<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="The AI writing tics that hurt engagement- A study" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>An analysis of 1,000+ URLs reveals which AI writing tics correlate with engagement. Some common “tells” don’t matter. A few might.


<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="The AI writing tics that hurt engagement- A study" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-AI-writing-tics-that-hurt-engagement-A-study-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>The web has strong opinions about what “AI-written” content looks like, and even stronger ones about what’s supposedly wrong with it. Scroll any content marketer’s LinkedIn feed, and you’ll find confident claims that em dashes and other AI “tells” signal bad, automated writing.</p>



<p>The problem with these debates is that they often confuse taste with performance. What counts as “bad writing” will always be subjective. But if the goal for content marketers is to communicate clearly and compete in the information marketplace, the practical question should be: which LLM habits actually turn readers off?</p>



<p>To find out, we analyzed a large dataset of content marketing pages to identify which AI writing “tics” we see most often called out to understand which are turning off readers — and the ones we may be calling out for no reason.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-we-built-our-ai-tics-study">How we built our ‘AI tics’ study</h2>



<p>At this point, you’ve probably all seen them, too:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>“In today’s fast-paced digital landscape…”</li>



<li>“It’s important to note that…”</li>



<li>“Not only… but also” (repeated over, and over and over…)</li>



<li>“In conclusion” (even when nothing has been concluded)</li>
</ul>



<p>The second you notice them, it’s hard not to see them everywhere an LLM has helped produce copy. Many readers report <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/magazine/chatbot-writing-style.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hating these LLM patterns</a>. But how exactly are they impacting user engagement?</p>



<p>To find out, we gathered a list of the most common AI writing tells we and others have noticed. These include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>“Not only… but also” constructions:</strong> “Not only does X do Y, but it also does Z.”</li>



<li><strong>Sentence starts with “then,” “this,” or” that”: </strong>“Then you should…” “Then the system…” “This shows…” “This means…”&nbsp;</li>



<li><strong>Introductory filler: </strong>“In this article,” “We’ll explore,” and “Let’s take a look”.&nbsp;</li>



<li><strong>“Conclusion” starters:</strong> “In conclusion,” or other AI equivalents of clearing your throat.</li>



<li><strong>Em dashes:</strong> The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/magazine/chatgpt-dash-hyphen-writing-communication.html">most infamous punctuation mark</a> in today’s content marketing.</li>
</ul>



<p>From there, we built a dataset of:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>10 domains</strong> of varied site size and monthly traffic, in a wide array of industries including tech, ecommerce, healthcare, education, analytics, and more</li>



<li><strong>1,000+ content marketing URLs, </strong>built from a mix of workflows including posts that were either fully human-written, written collaboratively by humans and AI, or completely AI-generated.</li>
</ul>



<p>Then we standardized our dataset by:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Aligning shorter posts and cornerstone content by standardizing every writing tic as occurrences per 1,000 words.</strong> Since longer articles naturally contain more of, well, everything, a 3,000-word guide would otherwise look “worse” than a 600-word post simply because it has more sentences.</li>



<li><strong>Excluding any page under 500 words.</strong> Very short pages don’t give enough room for stylistic patterns to emerge, and their engagement metrics are likely driven more by intent than by engagement alone.</li>



<li><strong>Prioritizing engagement rate as the primary performance metric.</strong> Engagement rate best captures a reader’s first real decision: “Do I stay, or do I leave?” GA4 registers an engaged session as <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12195621?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">any lasting 10 or more seconds</a>. While 10 seconds may sound brief to assess whether a post is AI, it’s long enough for a user to skim an introduction, notice awkward or repetitive writing patterns, and scan headings to decide whether the content feels worth continuing.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/ai-prompting-rubrics-467813">A smarter way to approach AI prompting</a></em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-tracking-total-ai-tics-wasn-t-enough">Why tracking total AI tics wasn’t enough</h2>



<p>Our first instinct was to average the number of AI tics per 1,000 words and compare the pages’ performance. </p>



<p>At a glance, this seemed like a clean way to separate human writing from AI-influenced writing. But the picture quickly got complicated by one tic in particular — the infamous em dash — which dominated the dataset and heavily skewed the averages.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="531" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/Content-marketing-across-10-domains.png" alt="Content marketing across 10 domains" class="wp-image-470097" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/Content-marketing-across-10-domains.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/Content-marketing-across-10-domains-768x255.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/Content-marketing-across-10-domains-1536x510.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<p>The issue pointed to a larger problem: AI tics are messy by definition. AI is trained on human writing. So if certain patterns show up frequently, that doesn’t mean they’re uniquely “AI.” It may just mean they’re common in English prose. </p>



<p>To compare, we ran the same tic counter on two known controls: a novel I published in 2021 (which I could guarantee was written without ChatGPT, Grammarly, or other AI-assisted tools). This scored a startlingly above-average 6.9 tics per 1,000 words. </p>



<p>Next, we scored “Hamlet,” the famous Shakespearean play, which scored an even higher ≈11.4 tics per 1,000 words. Shakespeare, it turns out, is more “AI-coded” than many AI-generated blog posts.</p>



<p>Ultimately, we assessed that this is almost entirely due to the em dash, which is likely to appear in droves in many human writers’ prose as well as AI-produced copy. </p>



<p>With this in mind, we analyzed each “tell” individually, still standardizing per 1,000 words. The story became much clearer — and far more useful for writers trying to decide what’s actually worth avoiding.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/how-to-make-your-ai-generated-content-sound-more-human-437854">How to make your AI-generated content sound more human</a></em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ai-tics-impacting-performance">The AI tics impacting performance</h2>



<p>Not all posts are the same, and many different factors impact the success or failure of any page of content marketing. That’s perhaps why our data showed that most AI “tells” didn’t correlate strongly with performance or non-performance. </p>



<p>Anything smaller than plus/minus .1 correlation is statistically insignificant. However, there were a handful worth noting with a larger impact than others.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="794" height="491" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-147.png" alt="" class="wp-image-470052" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-147.png 794w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-147-768x475.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-only-and-not-just-structures-may-be-driving-users-away">‘Not only’ and ‘not just’ structures may be driving users away</h3>



<p>Phrases built around “not only…” or “not just…but also” stood out with larger-than-average negative correlations with engagement rate. While these constructions, when used occasionally, can add emphasis, the data shows that frequent use is associated with high user bounce rates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>AI-assisted writers and editors should take note, as many of the AI-generated posts we reviewed tripped over themselves with these constructions. In one instance, we found a single blog post that used “not only” and “but also” 12 separate times.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-starting-headers-with-conclusion-was-the-strongest-negative-signal">Starting headers with ‘conclusion’ was the strongest negative signal</h3>



<p>The strongest negative correlation in the entire dataset was observed in sentences beginning with “Conclusion,” typically section headers preceding a call to action. The clearest AI stylistic red flag we found, posts with headers starting with “Conclusion” had the largest negative correlation&nbsp; (≈ -0.118) with post engagement rate.</p>



<p>Since this tic traditionally comes at the conclusion of a post, it’s clear readers may quickly scroll down over the entirety of these posts before bouncing — or else that posts with these final headings tend to be lower-quality on average.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-em-dashes-correlated-slightly-positively">Em dashes correlated slightly positively</h3>



<p>Em dashes were by far the most common stylistic tic in the dataset. They also produced one of the most surprising results: a slight positive correlation with engagement rate.</p>



<p>Despite widespread online chatter treating em dashes as an “AI artifact,” this data suggests they’re not hurting performance, and they may even align with better engagement. (As someone who genuinely likes em dashes — this was deeply validating.)</p>



<p>A plausible explanation may be that writers who use em dashes tend to write more explanatory, nuanced sentences rather than short, flat declarations. Those kinds of sentences often appear in longer, more thoughtful content that many readers actually engage with.</p>



<p>That said, this doesn’t mean em dashes cause engagement. Too much of a good thing is still too much of a good thing. But it does challenge the idea that em dashes are the bugbear content marketers make them out to be.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/ai-assisted-content-process-459054">An AI-assisted content process that outperforms human-only copy</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-practical-takeaways-for-content-teams">3 practical takeaways for content teams</h2>



<p>Here’s what content marketers can act on today.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-don-t-over-optimize-for-ai-detection">1. Don’t over-optimize for AI detection</h3>



<p>Google doesn’t issue <a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo">SEO</a> rankings like a monotonic punishment score for “AI style.” Most phrases we looked at didn’t correlate with engagement at all. </p>



<p>Don’t rewrite content just because someone declared a phrase “AI writing.” Write for reader usefulness and clarity above all.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-be-mindful-of-how-you-wrap-up">2. Be mindful of how you wrap up</h3>



<p>Explicit conclusion blocks aren’t bad — but generic, formulaic patterns are likely turning readers away. </p>



<p>Consider blending conclusions into analysis, using subtler transitions, or adding new value with headers, instead of signposting obvious structure. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-use-the-punctuation-that-makes-sense-nbsp">3. Use the punctuation that makes sense&nbsp;</h3>



<p>If your style calls for em-dashes? In this dataset, they were actually associated with better reader engagement. Use them.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-don-t-miss-the-forest-for-fake-plastic-trees">Don’t miss the forest for fake plastic trees</h2>



<p>AI is likely here to stay in content workflows. But the issues with “bad” AI writing aren’t limited to linguistic tics and punctuation. While we all have our stylistic opinions, we should be careful about turning stylistic hot takes into editorial law.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Write valuable writing. Think about readers first. And don’t panic every time someone on Twitter or LinkedIn decrees that “X phrase = AI.”</p>

The web has strong opinions about what “AI-written” content looks like, and even stronger ones about what’s supposedly wrong with it. Scroll any content marketer’s LinkedIn feed, and you’ll find confident claims that em dashes and other AI “tells” signal bad, automated writing.
The problem with these debates is that they often confuse taste with performance. What counts as “bad writing” will always be subjective. But if the goal for content marketers is to communicate clearly and compete in the information marketplace, the practical question should be: which LLM habits actually turn readers off?
To find out, we analyzed a large dataset of content marketing pages to identify which AI writing “tics” we see most often called out to understand which are turning off readers — and the ones we may be calling out for no reason.
How we built our ‘AI tics’ study
At this point, you’ve probably all seen them, too:
“In today’s fast-paced digital landscape…”
“It’s important to note that…”
“Not only… but also” (repeated over, and over and over…)
“In conclusion” (even when nothing has been concluded)
The second you notice them, it’s hard not to see them everywhere an LLM has helped produce copy. Many readers report hating these LLM patterns. But how exactly are they impacting user engagement?
To find out, we gathered a list of the most common AI writing tells we and others have noticed. These include:
“Not only… but also” constructions: “Not only does X do Y, but it also does Z.”
Sentence starts with “then,” “this,” or” that”: “Then you should…” “Then the system…” “This shows…” “This means…” 
Introductory filler: “In this article,” “We’ll explore,” and “Let’s take a look”. 
“Conclusion” starters: “In conclusion,” or other AI equivalents of clearing your throat.
Em dashes: The most infamous punctuation mark in today’s content marketing.
From there, we built a dataset of:
10 domains of varied site size and monthly traffic, in a wide array of industries including tech, ecommerce, healthcare, education, analytics, and more
1,000+ content marketing URLs, built from a mix of workflows including posts that were either fully human-written, written collaboratively by humans and AI, or completely AI-generated.
Then we standardized our dataset by: 
Aligning shorter posts and cornerstone content by standardizing every writing tic as occurrences per 1,000 words. Since longer articles naturally contain more of, well, everything, a 3,000-word guide would otherwise look “worse” than a 600-word post simply because it has more sentences.
Excluding any page under 500 words. Very short pages don’t give enough room for stylistic patterns to emerge, and their engagement metrics are likely driven more by intent than by engagement alone.
Prioritizing engagement rate as the primary performance metric. Engagement rate best captures a reader’s first real decision: “Do I stay, or do I leave?” GA4 registers an engaged session as any lasting 10 or more seconds. While 10 seconds may sound brief to assess whether a post is AI, it’s long enough for a user to skim an introduction, notice awkward or repetitive writing patterns, and scan headings to decide whether the content feels worth continuing.
Dig deeper: A smarter way to approach AI prompting
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Why tracking total AI tics wasn’t enough
Our first instinct was to average the number of AI tics per 1,000 words and compare the pages’ performance. 
At a glance, this seemed like a clean way to separate human writing from AI-influenced writing. But the picture quickly got complicated by one tic in particular — the infamous em dash — which dominated the dataset and heavily skewed the averages.

