content-types
Tactical guidance for optimizing specific content types for AI search citation.
AI SEO by Content Type
Tactical guidance for optimizing specific content types for AI search citation. These tactics work for non-Google AI engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot) and don't hurt Google AI Overviews / AI Mode.
For the cross-cutting strategy, see SKILL.md.
SaaS Product Pages
Goal: Get cited in "What is [category]?" and "Best [category]" queries.
Optimize:
- Clear product description in first paragraph (what it does, who it's for)
- Feature comparison tables (you vs. category, not just competitors)
- Specific metrics ("processes 10,000 transactions/sec" not "blazing fast")
- Customer count or social proof with numbers
- Pricing transparency (AI cites pages with visible pricing) — add a
/pricing.md file so AI agents can parse your plans without rendering your page (see "Machine-Readable Files" in the main skill) - FAQ section addressing common buyer questions
Blog Content
Goal: Get cited as an authoritative source on topics in your space.
Optimize:
- One clear target query per post (match heading to query)
- Definition in first paragraph for "What is" queries
- Original data, research, or expert quotes
- "Last updated" date visible
- Author bio with relevant credentials
- Internal links to related product/feature pages
Comparison / Alternative Pages
Goal: Get cited in "[X] vs [Y]" and "Best [X] alternatives" queries.
Optimize:
- Structured comparison tables (not just prose)
- Fair and balanced (AI penalizes obviously biased comparisons)
- Specific criteria with ratings or scores
- Updated pricing and feature data
- Cite the
competitors skill for building these pages
Documentation / Help Content
Goal: Get cited in "How to [X] with [your product]" queries.
Optimize:
- Step-by-step format with numbered lists
- Code examples where relevant
- HowTo schema markup
- Screenshots with descriptive alt text
- Clear prerequisites and expected outcomes
Local Business / Ecom (Google emphasis)
Google's AI features pull from product feeds and business profiles for local + ecom queries. Optimize:
- Merchant Center feeds kept current with accurate inventory, pricing, attributes
- Google Business Profile complete with hours, services, photos, posts, Q&A answered
- Reviews — recent + sufficient volume; respond to reviews to signal active management
- Service area schema for local services
- Business Agent (where available) for conversational customer engagement