When people talk about “optimizing for AI,” they make it sound way more mysterious than it needs to be.

A lot of what helps AI understand your business is the same stuff that helps actual humans understand your business.

Clear messaging. Updated information. Specific language. Easy-to-find answers.

I talked about this on a Storyblok webinar yesterday with three other marketers, and one thing kept coming up: AI cannot confidently describe, recommend, or surface your brand if your website is vague, outdated, or trying too hard to sound clever.

So if you want your website to work harder in an AI-search world, here are a few places to start.

1. Be clear, not clever.​
Your homepage is not the place to make people guess what you do.

AI loves clarity because clarity is easy to interpret, summarize, and repeat.

(Humans like that too, by the way.)

If your website says something like, “Helping mission-driven businesses reach their goals,” ummm, WTF does that mean?!

What kind of businesses? What goals? What do you help them do? How?

The clearer you are, the easier it is for AI tools to understand who you serve, what you offer, and when to mention you.

2. Add an FAQ section.​
This is one of the easiest wins.

FAQs naturally match the way people search and the way AI tools answer.

They create clean, direct language around the exact questions your customers are already asking.

Think:

• Who do you work with?
• What does your process look like?
• How much does it cost?
• What makes you different?
• How quickly can someone get started?

If people ask it in real life, it probably belongs on your website.

3. Make sure everything is updated.​
AI is only as good as the information it finds.

If your website still lists old services, outdated team info, broken links, expired offers, or a version of your company from two years ago, that is what AI may pull from.

This matters more than people realize.

4. Be specific.​
Vague language is a visibility killer.

Christina, isn't the same thing as what you said in your first point?

Let me say it another way because sometimes y'all don't listen.

This is not the time for fluffy copy that could apply to literally anyone.

AI needs concrete details.

Instead of saying:
“We help brands grow.”

Say:
“We help B2C franchises earn media coverage, build thought leadership programs, and create content that supports their pipeline.”

That gives AI something real to work with.

It also gives your potential customers a much faster path to understanding whether you are for them.

5. Use plain language around your services.​
This goes hand in hand with clarity, but it deserves its own callout.

AI pulls from pages that make it easy to identify what a business actually offers.

If your service names are too branded, too abstract, or too cute, you are making it harder.

You can still have personality, just make sure the straightforward version is there too.

In other words, don’t make AI work harder than it has to.

6. Create pages for the things you want to be known for.​
If something matters to your business, it should probably have its own page.

That could mean:

• a service page
• an industry page
• a case study
• a pricing or process page
• a page explaining your approach

AI is more likely to pull and trust information that is clearly organized and easy to trace back to a dedicated source.

7. Show proof, not just claims.​
AI pays attention to substance.

So if you say you’re the best, innovative, leading, trusted, or results-driven... cool.

Every website says that.

What helps more is proof:

• client names
• case studies
• testimonials
• results
• examples
• media mentions
• certifications
• awards
• partner logos

The more grounded your claims are, the easier they are to trust and repeat.

8. Keep your website structure clean.​
AI does better when your content is organized logically.

That means clear headlines, useful page titles, obvious navigation, and content that is broken into sections instead of giant walls of text.

Basically, if your website feels easy to skim, it is probably easier for AI to understand too.

9. Make sure the same facts show up across your site.​
If one page says you serve startups, another says enterprise brands, and a third says small businesses, AI may not know which version is true.

Consistency matters.

Your positioning, services, audience, and differentiators should line up across your homepage, about page, services pages, bios, and FAQs.

10. Publish content that answers real questions.​
One of the best things you can do is create content that helps people understand your category, your process, or your point of view.

Not filler. Not keyword soup. Not “7 Tips for Tuesday” content.

Useful content that answers the questions your buyers are already asking and gives AI better context for what you know and why your brand is relevant.

So no, you do not need to turn your site into a bland little machine manual.

But you do need to be clear, current, and specific enough that both people and AI can quickly understand what you do and why it matters.

Honestly, it's just going back to basics and remembering that less can be more.

If your website still sounds good but says very little, now is probably a good time for a cleanup.

So, because you know I love a tangible takeaway, what is ONE THING you will do to update your website this week?

I know it's Thursday, but work with me here. I said ONE thing.

Christina

PS. I just got back home from Columbus, Ohio (love that place), where I threw my sister a taylor Swift themed bridal shower.

​Check it out here!​