The issue pointed to a larger problem: AI tics are messy by definition. AI is trained on human writing. So if certain patterns show up frequently, that doesn’t mean they’re uniquely “AI.” It may just mean they’re common in English prose. 
To compare, we ran the same tic counter on two known controls: a novel I published in 2021 (which I could guarantee was written without ChatGPT, Grammarly, or other AI-assisted tools). This scored a startlingly above-average 6.9 tics per 1,000 words. 
Next, we scored “Hamlet,” the famous Shakespearean play, which scored an even higher ≈11.4 tics per 1,000 words. Shakespeare, it turns out, is more “AI-coded” than many AI-generated blog posts.
Ultimately, we assessed that this is almost entirely due to the em dash, which is likely to appear in droves in many human writers’ prose as well as AI-produced copy. 
With this in mind, we analyzed each “tell” individually, still standardizing per 1,000 words. The story became much clearer — and far more useful for writers trying to decide what’s actually worth avoiding.
Dig deeper: How to make your AI-generated content sound more human
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
								
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See terms.
The AI tics impacting performance
Not all posts are the same, and many different factors impact the success or failure of any page of content marketing. That’s perhaps why our data showed that most AI “tells” didn’t correlate strongly with performance or non-performance. 
Anything smaller than plus/minus .1 correlation is statistically insignificant. However, there were a handful worth noting with a larger impact than others.




‘Not only’ and ‘not just’ structures may be driving users away
Phrases built around “not only…” or “not just…but also” stood out with larger-than-average negative correlations with engagement rate. While these constructions, when used occasionally, can add emphasis, the data shows that frequent use is associated with high user bounce rates. 
AI-assisted writers and editors should take note, as many of the AI-generated posts we reviewed tripped over themselves with these constructions. In one instance, we found a single blog post that used “not only” and “but also” 12 separate times.
Starting headers with ‘conclusion’ was the strongest negative signal
The strongest negative correlation in the entire dataset was observed in sentences beginning with “Conclusion,” typically section headers preceding a call to action. The clearest AI stylistic red flag we found, posts with headers starting with “Conclusion” had the largest negative correlation  (≈ -0.118) with post engagement rate.
Since this tic traditionally comes at the conclusion of a post, it’s clear readers may quickly scroll down over the entirety of these posts before bouncing — or else that posts with these final headings tend to be lower-quality on average.
Em dashes correlated slightly positively
Em dashes were by far the most common stylistic tic in the dataset. They also produced one of the most surprising results: a slight positive correlation with engagement rate.
Despite widespread online chatter treating em dashes as an “AI artifact,” this data suggests they’re not hurting performance, and they may even align with better engagement. (As someone who genuinely likes em dashes — this was deeply validating.)
A plausible explanation may be that writers who use em dashes tend to write more explanatory, nuanced sentences rather than short, flat declarations. Those kinds of sentences often appear in longer, more thoughtful content that many readers actually engage with.
That said, this doesn’t mean em dashes cause engagement. Too much of a good thing is still too much of a good thing. But it does challenge the idea that em dashes are the bugbear content marketers make them out to be. 
Dig deeper: An AI-assisted content process that outperforms human-only copy
3 practical takeaways for content teams
Here’s what content marketers can act on today.
1. Don’t over-optimize for AI detection
Google doesn’t issue SEO rankings like a monotonic punishment score for “AI style.” Most phrases we looked at didn’t correlate with engagement at all. 
Don’t rewrite content just because someone declared a phrase “AI writing.” Write for reader usefulness and clarity above all.
2. Be mindful of how you wrap up
Explicit conclusion blocks aren’t bad — but generic, formulaic patterns are likely turning readers away. 
Consider blending conclusions into analysis, using subtler transitions, or adding new value with headers, instead of signposting obvious structure. 
3. Use the punctuation that makes sense 
If your style calls for em-dashes? In this dataset, they were actually associated with better reader engagement. Use them.
Don’t miss the forest for fake plastic trees
AI is likely here to stay in content workflows. But the issues with “bad” AI writing aren’t limited to linguistic tics and punctuation. While we all have our stylistic opinions, we should be careful about turning stylistic hot takes into editorial law. 
Write valuable writing. Think about readers first. And don’t panic every time someone on Twitter or LinkedIn decrees that “X phrase = AI.”

An analysis of 1,000+ URLs reveals which AI writing tics correlate with engagement. Some common “tells” don’t matter. A few might.

The AI writing tics that hurt engagement: A study

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Anthropic bots" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Anthropic explains how its bots handle AI training, live queries, and search results, and what opting out means for visibility.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Anthropic bots" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots-1536x864.png 1536w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/anthropic-bots-1200x675.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Anthropic updated its crawler documentation this week, clarifying how its Claude bots access websites and how you can block them.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Anthropic&#8217;s document explains what each bot does, how it affects AI training and search visibility, and how to opt out through robots.txt.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> If you publish or own content, you want control over how AI systems use it. Anthropic separates training crawlers, user-triggered fetches, and search indexing. Blocking one bot doesn’t block the others. Each choice carries different visibility and training trade-offs.</p>



<p><strong>The robots.</strong> Anthropic uses three separate user agents:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>ClaudeBot</strong> collects public web content that may be used to train and improve Anthropic’s generative AI models. If you block ClaudeBot in robots.txt, Anthropic said it will exclude your site’s future content from AI training datasets.</li>



<li><strong>Claude-User</strong> retrieves content when a user asks Claude a question that requires access to a webpage. If you block Claude-User, Anthropic can’t fetch your pages in response to user queries. The company says this may reduce your visibility in user-directed search responses.</li>



<li><strong>Claude-SearchBot</strong> crawls content to improve the quality and relevance of Claude’s search results. If you block Claude-SearchBot, Anthropic won’t index your content for search optimization, which may reduce visibility and accuracy in Claude-powered search answers.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>How to block them.</strong> The bots respect standard robots.txt directives, including “Disallow” rules and the non-standard “Crawl-delay” extension, Anthropic said. To block a bot across your entire site:</p>



<p>User-agent: ClaudeBot<br>Disallow: /</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>You must add directives for each bot and each subdomain you want to restrict.</li>



<li>IP blocking may not work reliably because its bots use public cloud provider IP addresses, Anthropic said. Blocking those ranges could prevent the bot from accessing robots.txt. The company doesn’t publish IP ranges.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>The document.</strong> <a href="https://privacy.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-data-from-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Does Anthropic crawl data from the web, and how can site owners block the crawler?</a></p>


Anthropic updated its crawler documentation this week, clarifying how its Claude bots access websites and how you can block them.
Anthropic’s document explains what each bot does, how it affects AI training and search visibility, and how to opt out through robots.txt.
Why we care. If you publish or own content, you want control over how AI systems use it. Anthropic separates training crawlers, user-triggered fetches, and search indexing. Blocking one bot doesn’t block the others. Each choice carries different visibility and training trade-offs.
The robots. Anthropic uses three separate user agents:
ClaudeBot collects public web content that may be used to train and improve Anthropic’s generative AI models. If you block ClaudeBot in robots.txt, Anthropic said it will exclude your site’s future content from AI training datasets.
Claude-User retrieves content when a user asks Claude a question that requires access to a webpage. If you block Claude-User, Anthropic can’t fetch your pages in response to user queries. The company says this may reduce your visibility in user-directed search responses.
Claude-SearchBot crawls content to improve the quality and relevance of Claude’s search results. If you block Claude-SearchBot, Anthropic won’t index your content for search optimization, which may reduce visibility and accuracy in Claude-powered search answers.
How to block them. The bots respect standard robots.txt directives, including “Disallow” rules and the non-standard “Crawl-delay” extension, Anthropic said. To block a bot across your entire site:
User-agent: ClaudeBot
Disallow: /
You must add directives for each bot and each subdomain you want to restrict.
IP blocking may not work reliably because its bots use public cloud provider IP addresses, Anthropic said. Blocking those ranges could prevent the bot from accessing robots.txt. The company doesn’t publish IP ranges.
The document. Does Anthropic crawl data from the web, and how can site owners block the crawler?

Anthropic explains how its bots handle AI training, live queries, and search results, and what opting out means for visibility.

Anthropic clarifies how Claude bots crawl sites and how to block them

<div><img width="1920" height="1082" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-ChatGPT-uses-SEO-to-drive-growth-and-revenue.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How ChatGPT uses SEO to drive growth and revenue" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-ChatGPT-uses-SEO-to-drive-growth-and-revenue.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-ChatGPT-uses-SEO-to-drive-growth-and-revenue-768x433.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-ChatGPT-uses-SEO-to-drive-growth-and-revenue-1536x866.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>An SEO audit of ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity reveals how the platforms use technical optimization, content, and conversions to scale.

Generative search engines like ChatGPT have successfully used SEO as part of their growth strategy, even as the echo chambers of the web claim they’re killing this powerful marketing channel.
Let’s take a look at how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude fare in SEO, and why ChatGPT’s investment in the strategy is paying off.
Directional SEO ROI forecast
A $600,000 annual SEO investment could generate outsized returns for generative AI platforms.
Using Semrush-reported monthly organic traffic — 76.5 million visits for ChatGPT, 908,000 for Claude, and 1.7 million for Perplexity — plus a conservative 0.5% conversion rate and a $20/month entry price, projected returns range from approximately $92 million in annual revenue for ChatGPT (15,200% ROI) to 82%-240% ROI for Claude and Perplexity.
OpenAI’s investment in SEO and content for ChatGPT’s growth
OpenAI understands the value of SEO to drive growth. It was offering $310,000-$393,000 to hire a content strategist with SEO experience.

It then launched a second job search for a growth role focused on SEO, CRO, and web strategy. 

Looking at SEO-focused growth role salaries in the U.S. ($100,000 to $295,000), we can estimate OpenAI invested between $410,000 and $600,000 for two SEO roles, not including benefits and other expenses.
SEO has more lives than an agile alley cat because it leverages human behavior. Searching is core to our survival. When we were cave dwellers needing food or shelter, we searched for it. Search engines amplify this behavior.

ChatGPT is expanding search behavior and increasing Google searches in certain use cases. However, there’s a 20% decline in overall Google search volume from 2024 to 2025. 
That shift makes visibility even more critical. As the search landscape evolves — and as Google’s AI Overviews take clicks away — increasing your website’s ability to be found through SEO becomes more important, not less.
The OpenAI team understands this. That’s why it built SEO into ChatGPT’s foundation and continues investing in it.

  
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Evaluating the SEO foundations of ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
I conducted a brief analysis of how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude use SEO to grow. The goal was to uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly so brands can apply what works and discard the rest.
Using Semrush for competitive keyword analysis, I examined domain authority, brand versus non-brand keyword distribution, and total keyword rankings.

