How To Make Your Content Discoverable For AI Search

In August 2025, AI search platforms attracted an estimated 7.5 billion visits, approximately 150% more than the previous year.

For ecommerce brands, the shift changes how customers find products, compare options, and make purchase decisions. Instead of typing ‘handmade tote bags’ into Google or Bing and scrolling through pages of results, potential customers are asking AI models like ChatGPT ‘Find me a sustainable business who produces handmade tote bags.’ The AI results recommend businesses based on the content it has analysed across the web.

Below is a guide that offers actionable tips to help you write your content for AI driven discovery.

AI Search vs Traditional Search

Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) involves researching keywords, optimising your content to include those specific terms and strengthening a backlink profile. All these things help your content to climb the search engine ranks.

However, AI search operates differently. When someone asks ChatGPT a question, for instance, ‘Who should I speak to about product packaging in Chester?’, the AI model synthesises content from across the web, considering context and expertise before making a recommendation.

Many prospects do not even click on your website at all. They rely on the AI model to recommend. These users are typically further along in their decision-making process and therefore, much closer to converting.

AI Models:

• Context: AI models are incredible at understanding context. For example, they can tell the difference between a ‘financial bank’ and a ‘river bank’. They are able to contextualise the meaning based on surrounding language.

• Infer Intent: Vague queries like ‘best handmade bags Crewe’ will still return relevant, purchase-ready answers. 

• Converse Naturally: People type and speak queries in full sentences and AI systems follow the flow and respond accordingly. 

• Summarise And Cite: AI models produce an overview, then link to sources. The aim is to be the page worth citing.

With these features in mind, stop writing content for a single keyword. Instead, start covering a topic holistically, with a structure that machines can easily synthesise.

So, what does AI driven content look like (and how to build it):

1. Publish Genuinely Useful And Resourceful Content

• Prioritise quality over quantity. A comprehensive, evergreen guide will outperform a handful of thin posts.
• Add first-party data, expert quotes, real life examples and images. All of these will signal credibility.
• Keep the content accurate and current. Refresh facts, update screenshots and show ‘last updated’ dates.

Actions:

• Turn your top 5 blog posts into one definitive guide with clear sections and takeaways.
• Add key FAQs to 2 informational pages/blogs.

2. Lean Into Semantic Coverage

• Write about the topic and not just the term. Use related phrases and questions you know shoppers ask.
• Answer the basic questions fully (who, what, why, when and how).
• Use headings, subheadings, bullet points and concise paragraphs so AI models can ‘skim’ and extract.

Actions:

• Add internal links to supporting content (some examples of links could be delivery guides, care guides, size guides, fitting advice).

3. Write For Voice And Conversation

• Use language as people speak, for example, ‘What size picnic bag for a family of four?’ ‘How do I clean suede trainers?’
• Target long-tail questions and answer directly in 1-2 sentence snippets
• Include an FAQ block with succinct, authoritative answers.

 Actions:

• Add at least 5 real customer questions to each core page, answered in up to 60 words.
• Try and answer with a short, direct answer and then expand with further detail.

4. Make The Experience Fast, Clean, And Mobile Optimised

• AI systems factor user satisfaction. Slow, cluttered pages send negative signals.
• Break up text with relevant images, short videos, and scannable bullet points.

 Actions:

• Compress images and test your pages on mobile devices.
• Add descriptive alt text to all product images.

5. Add Structured Data So Machines ‘Understand’ Your Pages

• Use Schema.org to specify what your content represents. The Schema options includes Product, Review, FAQ, HowTo, Article, BreadcrumbList.

 Actions:

• Implement Product, Review, and FAQ Schema on your top 20 revenue driving products.

6. Format Content For AI Model Retrieval And Summaries

• Offer a clear introduction that describes the problem and solution.
• Use consistent H1, H2, H3 structure and short paragraphs throughout the content.
• Summarise with key takeaways that AI can quote or cite.

 Actions:

• Pick 2 blogs and add in a clear introduction to the top of each article.
• Include a key takeaway section at the end for quick extraction.

7. Cite Sources And Show Authority

• Link to credible references.
• Show expertise, credentials and real-world case studies to build trust.
• Add an ‘updated on’ time stamp.

 Actions:

• Add ‘Reviewed by [role] to important guides with a date.
• Include in content citations for stats and safety guidelines.

8. Personalise Content

• Tailor details like shipping timelines, currency and sizing by region.
• Confirm differences, for example, plug types, warranty coverage.

 Actions:

• Add region specific details across your website.
• Create localised FAQs for your top market.

9. Ecommerce Essentials

• Use unique, benefit-led descriptions and not manufacturer copy.
• Add tables or bullet lists of specifications and then summarise differences.
• Include at least 5 product images, if you can add a short video and where relevant a 360 view.
• Ensure you mark-up reviews, include Q&A and show any real customer images.
• Summarise shipping speeds, returns and warranty in simple language near the buy box. 

Actions:

• Optimise 5 of your best-selling products

As AI continues to develop, the way we approach content creation will undoubtedly evolve. Staying ahead of the curve means continuously learning and adapting to the new technologies.

Note: The practices above are a strong starting point and not an exhaustive checklist. They are designed to help your content earn visibility and citations in AI search, but outcomes vary by niche, competition and execution quality. Treat them as the foundation you’ll refine as you learn and as AI systems evolve.

Author

Kirsty Wright - www.cothoughtdigital.com

Co Thought Digital empowers brands with actionable AI and SEO strategies to win visibility in the age of intelligent search.