Introduction to AI Search Optimization
The debate surrounding GEO/AEO has sparked a lot of criticism from SEOs, who claim that it’s either just SEO or unsupported lies. To settle this dispute, Bing recently published a guide to AI search visibility, providing an opportunity to test whether optimization for AI answers recommendations is distinct from traditional SEO practices.
Understanding Chunking Content
Some AEO/GEO optimizers emphasize the importance of writing content in chunks, as this is how AI and LLMs break up pages of content. Bing’s guide, written by Krishna Madhavan, Principal Product Manager at Bing, echoes this concept of chunking. According to Madhavan, "AI assistants don’t read a page top to bottom like a person would. They break content into smaller, usable pieces — a process called parsing. These modular pieces are what get ranked and assembled into answers."
However, chunking content is not a new concept. Google introduced their passage ranking algorithm in 2020, which breaks up a web page into sections to understand how the page and a section of it are relevant to a search query. Google states, "Passage ranking is an AI system we use to identify individual sections or ‘passages’ of a web page to better understand how relevant a page is to a search."
The Role of Titles, Descriptions, and H1s
The Bing guide to ranking in AI also highlights the importance of descriptions, headings, and titles as signals to AI systems. These elements are fundamental to SEO, and there’s nothing unique about optimizing them for AEO/GEO. Any experienced SEO knows that descriptions, headings, and titles are crucial for search engine ranking and user experience.
Using Lists and Tables
Bing recommends using bulleted lists and tables to communicate complex information to users and search engines. This approach is similar to an advanced SEO method called disambiguation, which involves making the meaning and purpose of a web page clear to reduce ambiguity. Using semantic HTML to delineate main content, advertisements, navigation, and other elements can help search engines understand the structure and purpose of a web page.
Creating Question and Answer Pairs
Bing suggests creating question and answer pairs that AI can use directly. Madhavan writes, "Direct questions with clear answers mirror the way people search. Assistants can often lift these pairs word for word into AI-generated responses." This approach is a mix of passage ranking and the SEO practice of writing for featured snippets. However, it’s essential to ensure that the content is useful and provides unique insights, rather than just creating a page of questions and answers for search engine purposes.
The Importance of Semantic Clarity
Bing also recommends using semantic clarity to help AI systems understand the content. This involves writing for intent, using specific phrasing, avoiding vague language, and adding context. For example, instead of saying "quiet dishwasher," a product page should say "42 dB dishwasher designed for open-concept kitchens." Using synonyms and related terms can also help reinforce meaning and connect concepts.
Acknowledging Traditional SEO
The Bing guide explicitly acknowledges that traditional SEO is still essential for ranking in AI search. Madhavan writes, "Whether you call it GEO, AIO, or SEO, one thing hasn’t changed: visibility is everything. In today’s world of AI search, it’s not just about being found, it’s about being selected. And that starts with content." The guide emphasizes that traditional SEO fundamentals still matter, and there’s no need to distinguish between AEO/GEO and SEO.
Conclusion
In conclusion, AI search optimization is not a new concept, and it’s not distinct from traditional SEO practices. The same considerations that apply to SEO, such as chunking content, using titles and descriptions, creating lists and tables, and providing semantic clarity, are also essential for ranking in AI search. By focusing on traditional SEO fundamentals and creating high-quality, user-friendly content, websites can improve their visibility and ranking in AI search results. Ultimately, there’s no need to differentiate between AEO/GEO and SEO, as they are essentially the same thing.