Brand authority and demand
ChatGPT’s website has an authority score of 99, followed by Perplexity’s 81 and Claude’s 75. Building a strong product and brand, then leveraging public relations, news, and social media, is the best way to grow your website’s authority. 
The branded term “ChatGPT” gets 45.5 million searches monthly, while Perplexity gets 1 million and Claude gets 500,000. That’s an enormous demand; they use SEO to convert into traffic, signups, and revenue.
Paid and organic search
All brands spend money on Google Ads, but SEO drives most of their search traffic. None are integrating search, which is a big opportunity. 
Integrated search is the practice of targeting highly valuable, often expensive, keywords with both SEO and PPC. It increases conversions, lowers Google Ads cost per click, and helps you take up more real estate on the search engine results pages, pushing competitors lower.
Keyword rankings
ChatGPT: ~287,800 keywords.
Perplexity: ~184,800 keywords.
Claude: ~36,000 keywords.

ChatGPT leveraged user-generated content to build a massive indexable surface area. 
Perplexity focused on financial, stock-driven content pages. Claude uses blog articles targeting high-intent professional audiences.
Neither can match ChatGPT’s kinetic energy from branding efforts and SEO built into its technical foundation.
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The 3Cs SEO and AI optimization framework

Below, I applied our agency’s 3Cs SEO and AI optimization approach: code (technical foundation), content strategy and optimization, and conversions.
Code
For this section, I focused on indexability, or how well search engines can find important website content. This is important to rank in traditional search, including Google and Bing, and LLMs like ChatGPT.
Robots.txt
ChatGPT has a highly optimized robots.txt file that includes multiple sitemaps, location recommendations, and blocks for certain crawlers while allowing others.

Perplexity’s robots.txt file isn’t as optimized or detailed. Claude was missing a robots.txt but added it recently. Not having a robots.txt file or having it return a 404 can be detrimental to your rankings. 
Note that ChatGPT and Claude block each other from crawling their websites via robots.txt.

Recommendation: Optimize your robots.txt, include all sitemaps, block pages you don’t want indexed, and allow LLM crawlers like ChatGPT to crawl your site.
URL structure
According to Google representative John Mueller, keywords in a URL are a “very, very small ranking factor.” That said, we can see a clear performance difference between ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity because they include keywords in their URLs.
Including keywords in a URL is an important way to give search engines, LLMs, and users information about what the page is about.
Imagine you went to a restaurant and wanted a burger. You say, “I want a burger,” and you’ll get a burger. If you said, “I want 2387d2e3,” you’d only get frustration from your waiter. That’s what happens with LLMs and traditional search engines. 
Yes, search engines can look at other elements of the page to understand what it’s about, but you win when you check all the boxes. That’s the difference between ChatGPT and Claude’s URLs below.
ChatGPT uses the name of what a user creates and shares in the URL, which helps it rank better for those words.

Claude doesn’t. Its public artifacts don’t have words built into them.


Recommendation: Use short URLs with keywords in them. I’ve seen this have major ranking impacts, even though Google and others say it’s a minor ranking factor. Changing this is hard after the fact. Semantic URLs are also important to rank in LLMs like ChatGPT.
Content
All of the LLM websites use content for marketing, including use cases, partnerships, target industries, and more.

Claude’s blog has highly targeted articles for professionals.

Perplexity has a discovery hub with timely, useful content.




However, the content isn’t optimized for SEO. Meta titles, descriptions, URLs, and canonical tags aren’t optimized, which confuses search engines. 

Some pages aren’t even indexed on Google as a result.

Their blogs don’t optimize images either. Image names should be descriptive, like “perplexity-deep-research.webp,” to improve ranking ability.

Perplexity is giving itself death by a thousand optimization cuts. 
Even though Claude and Perplexity target highly relevant keywords, an analysis of the top 50,000 keywords each website ranks for shows ChatGPT winning with sustained month-over-month growth.

Recommendation: Build SEO into your technical foundation. Fully optimize blog articles. Leverage user-generated content through forums or community hubs.
Conversions
All these brands understand SEO needs to drive conversions, not just traffic and rankings. There are two types of conversions: free conversions for people not ready to buy and paid conversions for people ready to buy. 
ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude all give users a trial of their product, then ask them to convert or sign in.

Recommendation: Convert as much website traffic as possible. Use AI coding platforms to build interactive content for conversion, as Google AI Overviews take traffic away.
If OpenAI bets on SEO, should you?
OpenAI is spending up to $600,000 on SEO talent to grow ChatGPT, not including staff benefits and other costs. This analysis breaks down how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude use SEO to fuel growth. 
If disruptive technology companies like OpenAI are doubling down on SEO and content to drive growth, you should include it in your growth strategy as well. It works.

An SEO audit of ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity reveals how the platforms use technical optimization, content, and conversions to scale.

How ChatGPT uses SEO to drive growth and revenue

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<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-read-Meta-Ads-metrics-like-a-system-not-a-scoreboard.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to read Meta Ads metrics like a system, not a scoreboard" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-read-Meta-Ads-metrics-like-a-system-not-a-scoreboard.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-read-Meta-Ads-metrics-like-a-system-not-a-scoreboard-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-read-Meta-Ads-metrics-like-a-system-not-a-scoreboard-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Every week, thousands of media buyers perform the same ritual, opening Meta Ads Manager, scanning metrics, and deciding which campaigns and ads were winners and which were losers. If ROAS is positive, they’re pleased. If not, the mouse quickly heads toward the toggle button to disable the asset. This is the scoreboard trap some advertisers fall into.</p>



<p>When you treat metrics like a scoreboard, you’re looking at the outcome without understanding the full picture or how to improve going forward. The score of the game doesn’t include the fact that your strikers aren’t getting any passes from midfield.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To scale performance, it’s important to move from reporting to diagnosing the issues at hand. Start looking at your metrics as independent KPIs and as a system of interdependent signals to better tell the story of what’s happening in your account and accurately inform your next optimization steps.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dashboard-illusion">The dashboard illusion</h2>



<p>Meta’s interface is designed as a linear grid, which can create a false sense of clarity. It may suggest that a high CPM is the problem in one column and, in another, that a low CTR is the culprit. In reality, these metrics are deeply intertwined.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A high CPM might not mean your audience is expensive. It may indicate your creative is low quality, so Meta is charging you more for a poor user experience on its platform.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Conversely, a high CTR might look like a win at first glance, but if your CVR is plummeting, it’s not a win, and you’re paying for high-intent customers your landing page can’t close.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The dashboard tells you what happened, and the system tells you why.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="873" height="321" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/A-visual-of-an-example-of-Meta-Ads-Manager-CTR-and-CPM-reporting-columns.png" alt="A visual of an example of Meta Ads Manager CTR and CPM reporting columns." class="wp-image-470067" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/A-visual-of-an-example-of-Meta-Ads-Manager-CTR-and-CPM-reporting-columns.png 873w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/A-visual-of-an-example-of-Meta-Ads-Manager-CTR-and-CPM-reporting-columns-768x282.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 873px) 100vw, 873px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em><em>A visual of an example of Meta Ads Manager CTR and CPM reporting columns.</em></em></figcaption></figure></div>


<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/meta-ai-driven-advertising-system-andromeda-gem-468020">Inside Meta’s AI-driven advertising system: How Andromeda and GEM work together</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-team-metrics-framework">The team metrics framework</h2>



<p>To better understand the system, let’s think of metrics as a sports team. Each player has a specific role. If the team loses, you don’t bench the whole team. You review the play to see what happened so you can improve your chances of winning next time.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-scouts-cpm-and-reach">The scouts: CPM and reach</h3>



<p>CPM is the auction’s feedback on your total value. It’s a combination of your bid, estimated action rates, and value to the user. Together, their role is market resonance.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If CPM spikes relative to your historical average, these metrics signal the market is either too crowded or your creative isn’t effective enough to maintain volume.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-midfielders-ctr-and-hook-rate">The midfielders: CTR and hook rate</h3>



<p>Their role is to move the ball from the ad placement in Meta’s ecosystem to your website. If you have a high hook rate but a low CTR, your ad is great at getting attention but terrible at passing the ball. You’re stopping the scroll effectively, but your content isn’t enticing people to click.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-strikers-cvr-and-aov">The strikers: CVR and AOV</h3>



<p>These metrics are the final step in the journey and rely on your website. If CTR is high and CPC is low, but ROAS is low, something is amiss. Your ad did its job well, but your landing page or offer didn’t because people aren’t converting.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/meta-ads-ai-best-practices-better-results-455324">Rethinking Meta Ads AI: Best practices for better results</a></em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diagnosing-system-gaps">Diagnosing system gaps</h2>



<p>The real diagnosis happens between the columns you see in Ads Manager.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hook-vs-hold-rates">Hook vs. hold rates</h3>



<p>Quickly diagnose creative fatigue before it impacts ROAS by looking at the ratio between hook rate and hold rate. </p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>If you have a high hook rate and a low hold rate, your ad is successfully grabbing attention but then losing interest. This is a good opportunity to adjust the latter portion of your ad, make it more compelling, and end it with a clear, strong CTA.</li>



<li>If you have a low hook rate but a high hold rate, you’re losing most people at the beginning, but those who stay are likely to convert. This presents a good opportunity to test new hooks that fit with the rest of your video to grab more attention up front and help drive more conversions.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-link-clicks-vs-landing-page-views">Link clicks vs. landing page views</h3>



<p>The gap between these two metrics is important and often overlooked. If you have 1,000 clicks but only 450 landing page views, you may have a technical leak somewhere. Check your page speed and whether your tracking is working properly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It’s unlikely this is a creative issue, as a significant drop-off rate like this is likely caused by a slow server. People expect a site to load quickly. If it doesn’t, they’ll bounce, and your budget will be wasted.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cpa-vs-frequency">CPA vs. frequency</h3>



<p>If a rising CPA feels like a mystery, look at frequency. If both metrics are increasing, your audience is likely seeing the same ad too often and getting fatigued.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A tired audience and system need something fresh, not just a bid or budget increase. Swap out creative assets or expand your targeting if it’s too narrow.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="727" height="317" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/A-visual-of-an-example-of-Meta-Ads-Manager-reporting-columns.png" alt="A visual of an example of Meta Ads Manager reporting columns." class="wp-image-470068"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em><em>A visual of an example of Meta Ads Manager reporting columns.</em></em></figcaption></figure></div>


<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/meta-ads-lead-gen-what-you-need-to-know-456269">Meta Ads for lead gen: What you need to know</a></em></strong></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-reporting-to-diagnosing">From reporting to diagnosing</h2>



<p>When a campaign or creative underperforms, ask yourself:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Is volume constant? </strong>Has spend or impressions decreased? The system may have devalued or rejected your ad, specifically the creative.</li>



<li><strong>Where is the friction taking place? </strong>Follow the ball down the field. Is it hook rate, CTR, or CVR?</li>
</ul>



<p>Once you identify the bottleneck, change only that variable. If you change too many variables, you won’t clearly understand which part was broken. If CVR is low, don’t change the ad. Instead, improve the landing page experience.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Are you sending people to a product detail page while showcasing numerous products in a single creative? Remove the friction and create a product collection landing page instead, so everyone interested in a component of your ad can seamlessly and intuitively shop once they click.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-becoming-a-media-architect">Becoming a media architect</h2>



<p>With Meta’s AI taking the lead in targeting, it’s now our job as media buyers to evolve into system architects. </p>



