it. Think: clear, conversational, helpful.

💡 Example:
“How do I clean suede sneakers?” → Your blog or FAQ should start with:
To clean suede sneakers, use a suede brush and white vinegar. Gently brush…

Structure It Like You’re Teaching a Machine (Because You Are)

AI tools love structure. They parse information more easily when it’s clearly laid out.

Here’s what that means:

• Use headers (H2s, H3s) to break up sections.

• Add bullet points and numbered steps when explaining anything.

• Use tables when comparing products, ingredients, features, etc.

🔧 Bonus: Structured content helps with accessibility and improves your overall UX too.

Build Topical Depth, Not Just One-Off Posts

AI models look for topical authority—they want to cite sources that consistently talk about the same subjects with depth.

Instead of a single blog post about skincare, build a content hub:

• “Best skincare products for dry skin”

• “Morning routine for sensitive skin”

• “What ingredients to avoid if you have rosacea”

💡 Think clusters not one-offs. This helps both SEO and GEO.

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Add Credibility Signals

Citations beget citations. To get cited by AI, your content should cite others too.

Try this:

• Link to credible sources (studies, .gov sites, respected blogs).

• Include original stats, testimonials, or customer insights if you have them.

• Keep your tone honest, clear, and factual—avoid hype language.

Tip: When possible, include author names, publish dates, and company info. These metadata cues help LLMs evaluate trustworthiness.

Make Sure Your Site Can Actually Be Crawled

This is a step many skip—make sure your site isn’t blocking the tools that need to read it.

• Avoid paywalls and pop-ups that block content.

• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console.

• Check that ChatGPT or Perplexity can access your blog (test with a simple prompt).

💡 Pro move: Add FAQ or How-To schema markup to help Google and AI tools interpret your content better.

Keep Content Fresh and Evergreen

Even though we’re writing evergreen content, it still needs to be up to date.

• Revisit top posts every 3–6 months.

• Refresh stats, reword clunky phrasing, and improve clarity.

• AI tools tend to cite recent content more often—especially when answering fast-changing questions.

Quick GEO Optimization Checklist

Before you hit publish, ask yourself:

• Am I clearly answering a real question?

• Is my content well-structured (headers, bullets, steps)?

• Do I cite credible sources or original insights?

• Can AI tools access my content? (Hint: just ask the AI if they can see the content)

• Have I reviewed and updated this in the last few months?

My Final Thoughts

We're still learning how GEO works—but waiting on the sidelines isn’t the move.

Start experimenting. Write with clarity. Structure with care. Think about how your content helps someone trying to solve a problem—and make it easy for an AI model to understand and cite it.

The goal here isn’t to chase rankings. It’s to earn citations in the answers your customers are already reading.

So, who’s already optimizing for GEO? Is it working? Share some success stories or tips that have worked for you.

Hot Off The Presses

This just in for Mashable:

This week, some Google users noticed an AI Mode button showing up instead of Google's iconic "I'm feeling lucky" button on the homepage. And today, a Mashable reporter spotted "AI Mode" appearing as an option on search results pages, alongside stalwart Google tools like News, Shopping, Images, and Videos. Notably, this reporter did not proactively sign up to participate in AI Mode through Google Labs. That suggests Google is testing the feature for select users.

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