Build a content strategy that gets recommended by AI: a step-by-step guide

Why content is the foundation of GEO

Every AI visibility strategy eventually comes back to content. AI models are trained on text. Businesses that have contributed high-quality, accurate content to the web are better represented in AI training data.

Step 1: Map the questions your customers ask

Document every question your team hears. Supplement this with Google People Also Ask boxes, Reddit and Quora threads in your category, and keyword research tools filtered to question-format queries. Aim to identify 30 to 50 genuine questions.

Step 2: Categorise by intent

Definitional queries like What is X establish you as an authority. Comparison queries are high-value because users are in decision-making mode. Process queries about How do I X are well-structured for AI extraction. Local queries require location-specific content. Problem queries are highly shareable and frequently cited.

Step 3: Go deep before you go broad

Identify 3 to 5 core expertise areas and build content depth in those areas before expanding. A business that has published 20 thorough articles on a specific topic will be seen as more authoritative than one with 100 thin articles across many topics.

Step 4: Create cornerstone content

Every expertise area should have at least one comprehensive, authoritative guide covering the topic thoroughly — typically 1,500 to 3,000 words, well-structured, and regularly updated. Cornerstone content gets linked to, shared, and referenced by other content, becoming the authoritative resource that AI models want to cite.

Step 5: Build supporting content clusters

Around each cornerstone, build a cluster of supporting articles covering related subtopics. This signals to AI models that you have genuine depth in the topic.

Step 6: Optimise for extraction

Use descriptive headings. Front-load key information at the start of each section. Use bullet points for lists. Define terms clearly. Add FAQ sections at the end of articles.

Step 7: Measure and iterate

Track your AI mention rate using Lensora, organic traffic in Google Search Console, and inbound links earned by content pieces. Review every quarter and double down on what is working.