<p>A scoreboard tells you something isn’t winning. A system map tells the full story, like when site speed is tanking ROAS or creative is hooking the wrong people.</p>



<p>Next time you look at your account, ignore the ROAS column at first glance. Instead, look at the ratios, trace the user’s path through your metrics, and unlock the story of the journey from ad to website. When you stop looking for winners and start looking for friction points, you’ll begin engineering more meaningful growth.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/facebook-ad-templates-examples-467942">4 Facebook ad templates that still work in 2026 (with real examples)</a></em></strong></p>

Every week, thousands of media buyers perform the same ritual, opening Meta Ads Manager, scanning metrics, and deciding which campaigns and ads were winners and which were losers. If ROAS is positive, they’re pleased. If not, the mouse quickly heads toward the toggle button to disable the asset. This is the scoreboard trap some advertisers fall into.
When you treat metrics like a scoreboard, you’re looking at the outcome without understanding the full picture or how to improve going forward. The score of the game doesn’t include the fact that your strikers aren’t getting any passes from midfield. 
To scale performance, it’s important to move from reporting to diagnosing the issues at hand. Start looking at your metrics as independent KPIs and as a system of interdependent signals to better tell the story of what’s happening in your account and accurately inform your next optimization steps.
The dashboard illusion
Meta’s interface is designed as a linear grid, which can create a false sense of clarity. It may suggest that a high CPM is the problem in one column and, in another, that a low CTR is the culprit. In reality, these metrics are deeply intertwined. 
A high CPM might not mean your audience is expensive. It may indicate your creative is low quality, so Meta is charging you more for a poor user experience on its platform. 
Conversely, a high CTR might look like a win at first glance, but if your CVR is plummeting, it’s not a win, and you’re paying for high-intent customers your landing page can’t close. 
The dashboard tells you what happened, and the system tells you why.
A visual of an example of Meta Ads Manager CTR and CPM reporting columns.
Dig deeper: Inside Meta’s AI-driven advertising system: How Andromeda and GEM work together
The team metrics framework
To better understand the system, let’s think of metrics as a sports team. Each player has a specific role. If the team loses, you don’t bench the whole team. You review the play to see what happened so you can improve your chances of winning next time.
The scouts: CPM and reach
CPM is the auction’s feedback on your total value. It’s a combination of your bid, estimated action rates, and value to the user. Together, their role is market resonance. 
If CPM spikes relative to your historical average, these metrics signal the market is either too crowded or your creative isn’t effective enough to maintain volume.
The midfielders: CTR and hook rate
Their role is to move the ball from the ad placement in Meta’s ecosystem to your website. If you have a high hook rate but a low CTR, your ad is great at getting attention but terrible at passing the ball. You’re stopping the scroll effectively, but your content isn’t enticing people to click.
The strikers: CVR and AOV
These metrics are the final step in the journey and rely on your website. If CTR is high and CPC is low, but ROAS is low, something is amiss. Your ad did its job well, but your landing page or offer didn’t because people aren’t converting.
Dig deeper: Rethinking Meta Ads AI: Best practices for better results

  
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Diagnosing system gaps
The real diagnosis happens between the columns you see in Ads Manager.
Hook vs. hold rates
Quickly diagnose creative fatigue before it impacts ROAS by looking at the ratio between hook rate and hold rate. 
If you have a high hook rate and a low hold rate, your ad is successfully grabbing attention but then losing interest. This is a good opportunity to adjust the latter portion of your ad, make it more compelling, and end it with a clear, strong CTA.
If you have a low hook rate but a high hold rate, you’re losing most people at the beginning, but those who stay are likely to convert. This presents a good opportunity to test new hooks that fit with the rest of your video to grab more attention up front and help drive more conversions.
Link clicks vs. landing page views
The gap between these two metrics is important and often overlooked. If you have 1,000 clicks but only 450 landing page views, you may have a technical leak somewhere. Check your page speed and whether your tracking is working properly. 
It’s unlikely this is a creative issue, as a significant drop-off rate like this is likely caused by a slow server. People expect a site to load quickly. If it doesn’t, they’ll bounce, and your budget will be wasted.
CPA vs. frequency
If a rising CPA feels like a mystery, look at frequency. If both metrics are increasing, your audience is likely seeing the same ad too often and getting fatigued. 
A tired audience and system need something fresh, not just a bid or budget increase. Swap out creative assets or expand your targeting if it’s too narrow.
A visual of an example of Meta Ads Manager reporting columns.
Dig deeper: Meta Ads for lead gen: What you need to know
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See terms.
From reporting to diagnosing
When a campaign or creative underperforms, ask yourself:
Is volume constant? Has spend or impressions decreased? The system may have devalued or rejected your ad, specifically the creative.
Where is the friction taking place? Follow the ball down the field. Is it hook rate, CTR, or CVR?
Once you identify the bottleneck, change only that variable. If you change too many variables, you won’t clearly understand which part was broken. If CVR is low, don’t change the ad. Instead, improve the landing page experience. 
Are you sending people to a product detail page while showcasing numerous products in a single creative? Remove the friction and create a product collection landing page instead, so everyone interested in a component of your ad can seamlessly and intuitively shop once they click.
Becoming a media architect
With Meta’s AI taking the lead in targeting, it’s now our job as media buyers to evolve into system architects. 
A scoreboard tells you something isn’t winning. A system map tells the full story, like when site speed is tanking ROAS or creative is hooking the wrong people.
Next time you look at your account, ignore the ROAS column at first glance. Instead, look at the ratios, trace the user’s path through your metrics, and unlock the story of the journey from ad to website. When you stop looking for winners and start looking for friction points, you’ll begin engineering more meaningful growth.
Dig deeper: 4 Facebook ad templates that still work in 2026 (with real examples)

Stop toggling off “losers” based on surface metrics. Analyze relationships between KPIs to pinpoint bottlenecks and drive sustainable growth.

How to read Meta Ads metrics like a system, not a scoreboard

<div><img width="1920" height="1097" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920-1536x878.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>This seems like it was a brief outage over night.

<div><img width="1920" height="1097" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920-768x439.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/10/google-broken-logo-1920-1536x878.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google confirmed it had an issue serving search results earlier this morning at around 1:30 am ET on Wednesday, February 25th. The issue seemed to be fixed very quickly and we didn&#8217;t see a huge number of complaints about the issue.</p>



<p>Google <a href="https://status.search.google.com/incidents/TZF4pLmbzFdoBPP6o3iv">posted</a> a notice saying, &#8220;We fixed the issue with serving search results. There will be no more updates.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>Why we care. </strong>If your website noticed a drop in traffic around midnight last night, it may be related to this serving issue.  </p>



<p>Again, it seems the serving issue was discovered and fixed very quickly but just because Google posted the issue and resolved it within a minute, it does not mean the serving issue was only a minute. Rather, this is when Google posted the notices.  Google did say the issue lasted about 15 minutes.</p>



<p>Here is a screenshot of the status dashboard notice:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1186" height="654" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/google-serving-issue-1772017445.png" alt="" class="wp-image-470164" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/google-serving-issue-1772017445.png 1186w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/google-serving-issue-1772017445-768x424.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1186px) 100vw, 1186px" /></figure>


Google confirmed it had an issue serving search results earlier this morning at around 1:30 am ET on Wednesday, February 25th. The issue seemed to be fixed very quickly and we didn’t see a huge number of complaints about the issue.
Google posted a notice saying, “We fixed the issue with serving search results. There will be no more updates.”
Why we care. If your website noticed a drop in traffic around midnight last night, it may be related to this serving issue.  
Again, it seems the serving issue was discovered and fixed very quickly but just because Google posted the issue and resolved it within a minute, it does not mean the serving issue was only a minute. Rather, this is when Google posted the notices.  Google did say the issue lasted about 15 minutes.
Here is a screenshot of the status dashboard notice:

This seems like it was a brief outage over night.

Google fixed a serving issue with search results

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to tell if Google Ads automation helps or hurts your campaigns" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>You can now tie ad spend to foot traffic, aligning bids with in-person visits across Maps and local search placements.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to tell if Google Ads automation helps or hurts your campaigns" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns.jpg 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns-768x432.jpg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2025/08/How-to-tell-if-Google-Ads-automation-helps-or-hurts-your-campaigns-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google Ad Grants accounts can now optimize for real-world foot traffic. If you use the nonprofit program, you can set “shop visits” as an account-level goal, allowing your campaigns to optimize for in-person visits.</p>



<p><strong>Driving the news</strong>. Previously, if you tried to mark shop visits as a goal in Ad Grants, you’d get an error. That restriction appears to be lifted, allowing eligible accounts to include store visit conversions in their primary goal configuration.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1280" height="720" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/google-ad-grants-shop-visit-goal.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-470133" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/google-ad-grants-shop-visit-goal.jpg 1280w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/google-ad-grants-shop-visit-goal-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>This update lets you align bidding and optimization with physical visits — especially for visibility in Maps placements and location-driven search results.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Why we care.</strong> If you run a nonprofit, museum, place of worship, community center, or other location-based organization, digital engagement doesn’t always translate into mission impact. Optimizing for shop visits bridges that gap, tying ad performance directly to foot traffic.</p>



<p><strong>What to do</strong>. If you use Ad Grants, review your account-level goals and confirm shop visits are enabled where eligible. Optimizing for foot traffic could materially improve your local impact — especially if you rely on in-person engagement.</p>



<p><strong>Between the lines</strong>. As Google continues to emphasize local intent and Maps-based discovery, bringing store visit optimization to Ad Grants expands your ability to compete for nearby audiences. It shifts the focus from clicks and website traffic to measurable offline action.</p>



<p><strong>First seen</strong>. Google Ads expert Jason King spotted this update and shared it on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kingjason_quick-tip-for-google-ad-grant-users-putting-activity-7429157455219089409-_jHU/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_android&amp;rcm=ACoAABU5RtAB1yM61HMd6Ska99csDVjiJlgRo6A">LinkedIn</a>.</p>


Google Ad Grants accounts can now optimize for real-world foot traffic. If you use the nonprofit program, you can set “shop visits” as an account-level goal, allowing your campaigns to optimize for in-person visits.
Driving the news. Previously, if you tried to mark shop visits as a goal in Ad Grants, you’d get an error. That restriction appears to be lifted, allowing eligible accounts to include store visit conversions in their primary goal configuration.





This update lets you align bidding and optimization with physical visits — especially for visibility in Maps placements and location-driven search results.
Why we care. If you run a nonprofit, museum, place of worship, community center, or other location-based organization, digital engagement doesn’t always translate into mission impact. Optimizing for shop visits bridges that gap, tying ad performance directly to foot traffic.
What to do. If you use Ad Grants, review your account-level goals and confirm shop visits are enabled where eligible. Optimizing for foot traffic could materially improve your local impact — especially if you rely on in-person engagement.
Between the lines. As Google continues to emphasize local intent and Maps-based discovery, bringing store visit optimization to Ad Grants expands your ability to compete for nearby audiences. It shifts the focus from clicks and website traffic to measurable offline action.
First seen. Google Ads expert Jason King spotted this update and shared it on LinkedIn.

You can now tie ad spend to foot traffic, aligning bids with in-person visits across Maps and local search placements.

