Large Language Models, or LLMs, such as ChatGPT and Gemini are increasingly preferred tools when searching for information online. They give more accurate answers to questions and cut out a lot of the ‘commercial’ noise, such as adverts, sponsored links and competitive content that doesn’t quite hit the mark. It is because if this that a lot of businesses now want to know how to optimise their website content for AI, so here’s a quick guide.
With the rise of AI, or LLMs, brands need to re-think how they compete for online space. It’s less about quantity and more about how accurate and useful you can make the content you put online. Key to this is the fact that LLM’s don’t ‘browse’ the web like we do (us humans), they are trained on vast datasets of text and code, including web content.
Here, I have provided a very simple guide for businesses looking to optimise their web content for large language models (LLMs) like Gemini and ChatGPT.
Focus on Clarity, Accuracy and Depth
- Be Explicit and Unambiguous: LLMs excel at understanding clear and direct language. Avoid jargon, overly complex sentence structures, and ambiguous phrasing. State your points directly and leave no room for misinterpretation.
- Provide Comprehensive Information: LLMs can synthesise information from multiple sources. The more detailed and thorough your content is on a specific topic, the more likely it is to be considered a valuable resource. Cover all relevant aspects and anticipate potential follow-up questions a user might have, then include this in the copy.
- Ensure Factual Accuracy: LLMs rely on the data they were trained on. Providing incorrect or misleading information will diminish the credibility of your content and make it less likely to be used or referenced. Double-check your facts and cite credible sources if necessary (although LLMs won’t directly follow links, the presence of authoritative information strengthens the content).
- Structure Your Content to Optimise Readability (for both humans and LLMs): Use clear headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.), subheadings, bullet points, numbered lists, and short paragraphs to break up text and make it easier to digest. This structure also helps LLMs identify key sections and understand the hierarchy of information.
Enhance Semantic Understanding
- Use Relevant Keywords Naturally: While keyword stuffing is detrimental for human readers and traditional SEO, incorporating relevant keywords naturally within your content helps LLMs understand the topic and context. Think about the terms users might use when asking questions related to your content.
- Define Key Terms and Concepts: If your content involves specialised vocabulary or complex concepts, provide clear and concise definitions. This helps LLMs (and human readers) grasp the meaning accurately.
- Establish Clear Relationships Between Concepts: Use connecting words and phrases to explicitly show how different ideas relate to each other. This helps LLMs build a more accurate understanding of the overall narrative.
Optimise for Different Content Formats
- Text-Based Content is Key: While LLMs can process various forms of data, they primarily rely on text. Ensure that the core information you want to convey is readily available in textual format.
- Provide Transcripts for Audio and Video: If you have audio or video content, always include accurate transcripts. This allows LLMs to understand the spoken content and potentially use it in their responses.
- Use Descriptive Alt Text for Images: While LLMs don’t ‘see’ images in the same way humans do, providing detailed alt text helps them understand the content and context of the image. Be specific and descriptive.
- Structure Data Clearly in Tables and Lists: If your content includes data, present it in well-structured tables or lists with clear headings and labels. This makes it easier for LLMs to extract and understand the information.
Consider the User Intent Behind LLM Queries
- Answer Specific Questions Directly: LLMs are often used to answer specific questions. If your content aims to address certain queries, ensure that the answers are clearly stated and easy to find within the text.
- Provide Step-by-Step Instructions: For “how-to” content and break down the process into clear and concise steps. Use numbered lists and action-oriented language.
- Offer Summaries and Key Takeaways: Including concise summaries or bullet points highlighting the main points of your content can be beneficial for LLMs that are trying to provide quick answers.
- Address Potential Follow-Up Questions: Think about what a user might ask after reading your content and proactively address those points within it. This will make your content a more valuable resource for LLMs.
Technical SEO Considerations (Indirect Impact)
- Ensure Crawlability and Indexability: While LLMs don’t crawl the web in the traditional sense, the data they are trained on comes from the internet. So, ensure your website is properly crawlable and indexable by search engines, as this increases the likelihood of your content being included in the training data.
- Improve Site Speed and User Experience: A fast and user-friendly website is more likely to be considered a high-quality source of information, which could indirectly influence how LLMs perceive its content.
- Use Schema Markup: While the direct impact is still being explored, using schema markup can help search engines (and potentially LLMs) understand the type of content on your pages and its key attributes. This can provide additional context.
It’s all about ensuring your content is accurate, clear and well-structured. This will make your content more accessible for LLMs and give you a better chance of being the source of information used in searches.
To find out more about how you can strengthen your brand and grow market share, please get in touch at [email protected].
