Every time I log on to google something, I see evidence that AI search tools continue to reshape how I find and consume information online. Traditional SEO does not deliver my search results. AI does.
We all once relied on keywords and the Google ranking algorithm to uncover the most relevant answers to our questions. Now, the pages that delivered the highest ranked results through traditional SEO practices are often lost in the sea of search engine results pages (SERPs). The content on those traditionally well-performing pages must be structured in a way that AI can read, understand, and confidently use it when answering a user’s question. (We will break it down for you with examples in the sections below. It’s actually pretty logical once you understand it.)
AI pulls information differently than the traditional ranking algorithm. AI seeks content it can easily understand and recommend. AI looks for content to summarize populate quick-answer boxes. What your website seeks to do is seize the major opportunity to provide the answers: be the source AI trusts.
However, to capture the opportunity to be the source AI trusts only happens when your content is built for AI comprehension. There are four elements that matter most as the AI source content: semantic optimization, schema markup, authoritative sourcing, and clarity.
Let’s break these four elements down in simple terms.
First, Semantic Optimization: Helping AI Understand Meaning
Semantic optimization is simply writing so that AI understands the meaning behind your content—not just the keywords on the page. Instead of hammering the same phrase over and over (“law firm Abilene”), semantic optimization uses related, natural language that paints a fuller, more accurate picture of what the firm actually does.
Here’s an example. A law firm’s “areas of practice” page includes terms such as:
- “business contract review”
- “estate planning and wills”
- “civil litigation services”
- “local legal counsel for West Texas businesses”
These related concepts help AI connect the dots: this firm handles a wide range of legal services. Then, when someone asks an AI tool, “Who can help me set up an LLC in Abilene?” or “I need a lawyer for a contract dispute,” the AI recognizes the firm’s page as relevant—even if the exact phrases entered by the user never appears on the firm’s “areas of practice” page. AI understands the intent of the user and the intent of the web page.
Semantic optimization creates meaning, relationships, and clarity—and AI rewards context.
Second, Schema Markup: Giving Your Content Name Tags
While semantic optimization helps AI interpret meaning, schema markup gives AI structure. Schema adds a small piece of code to your webpage that labels important information so AI can easily identify what’s what. As a user, you cannot see the code. Your web developer writes the schema code behind the scenes to help AI read and interpret it.
Think of it as a name tag to your content.
For example, a website with a recipe page adds these labels to the code.
You label each part of the recipe clearly—ingredients, cook time, author, and image—so AI can recognize them instantly.
A website with a “services” page, use these schema labels:
- Your business name
- Reviews
- Service areas
- FAQs
All clearly identified for AI.
When an AI tool—or even Google—scans your site, schema markup gives information to the tool to understand your content and your content’s structure. Your website is “answer-ready,” which increases your chances that AI or search engines will cite you in rich snippets, AI summaries, and voice search.
To understand schema markup a little better, check out these two articles: “3 Examples of Schema Markup Done Right” and “Who Adds Schema Markup to a Website?” (Note: The second article contains a list of common schema markup that will make it much easier to spot what your own website may be missing.)
Next, Authoritative Sourcing: Showing AI You’re Trustworthy
AI tools recommend information that is credible. They favor sources that demonstrate expertise, cite reputable references, and clearly identify the author or company behind the content.
Imagine a page on an oil and gas website that explains how a downhole tool is engineered for high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) environments. A generic blog post may perform adequately in traditional SEO search results. Yet, for AI search results, a post also includes:
- quotes or insights from a certified petroleum engineer
- data from respected industry sources such as SPE papers or API standards
- the name, title, and technical credentials of the author or engineering team
This type of content is almost always selected as the more authoritative source.
Credibility wins—especially in AI-driven results where accuracy and expertise are essential in technical industries like oil and gas.
Last, Clarity: The Secret to Correct Summarization
If AI can’t understand your content, AI won’t use it. Clarity is one of the most overlooked aspects of SEO for AI—but also, one of the most powerful.
Clarity means:
- short paragraphs
- straightforward language
- clear headings
- clean page structure
- direct explanations
The clearer your content is, the easier it is for AI to summarize it accurately, and honestly, the easier it is for your customer to skim your page and understand your message when he visits your website. Since AI increasingly delivers information in summary form, your content must be built for extraction.
As SEMRush puts it:
“AI tools rely heavily on clean, structured, and easy-to-interpret content in order to generate accurate responses.” Read the article “10 Ways to Use AI for SEO…”
If your page is cluttered, overly technical, vague, or disorganized, AI skips it and looks for a cleaner source. In that way, clarity is not just a writing style—it is a visibility strategy.
The Big Picture: AI Needs Signals, Not Guesswork
AI is not guessing when it delivers search results and answers your queries. AI is choosing sources that demonstrate meaning, structure, credibility, and clarity. When your content checks all four boxes, AI tools can confidently quote you, summarize your information, and bring your business into the spotlight.
At Jemully, we engineer content specifically for AI visibility—because your digital presence reflects your expertise. Don’t get lost in translation.
If you’d like help making your website “AI-ready,” we’d love to talk.
About the Author
Kit Mullins, co-owner of Jemully Media, LLC, has been a leader in digital marketing for more than twenty years. A writer, designer, and developer, Kit enjoys travel, photography, and Bible study. With six kids and fifteen grandkids, she has no choice but to find ways to be creative.