Google Ad Grants now lets nonprofits optimize for shop visits

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="When Google reps push Performance Max before your account is ready" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google’s move to auto-populate video assets in GMC allows video to be a built-in, commerce-ready component of retail ad strategy.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="When Google reps push Performance Max before your account is ready" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/When-Google-reps-push-Performance-Max-before-your-account-is-ready-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Google’s unified video manager in Merchant Center is no longer empty. After months of showing up in accounts without visible content, the Video Assets section is now automatically populating with sourced videos.</p>



<p><strong>Driving the news</strong>. Videos are now automatically pulled in, including content from external sources like YouTube.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The feature — first introduced at <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-marketing-live-2025-recap-455802">Google Marketing Live 2025</a> — was designed to centralize video content inside Google Merchant Center. It began rolling out in September, but many advertisers saw a blank interface with no assets.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Why we care</strong>. This confirms Google is moving ahead with its plan to make Merchant Center a central hub for commerce-ready creative — not just product feeds. With videos now auto-populating, you may gain additional visibility across Shopping and Performance Max without extra upload work, but you’ll also need to ensure your YouTube and site videos are optimized for commerce. In short, video is becoming embedded in retail ad delivery, and if you manage it proactively, you’ll have a competitive edge.</p>



<p><strong>Between the lines</strong>. By centralizing videos from your website, social platforms, and potentially AI-generated sources, Google is turning Merchant Center into a more comprehensive creative hub—not just a product feed manager. That aligns with the broader shift toward video-first shopping experiences across Search, Shopping, and Performance Max.</p>



<p><strong>What to watch</strong>. It’s still unclear how performance reporting, optimization controls, and editing tools will evolve in the Video Assets section. But the shift from an empty placeholder to a populated library shows the infrastructure is now active.</p>



<p><strong>First spotted.</strong> PPC News Feed founder <a href="https://ppcnewsfeed.com/ppc-news/2026-02/video-assets-gmc-populated-videos/">Hana Kobzová</a> first spotted this update.<br></p>


Google’s unified video manager in Merchant Center is no longer empty. After months of showing up in accounts without visible content, the Video Assets section is now automatically populating with sourced videos.
Driving the news. Videos are now automatically pulled in, including content from external sources like YouTube.
The feature — first introduced at Google Marketing Live 2025 — was designed to centralize video content inside Google Merchant Center. It began rolling out in September, but many advertisers saw a blank interface with no assets.
Why we care. This confirms Google is moving ahead with its plan to make Merchant Center a central hub for commerce-ready creative — not just product feeds. With videos now auto-populating, you may gain additional visibility across Shopping and Performance Max without extra upload work, but you’ll also need to ensure your YouTube and site videos are optimized for commerce. In short, video is becoming embedded in retail ad delivery, and if you manage it proactively, you’ll have a competitive edge.
Between the lines. By centralizing videos from your website, social platforms, and potentially AI-generated sources, Google is turning Merchant Center into a more comprehensive creative hub—not just a product feed manager. That aligns with the broader shift toward video-first shopping experiences across Search, Shopping, and Performance Max.
What to watch. It’s still unclear how performance reporting, optimization controls, and editing tools will evolve in the Video Assets section. But the shift from an empty placeholder to a populated library shows the infrastructure is now active.
First spotted. PPC News Feed founder Hana Kobzová first spotted this update.

Google’s move to auto-populate video assets in GMC allows video to be a built-in, commerce-ready component of retail ad strategy.

Merchant Center becomes a central video hub as Google auto-imports content

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to keep content fresh in an AI-saturated web" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>AI made publishing easier, but differentiation is harder. See how clarity, intent alignment, and small SEO changes drive real gains.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="How to keep content fresh in an AI-saturated web" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/How-to-keep-content-fresh-in-an-AI-saturated-web-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>AI has made publishing faster and easier than ever. And the result is saturation. </p>



<p>As AI lowers the barrier to production, the web is filling with content that is technically sound, reasonably optimized, and increasingly indistinguishable. When everything looks polished and competent, standing out becomes harder.</p>



<p>AI has changed content output, but users still arrive with intent. They scan headlines, page titles, and descriptions before choosing what to click. They reward clarity, relevance, and usefulness. On a saturated results page, those fundamentals matter more than ever.</p>



<p>Keeping content fresh in the age of AI isn’t about chasing novelty or abandoning proven practices. It’s about returning to what makes content distinct: clear messaging, thoughtful structure, and a strong understanding of what your audience wants.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-real-problem-with-ai-content">The real problem with AI content</h2>



<p>The biggest issue with AI-generated content isn’t accuracy. It’s sameness. </p>



<p>Because AI models train on vast amounts of existing material, they reproduce familiar patterns: similar phrasing, predictable structures, and safe conclusions. On their own, these outputs read as competent and coherent. In aggregate, they become indistinguishable.</p>



<p>This is why so much content today feels interchangeable. Even when the topic is relevant, the experience of reading it rarely is.</p>



<p>Search engines and users are reacting accordingly. When every result looks and sounds the same, differentiation matters. Freshness still ensures relevance and credibility, but it’s no longer a competitive advantage in itself. What separates one result from another is voice, perspective, and lived experience.</p>



<p>Ironically, AI has made originality more valuable, not less. As automated content floods the web, signals like specificity, usefulness, and intent alignment become stronger indicators of quality. Content that communicates clearly and answers people’s real questions rises above, regardless of whether AI assisted in its creation.</p>



<p>This is where many teams go wrong. In an attempt to compete with AI, they focus on output volume or trendy formats instead of fixing the fundamentals. </p>



<p>Freshness isn’t created by novelty alone. It’s created when content feels unmistakably helpful and unmistakably human.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fresh-unique-content-is-still-built-on-classic-seo-principles">Fresh, unique content is still built on classic SEO principles</h2>



<p>Despite the evolution of content creation tools, the way people use search engines has remained remarkably consistent. Users still arrive with a problem to solve, scan results quickly, and choose the option that feels most relevant to them.</p>



<p>That behavior hasn’t changed because AI exists.</p>



<p>Page titles, headings, and meta descriptions continue to act as the first point of contact between a piece of content and its audience. In search results, they function less like technical fields and more like ad copy.</p>



<p>Yet many organizations assume these elements are outdated or that AI-generated content will somehow compensate for vague or generic positioning. In reality, the opposite is true. As more content competes for attention, clarity becomes a differentiator.</p>



<p>Classic SEO principles still underpin freshness:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Clear alignment with search intent.</li>



<li>Descriptive, specific language.</li>



<li>A logical structure that helps users scan.</li>



<li>Messaging that sets accurate expectations before the click.</li>
</ul>



<p>None of these concepts is new. What’s changed is their importance. </p>



<p>When search results are crowded with similar-looking pages, small improvements in clarity can produce incremental gains. A more descriptive title doesn’t just help search engines understand a page. It helps users recognize that it answers their question.</p>



<p>AI may assist in generating drafts or variations, but it doesn’t replace the need for human judgment in deciding what information matters most or how it should be framed. Fresh content still starts with understanding intent and communicating clearly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-seo-changes-can-lead-to-a-strong-impact">Small SEO changes can lead to a strong impact</h2>



<p>To understand why traditional SEO still matters, consider a recent experiment conducted on our website focused on service-based search terms.</p>



<p>The hypothesis was straightforward: If page titles were more descriptive and more clearly aligned with search intent or user pain points, would users be more likely to click? Could visibility and engagement improve without rewriting content or making technical changes?</p>



<p>Before this test, titles followed a familiar format: the service name followed by the company name. While accurate, these titles were vague and did little to communicate value or differentiate the page in search results.</p>



<p>After the update, titles were rewritten to be more specific and benefit-oriented. Instead of simply naming a service, the new titles clarified what the service helped users achieve and reflected the intent behind the search.</p>



<p>One page, for example, shifted from a generic service title to a more descriptive version focused on optimization and lead generation. The result was a 247% increase in clicks on that page alone.</p>



<p>Encouraged by this early signal, similar title updates were rolled out across multiple service pages and allowed to run for approximately one month. The aggregated results were as follows.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="800" height="185" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-146.png" alt="" class="wp-image-470006" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-146.png 800w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-146-768x178.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



<p>As the table above shows, average position didn’t improve on every page. But several key services moved closer to the top of the results, reflected in a lower average position, while earning more clicks and impressions. This suggests clearer, intent-aligned titles helped the right pages surface more prominently and perform better once they did.</p>



<p>Not every page saw improvements, which is precisely the point of testing. There were no dramatic rewrites and no reliance on AI-driven optimization tactics. The improvement came from clearer communication.</p>



<p>The takeaway is simple: This wasn’t an example of AI SEO outperforming traditional methods. It demonstrated that when content aligns more closely with human intent, performance follows.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategies-for-keeping-content-fresh-in-an-ai-saturated-world">Strategies for keeping content fresh in an AI-saturated world</h2>



<p>Staying fresh in the age of AI doesn’t require abandoning proven practices or chasing every new tool. It requires greater intentionality in how content is created, positioned, and maintained. The strategies below focus on what works, even as the volume of content online continues to grow.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-treat-intent-at-the-strategy">1. Treat intent at the strategy</h3>



<p>Traditional SEO is often mischaracterized as keyword stuffing or mechanical optimization. In reality, its foundation has always been search intent.</p>



<p>Before creating or updating content, ask:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What problem is the searcher trying to solve?</li>



<li>What does a “good” answer look like in their context?</li>



<li>What would make this page immediately feel relevant?</li>
</ul>



<p>AI tools can suggest keywords, but they can’t fully interpret intent. That requires understanding audience behavior, industry nuance, and real-world constraints. When content is shaped around intent first, optimization becomes a byproduct, not the goal.</p>



<p>Freshness emerges when a page answers the right question clearly, not when it targets more variations of the same term.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-use-page-titles-and-headlines-as-tools">2. Use page titles and headlines as tools</h3>



<p>In an AI-driven content environment, page titles still matter. Search results are crowded with pages that look nearly identical at a quick glance in the SERP. </p>



<p>A well-written title is often the deciding factor in whether a user clicks or scrolls past. This is where traditional SEO fundamentals quietly outperform more complex tactics.</p>



<p>Effective titles:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Clearly state what the page offers.</li>



<li>Reflect the language users search with.</li>



<li>Set accurate expectations instead of teasing vague benefits.</li>
</ul>



<p>Small improvements in specificity can produce meaningful gains.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-refresh-before-you-create">3. Refresh before you create</h3>



<p>One of the most overlooked ways to keep content fresh is to improve what already exists.</p>



<p>In many cases, underperforming content doesn’t fail because it’s outdated or incorrect. It fails because it’s unclear. Updating introductions, tightening headlines, improving structure, and clarifying takeaways can have a greater impact than publishing something new.</p>



<p>A practical approach:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Identify pages with impressions but low click-through rates.</li>



<li>Review whether titles and descriptions match intent.</li>



<li>Adjust framing before expanding content.</li>
</ul>



<p>This strategy is particularly effective in an AI-heavy environment, where new content is abundant but thoughtful updates can deliver stronger results.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-lean-into-specificity-and-constraints">4. Lean into specificity and constraints</h3>



<p>AI excels at general advice. Humans excel at context.</p>



<p>Content becomes fresh when it reflects specific scenarios, limitations, or trade-offs. Rather than aiming for universal coverage, focus on clearly defined use cases, audiences, or situations.</p>



<p>Specificity might include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Addressing common misconceptions.</li>



<li>Explaining why a tactic works in one context but not another.</li>



<li>Acknowledging constraints like budget, time, or expertise.</li>
</ul>



<p>This level of nuance signals credibility and separates genuinely helpful content from generic summaries.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-use-ai-as-an-accelerator">5. Use AI as an accelerator</h3>



<p>AI is most effective when it accelerates tasks that don’t require decision-making. Drafting outlines, summarizing research, or generating alternative phrasing can save time. Choosing the angle, defining the message, and interpreting results remain human responsibilities.</p>



