Content Strategy for AI Discovery

Create content that gets your products recommended by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI agents.

AEOintermediate25 minContentStrategyAI Discovery

Why Content Matters for AI Discovery

You can't sell through AI agents if you're not visible in AI responses. When someone asks ChatGPT "best wireless headphones for working out," the AI pulls from authoritative content across the web.

If you don't own that content, your competitors will.

The Three Content Pillars

1. Comparison Content ("X vs Y")

Users constantly ask AI to compare products:

  • "Airpods Pro vs Sony WH-1000XM5"
  • "Shopify vs WooCommerce for small business"
  • "Dyson vs Shark vacuum: which lasts longer"

Why it matters: Comparison queries are high-intent. Someone comparing two specific products is ready to buy.

How to create it:

# Product A vs Product B: Complete Comparison (2025)
 
## Quick Answer
 
[Direct 2-3 sentence summary stating which is better for whom]
 
## Key Differences
 
| Feature      | Product A | Product B |
| ------------ | --------- | --------- |
| Price        | $X        | $Y        |
| Battery Life | X hours   | Y hours   |
| Warranty     | X years   | Y years   |
 
## Who Should Buy Product A
 
- Specific use case 1
- Specific use case 2
 
## Who Should Buy Product B
 
- Specific use case 1
- Specific use case 2

Pro tip: Include your own product in comparisons with competitors. AI will cite you as an authority even when recommending competitors.

2. "Best of" Buying Guides

These dominate AI recommendations:

  • "Best noise cancelling headphones 2025"
  • "Best CRM for real estate agents"
  • "Best protein powder for weight loss"

Structure that works:

# Best [Category] in 2025: Top X Picks
 
## Quick Picks
 
1. **Best Overall:** [Product] - [One line why]
2. **Best Budget:** [Product] - [One line why]
3. **Best Premium:** [Product] - [One line why]
 
## How We Tested
 
[Brief methodology - builds trust]
 
## 1. [Product Name] - Best Overall
 
**Price:** $X
**Key Features:**
 
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
 
**Best for:** [Specific use case]
**Pros:**
 
- Pro 1
- Pro 2
 
**Cons:**
 
- Con 1
- Con 2
 
[Repeat for each product]
 
## Buying Guide
 
### What to Look For
 
- Factor 1
- Factor 2
 
### Common Mistakes to Avoid
 
- Mistake 1
- Mistake 2

Pro tip: Update these annually. AI heavily favors recent content.

3. How-To & Problem-Solving Content

29% of ChatGPT conversations are practical guidance:

  • "How do I choose the right running shoes"
  • "How to set up a home gym on a budget"
  • "How to fix a leaking coffee maker"

Structure that works:

# How to [Solve Problem]
 
## Quick Answer
 
[2-3 sentences with the solution]
 
## What You'll Need
 
- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3
 
## Step-by-Step Guide
 
### Step 1: [Action]
 
[Clear instructions with specific details]
[Include product recommendations naturally]
 
### Step 2: [Action]
 
[Clear instructions]
 
## Common Mistakes
 
- Mistake 1
- Mistake 2
 
## FAQ
 
### [Common question 1]
 
[Clear answer]
 
### [Common question 2]
 
[Clear answer]

Pro tip: Naturally mention your products as tools/solutions within the how-to content.

Optimizing for AI Extraction

Front-Load Answers

❌ Bad: "In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the fascinating world of..."

✅ Good: "The best wireless headphones for gym workouts are the Powerbeats Pro ($249) and Jabra Elite Active ($189) due to their sweat resistance and secure fit."

Use TLDR Summaries

Every long-form article should start with:

## TL;DR
 
- Key point 1
- Key point 2
- Key point 3
- [Recommendation]

AI often pulls TLDRs verbatim.

Implement Structured Formatting

Use numbered lists for steps:

  1. First do this
  2. Then do this
  3. Finally do this

Use bullet points for features:

  • Feature 1
  • Feature 2
  • Feature 3

Use tables for comparisons: Clear, scannable data that AI can parse.

Add Schema Markup

Every piece of content should have appropriate schema:

Article Schema

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Best Wireless Headphones 2025",
  "author": "Your Brand",
  "datePublished": "2025-01-15"
}

HowTo Schema

{
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to Choose Running Shoes",
  "step": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "name": "Measure your foot",
      "text": "Stand on paper and trace your foot..."
    }
  ]
}

FAQ Schema

{
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How long do wireless headphones last?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Quality wireless headphones typically last 3-5 years with normal use..."
      }
    }
  ]
}

Building Authority

AI agents favor sources they trust. Authority = backlinks + mentions.

Focus on:

  • Editorial links from relevant blogs/media
  • Resource pages in your niche
  • Expert roundups and curated lists
  • Guest posts on high-authority sites

Quality over quantity. One link from a site that already appears in AI responses is worth 100 from spam directories.

Brand Mention Strategy

Get mentioned on:

  • Industry news sites
  • Review platforms
  • Reddit and forums
  • Social media

Unlinked mentions still build authority for AI systems.

Content Production Workflow

1. Research AI-Friendly Queries

Ask ChatGPT:

  • "What do people ask you about [your category]?"
  • "What are the most common questions about [your product type]?"

Use Google's "People Also Ask" boxes.

2. Map Content to Queries

Create a spreadsheet:

Query Content Type Priority Status
"best X for Y" Buying Guide High To Do
"X vs Y" Comparison High In Progress
"how to do X" Tutorial Medium Done

3. Write for Humans, Format for AI

  • Write naturally (don't keyword stuff)
  • Structure for scanability
  • Add clear headings
  • Include direct answers

4. Implement Technical SEO

  • Schema markup
  • Fast page load
  • Mobile optimization
  • Clean URLs

5. Update Regularly

AI favors fresh content:

  • Update buying guides annually
  • Add new comparisons as products launch
  • Refresh how-tos with new methods
  • Keep pricing and availability current

Measuring Success

Metrics to Track

AI Citation Tracking

  • Brand mentions in ChatGPT responses
  • Product recommendations in Perplexity
  • Share of voice in AI results

Traffic Signals

  • Branded search volume (often comes after AI discovery)
  • Long-tail keyword growth
  • Direct traffic spikes
  • Referral traffic from AI platforms

Business Impact

  • Conversion rate from AI-driven traffic
  • Average order value by source
  • Customer lifetime value

Tools & Methods

  1. Manual Testing

    • Regularly query AI platforms for your target keywords
    • Screenshot when your brand is cited
    • Track positioning (featured vs mentioned)

  2. Analytics Tracking

    // Tag AI-influenced traffic
if (referrer.includes("chatgpt") || referrer.includes("perplexity")) {
  analytics.track("ai_referral", {
    source: referrer,
    query: searchQuery,
  });
}

  3. Rank Tracking for AI

    • Monitor which of your pages get cited
    • Track competitor citations
    • Identify gaps in coverage

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Writing for SEO keywords only AI reads more naturally than traditional search engines.

Ignoring schema markup Without structure, AI can't extract your content.

One-and-done content Fresh content wins. Update regularly.

No clear answers AI needs direct answers to cite you.

Poor site authority Great content with weak backlinks gets ignored.

Next Steps

  1. Audit your current content - Does it answer questions directly?
  2. Create a content calendar - Focus on high-intent queries
  3. Implement schema markup - Make content AI-parsable
  4. Build authority - Get links from sites AI already cites
  5. Track & iterate - Measure AI citations and refine

Remember: AI discovery is the new SEO. The brands that win are those that show up in the conversation before checkout, not just in search results.