<p>A healthy AI-assisted workflow includes:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Editorial oversight.</li>



<li>Performance review and iteration.</li>



<li>Clear ownership of voice and perspective.</li>
</ul>



<p>When AI is used as a support tool rather than a substitute, content remains intentional and aligned with business goals.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-measure-freshness-by-behavior">6. Measure freshness by behavior</h3>



<p>Publishing more content doesn’t make it fresher… engagement does.</p>



<p>Instead of tracking success by volume, pay attention to signals that reflect real interest:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Click-through rates</li>



<li>Time on page</li>



<li>Scroll depth</li>



<li>Return visits</li>
</ul>



<p>These metrics reveal whether content resonates. Fresh content earns attention because it feels useful.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-accept-that-traditional-doesn-t-mean-outdated">7. Accept that ‘traditional’ doesn’t mean outdated</h3>



<p>The temptation in any technological shift is to assume that what came before no longer applies. But AI hasn’t replaced the need for clarity, structure, and relevance. It has made those qualities more valuable.</p>



<p>Traditional SEO works because it aligns with how people search, decide, and engage. When those fundamentals are executed well, they break through regardless of how content is produced.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-fresh-content-actually-wins">Why fresh content actually wins</h2>



<p>AI has changed how some content is produced. It has increased speed, lowered costs, and removed many of the barriers that once limited who could publish and how often. What hasn’t changed is how people decide what to read, click, and ultimately trust.</p>



<p>Fresh content wins because it is clear and relevant when someone is looking for an answer — not just because it was generated faster.</p>



<p>The growing presence of AI has exposed a hard truth: Much of what passes for fresh content was never truly differentiated. When similar ideas are repeated at scale, fundamentals like intent alignment, descriptive titles, thoughtful structure, and honest messaging become the strongest signals of quality.</p>



<p>So what&#8217;s the path forward? Being more disciplined about how content is framed, maintained, and measured. Successful brands and publishers will treat freshness as a function of usefulness, not output.<br></p>


AI has made publishing faster and easier than ever. And the result is saturation. 
As AI lowers the barrier to production, the web is filling with content that is technically sound, reasonably optimized, and increasingly indistinguishable. When everything looks polished and competent, standing out becomes harder.
AI has changed content output, but users still arrive with intent. They scan headlines, page titles, and descriptions before choosing what to click. They reward clarity, relevance, and usefulness. On a saturated results page, those fundamentals matter more than ever.
Keeping content fresh in the age of AI isn’t about chasing novelty or abandoning proven practices. It’s about returning to what makes content distinct: clear messaging, thoughtful structure, and a strong understanding of what your audience wants.
The real problem with AI content
The biggest issue with AI-generated content isn’t accuracy. It’s sameness. 
Because AI models train on vast amounts of existing material, they reproduce familiar patterns: similar phrasing, predictable structures, and safe conclusions. On their own, these outputs read as competent and coherent. In aggregate, they become indistinguishable.
This is why so much content today feels interchangeable. Even when the topic is relevant, the experience of reading it rarely is.
Search engines and users are reacting accordingly. When every result looks and sounds the same, differentiation matters. Freshness still ensures relevance and credibility, but it’s no longer a competitive advantage in itself. What separates one result from another is voice, perspective, and lived experience.
Ironically, AI has made originality more valuable, not less. As automated content floods the web, signals like specificity, usefulness, and intent alignment become stronger indicators of quality. Content that communicates clearly and answers people’s real questions rises above, regardless of whether AI assisted in its creation.
This is where many teams go wrong. In an attempt to compete with AI, they focus on output volume or trendy formats instead of fixing the fundamentals. 
Freshness isn’t created by novelty alone. It’s created when content feels unmistakably helpful and unmistakably human.

  
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Fresh, unique content is still built on classic SEO principles
Despite the evolution of content creation tools, the way people use search engines has remained remarkably consistent. Users still arrive with a problem to solve, scan results quickly, and choose the option that feels most relevant to them.
That behavior hasn’t changed because AI exists.
Page titles, headings, and meta descriptions continue to act as the first point of contact between a piece of content and its audience. In search results, they function less like technical fields and more like ad copy.
Yet many organizations assume these elements are outdated or that AI-generated content will somehow compensate for vague or generic positioning. In reality, the opposite is true. As more content competes for attention, clarity becomes a differentiator.
Classic SEO principles still underpin freshness:
Clear alignment with search intent.
Descriptive, specific language.
A logical structure that helps users scan.
Messaging that sets accurate expectations before the click.
None of these concepts is new. What’s changed is their importance. 
When search results are crowded with similar-looking pages, small improvements in clarity can produce incremental gains. A more descriptive title doesn’t just help search engines understand a page. It helps users recognize that it answers their question.
AI may assist in generating drafts or variations, but it doesn’t replace the need for human judgment in deciding what information matters most or how it should be framed. Fresh content still starts with understanding intent and communicating clearly.
Small SEO changes can lead to a strong impact
To understand why traditional SEO still matters, consider a recent experiment conducted on our website focused on service-based search terms.
The hypothesis was straightforward: If page titles were more descriptive and more clearly aligned with search intent or user pain points, would users be more likely to click? Could visibility and engagement improve without rewriting content or making technical changes?
Before this test, titles followed a familiar format: the service name followed by the company name. While accurate, these titles were vague and did little to communicate value or differentiate the page in search results.
After the update, titles were rewritten to be more specific and benefit-oriented. Instead of simply naming a service, the new titles clarified what the service helped users achieve and reflected the intent behind the search.
One page, for example, shifted from a generic service title to a more descriptive version focused on optimization and lead generation. The result was a 247% increase in clicks on that page alone.
Encouraged by this early signal, similar title updates were rolled out across multiple service pages and allowed to run for approximately one month. The aggregated results were as follows.




As the table above shows, average position didn’t improve on every page. But several key services moved closer to the top of the results, reflected in a lower average position, while earning more clicks and impressions. This suggests clearer, intent-aligned titles helped the right pages surface more prominently and perform better once they did.
Not every page saw improvements, which is precisely the point of testing. There were no dramatic rewrites and no reliance on AI-driven optimization tactics. The improvement came from clearer communication.
The takeaway is simple: This wasn’t an example of AI SEO outperforming traditional methods. It demonstrated that when content aligns more closely with human intent, performance follows.
Strategies for keeping content fresh in an AI-saturated world
Staying fresh in the age of AI doesn’t require abandoning proven practices or chasing every new tool. It requires greater intentionality in how content is created, positioned, and maintained. The strategies below focus on what works, even as the volume of content online continues to grow.
1. Treat intent at the strategy
Traditional SEO is often mischaracterized as keyword stuffing or mechanical optimization. In reality, its foundation has always been search intent.
Before creating or updating content, ask:
What problem is the searcher trying to solve?
What does a “good” answer look like in their context?
What would make this page immediately feel relevant?
AI tools can suggest keywords, but they can’t fully interpret intent. That requires understanding audience behavior, industry nuance, and real-world constraints. When content is shaped around intent first, optimization becomes a byproduct, not the goal.
Freshness emerges when a page answers the right question clearly, not when it targets more variations of the same term.
2. Use page titles and headlines as tools
In an AI-driven content environment, page titles still matter. Search results are crowded with pages that look nearly identical at a quick glance in the SERP. 
A well-written title is often the deciding factor in whether a user clicks or scrolls past. This is where traditional SEO fundamentals quietly outperform more complex tactics.
Effective titles:
Clearly state what the page offers.
Reflect the language users search with.
Set accurate expectations instead of teasing vague benefits.
Small improvements in specificity can produce meaningful gains.
3. Refresh before you create
One of the most overlooked ways to keep content fresh is to improve what already exists.
In many cases, underperforming content doesn’t fail because it’s outdated or incorrect. It fails because it’s unclear. Updating introductions, tightening headlines, improving structure, and clarifying takeaways can have a greater impact than publishing something new.
A practical approach:
Identify pages with impressions but low click-through rates.
Review whether titles and descriptions match intent.
Adjust framing before expanding content.
This strategy is particularly effective in an AI-heavy environment, where new content is abundant but thoughtful updates can deliver stronger results.
4. Lean into specificity and constraints
AI excels at general advice. Humans excel at context.
Content becomes fresh when it reflects specific scenarios, limitations, or trade-offs. Rather than aiming for universal coverage, focus on clearly defined use cases, audiences, or situations.
Specificity might include:
Addressing common misconceptions.
Explaining why a tactic works in one context but not another.
Acknowledging constraints like budget, time, or expertise.
This level of nuance signals credibility and separates genuinely helpful content from generic summaries.
5. Use AI as an accelerator
AI is most effective when it accelerates tasks that don’t require decision-making. Drafting outlines, summarizing research, or generating alternative phrasing can save time. Choosing the angle, defining the message, and interpreting results remain human responsibilities.
A healthy AI-assisted workflow includes:
Editorial oversight.
Performance review and iteration.
Clear ownership of voice and perspective.
When AI is used as a support tool rather than a substitute, content remains intentional and aligned with business goals.
6. Measure freshness by behavior
Publishing more content doesn’t make it fresher… engagement does.
Instead of tracking success by volume, pay attention to signals that reflect real interest:
Click-through rates
Time on page
Scroll depth
Return visits
These metrics reveal whether content resonates. Fresh content earns attention because it feels useful.
7. Accept that ‘traditional’ doesn’t mean outdated
The temptation in any technological shift is to assume that what came before no longer applies. But AI hasn’t replaced the need for clarity, structure, and relevance. It has made those qualities more valuable.
Traditional SEO works because it aligns with how people search, decide, and engage. When those fundamentals are executed well, they break through regardless of how content is produced.

  
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Start Free Trial
    
Get started with




Why fresh content actually wins
AI has changed how some content is produced. It has increased speed, lowered costs, and removed many of the barriers that once limited who could publish and how often. What hasn’t changed is how people decide what to read, click, and ultimately trust.
Fresh content wins because it is clear and relevant when someone is looking for an answer — not just because it was generated faster.
The growing presence of AI has exposed a hard truth: Much of what passes for fresh content was never truly differentiated. When similar ideas are repeated at scale, fundamentals like intent alignment, descriptive titles, thoughtful structure, and honest messaging become the strongest signals of quality.
So what’s the path forward? Being more disciplined about how content is framed, maintained, and measured. Successful brands and publishers will treat freshness as a function of usefulness, not output.

AI made publishing easier, but differentiation is harder. See how clarity, intent alignment, and small SEO changes drive real gains.

How to keep your content fresh in the age of AI

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="AAO- Why assistive agent optimization is the next evolution of SEO" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Incomplete terminology leads to incomplete strategy. Here’s a clearer framework for optimizing when AI systems recommend and act.

<div><img width="1920" height="1080" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="AAO- Why assistive agent optimization is the next evolution of SEO" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/AAO-Why-assistive-agent-optimization-is-the-next-evolution-of-SEO-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>Search engine optimization (<a href="https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo">SEO</a>) — be found. Answer engine optimization (<a href="https://searchengineland.com/answer-engine-optimization-ai-models-453509">AEO</a>) — be the answer. AI engine optimization (AIEO) — be the recommendation. Assistive agent optimization (AAO) — be chosen when no human is in the loop. Four stages where each clearly absorbs the last.</p>



<p>The word that stays constant across the last two is “assistive,” and that’s important because it names the purpose: what the system does for the user. The word that changes is just one: engine becomes agent — a single pivot that tracks the real shift in our industry, from systems that recommend to systems that act.</p>



<p>For me, everything else in the naming debate is a distraction. The SEO industry is fractured across at least six competing terms for what’s functionally the same discipline. Each term has a constituency, each constituency is spending energy defending its label, and while we argue about what to call the work, we’re not doing the work.</p>



<p>So skip a step with me: I’ll explain in the next few paragraphs why AAO is a good solution — then we can all get back to our jobs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-every-competing-acronym-covers-part-of-the-job-none-covers-all-of-it">Every competing acronym covers part of the job, none covers all of it</h2>



<p>Every AI system that makes recommendations or takes autonomous action — Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, and any other engine that glides into view — runs on three components: large language models, knowledge graphs, and traditional search. I call this the <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-algorithmic-education-roadmap-brand-authority-465980">algorithmic trinity</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The balance differs by platform (ChatGPT leans LLM-heavy, Google leans on its knowledge graph), but the trinity itself is universal. Even Google team members I’ve spoken with agree on this architecture.</p>



<p>SEO also described the purpose the engine served, which I’ve always liked. So here’s a quick look at the competing acronyms against those three components.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>GEO describes mechanism, not purpose. It covers the LLM layer, includes search by necessity, but misses the knowledge graph entirely. Because “generative” is a technology label, the term expires when the technology evolves. “Generative agent optimization” describes nothing, which tells you the term wasn’t built to scale.</li>



<li>Entity SEO covers the knowledge graph layer (entities live there), treats search as the delivery mechanism, and tangentially acknowledges LLMs. The term also fails the glossary test, which I now try my best to apply to my own writing. If a non-specialist can’t understand a term on first encounter, it was named for the speaker, not the listener. Every time I use the word “entity” to describe “brand” in conversations with business leaders, I have to explain myself.</li>



<li>LLM optimization is honest about its scope, but that’s one-third of the job, ignoring the knowledge graph and search entirely.</li>



<li>AI SEO bolts “AI” onto the old term, which makes it easy access for outsiders, but it doesn’t have long-term legs. Already in 2026, people aren’t searching, they’re researching, and some have agents researching for them.</li>
</ul>



<p>All of them are incomplete, and I’d argue that incomplete terminology produces incomplete strategy because practitioners naturally optimize for the leg their acronym covers and neglect the others.</p>



<p>Assistive agent optimization (AAO) evolves neatly from answer engine optimization and covers everything we need to build a meaningful, complete strategy:&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>“Assistive” names the purpose across the full algorithmic trinity.&nbsp;</li>



<li>“Agent” names the actor that uses all three components to make a decision.&nbsp;</li>



<li>“Optimization” is what we do.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<p>That’s a three-legged stool with all three legs the same length, which, if you’ve ever sat on one, is the only stool that doesn’t wobble.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: </em></strong><a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-geo-aso-new-era-brand-visibility-ai-research-464936"><strong><em>SEO, GEO, or ASO? What to call the new era of brand visibility in AI [Research]</em></strong></a></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-glossary-test-says-aao-isn-t-perfect-but-it-s-the-closest-we-ve-got">The glossary test says AAO isn’t perfect, but it’s the closest we’ve got</h2>



<p>Generative engine optimization requires the listener to know what a generative engine is, entity SEO requires them to know what an entity means in a technical context, and LLM optimization requires them to know what an LLM is — all three fail the glossary test.</p>



<p>Assistive agent optimization doesn’t pass perfectly either because “assistive” requires half a second to process. But “agent” is mainstream vocabulary now (every tech company on earth is selling us agents), and “optimization” is self-explanatory. Two out of three words land with zero friction, and the third doesn’t need explaining after half a second’s thought.</p>



<p>If you have a better term that covers the full algorithmic trinity — pull and push (see below) — and passes the glossary test more cleanly, I’m open, because the discipline matters more than the term.</p>



<p>More importantly, AAO describes a role (optimize so the assistive agent chooses your brand), not a technology, and roles outlast technologies. The term that names what you do is the one you’ll still be using in five years, regardless of which model architecture or retrieval method is fashionable.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-here-s-what-changes-when-you-adopt-the-aao-frame">Here’s what changes when you adopt the AAO frame</h2>



<p>Your brand identity becomes the foundation, not a nice-to-have. When an agent books a hotel, selects a supplier, or recommends a consultant, it doesn’t scan a list of pages and pick the one with the best title tag. It evaluates what it knows about the brand itself: who this company is, what it does, who it serves, why it would be a reliable solution, and how confident the agent is in those facts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That confidence starts at the entity home — the one page you control that anchors everything the algorithmic trinity knows about you — and cascades outward through every corroborating source. If the agent doesn’t understand your brand clearly, it will pick a brand it does confidently understand.</p>



<p>The funnel moves inside the agent. The traditional acquisition funnel (awareness, consideration, decision) used to happen with a bouncing on-and-off-your-website dance, where the search engine was one traffic source that sent people to you.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Under AAO, the entire funnel happens inside the AI, without the user ever seeing a list of options. The agent becomes aware of you, considers you against alternatives, and decides — all before delivering the result. Your role is no longer to attract visitors to a funnel on your site, it’s to be the answer when the agent runs its own funnel internally.</p>



<p>You might be thinking, “We’re not there yet.” You’re right. We’re not, for most people. </p>



<p>But <a href="https://searchengineland.com/seo-ai-trusted-answer-461584">the funnel is already in the assistive engine</a> (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode), and they bring people to <a href="https://searchengineland.com/perfect-click-optimize-ai-assisted-search-results-443472">the perfect click</a> — the zero-sum moment in AI where they present one single solution to the user. Most people take the solution they’re offered. The only thing missing is the agent clicking the buy button.</p>



<p>The web index is losing its monopoly as the source of truth. For two decades, the crawled web was effectively the only dataset that mattered: if Google hadn’t indexed it, it didn’t exist. That monopoly is breaking on two fronts.&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Proprietary datasets are feeding agents directly as search evolves into what I’d call <a href="https://searchengineland.com/ai-research-modes-redefining-search-why-brand-wins-464717">ambient research</a>, where in-app push recommendations surface your brand inside the tools people are already using, without anyone typing a query. </li>



<li>Agents and engines already pull from APIs, booking systems, internal databases, and structured feeds that never touch a traditional web index. The web index doesn’t disappear (your website is still the entity home — the anchor), but it’s no longer the sole gatekeeper, and you should already be building your strategy on that basis.</li>
</ul>



<p>The push layer is back, too. For 20 years, we got lazy: Google and Bing crawled our sites, rendered our JavaScript, figured out what our pages meant even when we made it hard, and we published and waited. That will continue, but you’ll need to account for multiple additions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>IndexNow (Fabrice Canel has been building this at Bing for years), MCP, and whatever Google eventually ships all do the same thing: they let you push structured information to the systems that act, rather than waiting for those systems to come and find it. It’s the 1990s again — submitting URLs and actively feeding the ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>



<p>My guess on why Google hasn’t adopted IndexNow isn’t because it’s a bad idea — it’s a brilliant idea — but because it wasn’t Google’s idea, and Google would rather ship a proprietary version.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The technical generosity we’d been leaning on comes back to bite us, too: JavaScript rendering was a favor Google extended, not a standard the industry can rely on, because most AI agent bots don’t render JavaScript. If your content sits behind client-side rendering, a growing number of agents simply never see it.</p>



<p>(All of this maps to the 10-gate DSCRI-ARGDW pipeline I’ll lay out next in this series.)</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: </em></strong><a href="https://searchengineland.com/origins-seo-geo-aio-462480"><strong><em>The origins of SEO and what they mean for GEO and AIO</em></strong></a></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-seo-skills-still-apply-the-target-moves-from-the-engine-to-the-agent">Your SEO skills still apply. The target moves from the engine to the agent.</h2>



<p>You don’t need to master every intermediate stage before adopting the AAO frame, because AAO contains AIEO contains AEO contains SEO — the skills stack — and only the target changes: be chosen when the agent acts, recommended when the user researches, and mentioned when the user asks.</p>



<p>The compounding advantage I documented in “<a href="https://searchengineland.com/ai-recommendations-inconsistent-fix-469250">Rand Fishkin proved AI recommendations are inconsistent – here’s why and how to fix it</a>” also applies here. The top performers in our data captured 59.5% of all citability by February, up from 30.9% in December — a 293% increase in concentration over two months. </p>



<p>People who adopt this frame will be able to reliably build pipeline confidence while everyone else argues about acronyms — and the gap will widen over time.</p>



<p>The discipline has a name, the agents are already acting, the push layer is here, and the lazy days are over.</p>



<p><em>The first two articles were the &#8220;what&#8221; and the &#8220;why.&#8221; Next week, the how begins. I’ll open up the 10-gate pipeline I’ve been referencing, DSCRI-ARGDW</em>, <em>which stands between your content and a conversion from an AI engine.</em></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><em><strong>Discovered</strong>: The bot finds you exist.</em></li>



<li><strong><em>Selected</em></strong>: <em>The bot decides you’re worth fetching.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Crawled</strong>: The bot retrieves your content.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Rendered</strong>: The bot translates what it fetched into what it can read.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Indexed: </strong>The algorithm commits your content to memory.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Annotated</strong>: The algorithm classifies what your content means across 24+ dimensions.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Recruited</strong>: The algorithm pulls your content to use.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Grounded</strong>: The engine verifies your content against other sources.</em></li>



<li><em><strong>Displayed</strong>: The engine presents you to the user</em>.</li>



<li><em><strong>Won</strong>: The engine gives you the perfect click at the zero-sum moment in AI</em>.</li>
</ul>

Search engine optimization (SEO) — be found. Answer engine optimization (AEO) — be the answer. AI engine optimization (AIEO) — be the recommendation. Assistive agent optimization (AAO) — be chosen when no human is in the loop. Four stages where each clearly absorbs the last.
The word that stays constant across the last two is “assistive,” and that’s important because it names the purpose: what the system does for the user. The word that changes is just one: engine becomes agent — a single pivot that tracks the real shift in our industry, from systems that recommend to systems that act.
For me, everything else in the naming debate is a distraction. The SEO industry is fractured across at least six competing terms for what’s functionally the same discipline. Each term has a constituency, each constituency is spending energy defending its label, and while we argue about what to call the work, we’re not doing the work.
So skip a step with me: I’ll explain in the next few paragraphs why AAO is a good solution — then we can all get back to our jobs.
Every competing acronym covers part of the job, none covers all of it
Every AI system that makes recommendations or takes autonomous action — Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, and any other engine that glides into view — runs on three components: large language models, knowledge graphs, and traditional search. I call this the algorithmic trinity. 
The balance differs by platform (ChatGPT leans LLM-heavy, Google leans on its knowledge graph), but the trinity itself is universal. Even Google team members I’ve spoken with agree on this architecture.
SEO also described the purpose the engine served, which I’ve always liked. So here’s a quick look at the competing acronyms against those three components.
GEO describes mechanism, not purpose. It covers the LLM layer, includes search by necessity, but misses the knowledge graph entirely. Because “generative” is a technology label, the term expires when the technology evolves. “Generative agent optimization” describes nothing, which tells you the term wasn’t built to scale.
Entity SEO covers the knowledge graph layer (entities live there), treats search as the delivery mechanism, and tangentially acknowledges LLMs. The term also fails the glossary test, which I now try my best to apply to my own writing. If a non-specialist can’t understand a term on first encounter, it was named for the speaker, not the listener. Every time I use the word “entity” to describe “brand” in conversations with business leaders, I have to explain myself.
LLM optimization is honest about its scope, but that’s one-third of the job, ignoring the knowledge graph and search entirely.
AI SEO bolts “AI” onto the old term, which makes it easy access for outsiders, but it doesn’t have long-term legs. Already in 2026, people aren’t searching, they’re researching, and some have agents researching for them.
All of them are incomplete, and I’d argue that incomplete terminology produces incomplete strategy because practitioners naturally optimize for the leg their acronym covers and neglect the others.
Assistive agent optimization (AAO) evolves neatly from answer engine optimization and covers everything we need to build a meaningful, complete strategy: 
“Assistive” names the purpose across the full algorithmic trinity. 
“Agent” names the actor that uses all three components to make a decision. 
“Optimization” is what we do. 
That’s a three-legged stool with all three legs the same length, which, if you’ve ever sat on one, is the only stool that doesn’t wobble.
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The glossary test says AAO isn’t perfect, but it’s the closest we’ve got
Generative engine optimization requires the listener to know what a generative engine is, entity SEO requires them to know what an entity means in a technical context, and LLM optimization requires them to know what an LLM is — all three fail the glossary test.
Assistive agent optimization doesn’t pass perfectly either because “assistive” requires half a second to process. But “agent” is mainstream vocabulary now (every tech company on earth is selling us agents), and “optimization” is self-explanatory. Two out of three words land with zero friction, and the third doesn’t need explaining after half a second’s thought.
If you have a better term that covers the full algorithmic trinity — pull and push (see below) — and passes the glossary test more cleanly, I’m open, because the discipline matters more than the term.
More importantly, AAO describes a role (optimize so the assistive agent chooses your brand), not a technology, and roles outlast technologies. The term that names what you do is the one you’ll still be using in five years, regardless of which model architecture or retrieval method is fashionable.
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
								
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See terms.
Here’s what changes when you adopt the AAO frame
Your brand identity becomes the foundation, not a nice-to-have. When an agent books a hotel, selects a supplier, or recommends a consultant, it doesn’t scan a list of pages and pick the one with the best title tag. It evaluates what it knows about the brand itself: who this company is, what it does, who it serves, why it would be a reliable solution, and how confident the agent is in those facts. 
That confidence starts at the entity home — the one page you control that anchors everything the algorithmic trinity knows about you — and cascades outward through every corroborating source. If the agent doesn’t understand your brand clearly, it will pick a brand it does confidently understand.
The funnel moves inside the agent. The traditional acquisition funnel (awareness, consideration, decision) used to happen with a bouncing on-and-off-your-website dance, where the search engine was one traffic source that sent people to you. 
Under AAO, the entire funnel happens inside the AI, without the user ever seeing a list of options. The agent becomes aware of you, considers you against alternatives, and decides — all before delivering the result. Your role is no longer to attract visitors to a funnel on your site, it’s to be the answer when the agent runs its own funnel internally.
You might be thinking, “We’re not there yet.” You’re right. We’re not, for most people. 
But the funnel is already in the assistive engine (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode), and they bring people to the perfect click — the zero-sum moment in AI where they present one single solution to the user. Most people take the solution they’re offered. The only thing missing is the agent clicking the buy button.
The web index is losing its monopoly as the source of truth. For two decades, the crawled web was effectively the only dataset that mattered: if Google hadn’t indexed it, it didn’t exist. That monopoly is breaking on two fronts. 
Proprietary datasets are feeding agents directly as search evolves into what I’d call ambient research, where in-app push recommendations surface your brand inside the tools people are already using, without anyone typing a query. 
Agents and engines already pull from APIs, booking systems, internal databases, and structured feeds that never touch a traditional web index. The web index doesn’t disappear (your website is still the entity home — the anchor), but it’s no longer the sole gatekeeper, and you should already be building your strategy on that basis.
The push layer is back, too. For 20 years, we got lazy: Google and Bing crawled our sites, rendered our JavaScript, figured out what our pages meant even when we made it hard, and we published and waited. That will continue, but you’ll need to account for multiple additions. 
IndexNow (Fabrice Canel has been building this at Bing for years), MCP, and whatever Google eventually ships all do the same thing: they let you push structured information to the systems that act, rather than waiting for those systems to come and find it. It’s the 1990s again — submitting URLs and actively feeding the ecosystem. 
My guess on why Google hasn’t adopted IndexNow isn’t because it’s a bad idea — it’s a brilliant idea — but because it wasn’t Google’s idea, and Google would rather ship a proprietary version. 
The technical generosity we’d been leaning on comes back to bite us, too: JavaScript rendering was a favor Google extended, not a standard the industry can rely on, because most AI agent bots don’t render JavaScript. If your content sits behind client-side rendering, a growing number of agents simply never see it.
(All of this maps to the 10-gate DSCRI-ARGDW pipeline I’ll lay out next in this series.)
Dig deeper: The origins of SEO and what they mean for GEO and AIO

  
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Your SEO skills still apply. The target moves from the engine to the agent.
You don’t need to master every intermediate stage before adopting the AAO frame, because AAO contains AIEO contains AEO contains SEO — the skills stack — and only the target changes: be chosen when the agent acts, recommended when the user researches, and mentioned when the user asks.
The compounding advantage I documented in “Rand Fishkin proved AI recommendations are inconsistent – here’s why and how to fix it” also applies here. The top performers in our data captured 59.5% of all citability by February, up from 30.9% in December — a 293% increase in concentration over two months. 
People who adopt this frame will be able to reliably build pipeline confidence while everyone else argues about acronyms — and the gap will widen over time.
The discipline has a name, the agents are already acting, the push layer is here, and the lazy days are over.
The first two articles were the “what” and the “why.” Next week, the how begins. I’ll open up the 10-gate pipeline I’ve been referencing, DSCRI-ARGDW, which stands between your content and a conversion from an AI engine.
Discovered: The bot finds you exist.
Selected: The bot decides you’re worth fetching.
Crawled: The bot retrieves your content.
Rendered: The bot translates what it fetched into what it can read.
Indexed: The algorithm commits your content to memory.
Annotated: The algorithm classifies what your content means across 24+ dimensions.
Recruited: The algorithm pulls your content to use.
Grounded: The engine verifies your content against other sources.
Displayed: The engine presents you to the user.
Won: The engine gives you the perfect click at the zero-sum moment in AI.

Incomplete terminology leads to incomplete strategy. Here’s a clearer framework for optimizing when AI systems recommend and act.

AAO: Why assistive agent optimization is the next evolution of SEO

<div><img width="1920" height="1081" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="The perfect local business contact page built for Google and conversions" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions-1536x865.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>Google crawls and parses your contact page. Structure it with the right signals and trust factors to drive rankings and real leads.

<div><img width="1920" height="1081" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions.png" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="The perfect local business contact page built for Google and conversions" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions.png 1920w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions-768x432.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/The-perfect-local-business-contact-page-built-for-Google-and-conversions-1536x865.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></div>
<p>When you hear the term “contact page,” you probably think of a simple page containing contact info and maybe a form.&nbsp;</p>



<p>I’m here to tell you why that’s a big miss from a local SEO perspective and show you how to build a contact page that builds your prominence with Google and helps you convert more leads.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-google-pays-special-attention-to-your-contact-page">Google pays special attention to your contact page</h2>



<p>The former head of Google Business Profile Support, Joel Headley, once told me that Google specifically crawls and parses your contact page to gather information about your business.</p>



<p>This led me to realize that most businesses have awful contact pages. They list their name, address, and phone number (NAP), embed a contact form, and call it a day.</p>



<p>Google is saying, “Give me data about your business,” and you’re saying, “No data for you.”</p>



<p>What you need to do instead is give your contact page the same level of care and attention as a multi-location landing page. </p>



<p>Here are the must-haves for a contact page that converts site visitors into paying customers:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Business identity.</li>



<li>Contact information.</li>



<li>Trust factors and social proof.</li>



<li>Location-specific content.</li>



<li>Amenities.</li>



<li>Call to action.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-business-identity">1. Business identity</h2>



<p>Just like every other page on your site, your contact page should reflect your brand. This means you should include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Your business logo (that matches all your other marketing materials and real-world signage).</li>



<li>Your slogan (bonus points if you can work some keywords into it for added SEO value).</li>



<li>A short introduction that explains what your business does, where it’s located, and what your unique value proposition (UVP) is.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/local-seo-google-entity-467727">The local SEO gatekeeper: How Google defines your entity</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-complete-contact-information">2. Complete contact information</h2>



<p>You won’t believe how many businesses forget to include their contact information on their contact page. Here’s what you absolutely have to include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Full business name.</li>



<li>Contact form and an email address people can write to (I recommend both).</li>



<li>Complete address.</li>



<li>Phone and text numbers.</li>



<li>Social media links.</li>



<li>Hours of operation (including any holiday, seasonal, or special hours).</li>



<li>Shopping options (e.g., in-store pickup, curbside pickup, delivery, appointment only).</li>



<li><a href="https://support.google.com/maps/answer/7101463?co=GENIE.Platform=Desktop&amp;hl=en&amp;visit_id=639032289630230150-588788513&amp;rd=1">Embedded Google Map</a> to your business (not your address).
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>A common mistake businesses make is embedding a map of their business address on Google Maps instead of their actual Google Business Profile.</li>



<li>Make sure you embed a map in your business listing on Maps so that whenever someone clicks it, they send engagement signals to your profile. Practically, this means:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Search for your business name on Google Maps.</li>



<li>Bring up your profile.</li>



<li>Click the Share button.</li>



<li>Click the <em>Embed a map</em> tab.</li>



<li>Copy and paste the code into your contact page.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>A link to your Google Maps listing.
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>A few years ago, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/darrenshawwhitespark_this-might-be-the-craziest-local-seo-stunt-activity-7406728803202326531-gdhX/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Holly Starks conducted a case study</a> to test whether driving directions affected local rankings. She set up Google Maps driving directions on 100 cell phones, put them in her car, and drove to the business. The results were dramatic. The business’s rankings jumped from the 20s to number 1.</li>



<li>In the past, I recommended writing driving and walking directions on your contact page. Now, with Starks’ findings in mind, adding a link to your Google Maps listing with anchor text like “Get driving directions” is even better. It encourages people to use Google Maps driving directions and can increase engagement signals to your Business Profile.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Accepted payments.</li>



<li>Parking details.</li>
</ul>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1394" height="808" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-125.png" alt="Sample embedded Google Maps link" class="wp-image-469900"/></figure></div>


<p>Including detailed business information helps customers contact and visit you and signals to traditional search engines and AI search tools that your business is legitimate and credible.</p>



<p>Bonus tips for your contact form:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Add a compelling call to action (you can use the same CTA throughout your page).</li>



<li>Set up form conversion tracking.</li>



<li>Avoid spam by including reCAPTCHA, using a plugin, requiring double opt-in, and formatting your email address so bots can’t read it (e.g., hello (at) domain (dot) com).</li>



<li>Make sure your contact section matches your Google Business Profile as a signal of legitimacy.</li>
</ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-trust-factors-and-social-proof">3. Trust factors and social proof</h2>



<p>Your contact page shouldn’t just tell people how to reach you. It should prove they’re making the right decision before they ever click or call.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clear-expectations">Clear expectations</h3>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="876" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-123.png" alt="Trust factors and social proof - Clear expectations" class="wp-image-469898" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-123.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-123-768x420.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-123-1536x841.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<p>Be clear about what a customer can expect once they reach out to you and confirm they’ve made the right choice in contacting you:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>How long are response times? 24 hours? 2 business days?</li>



<li>What are the next steps? What can they expect from your team?</li>



<li>Is there any useful information you can give them about your team, your location, or anything else that sets you apart from your competitors?</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experience-and-credentials">Experience and credentials</h3>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1394" height="712" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-124.png" alt="Trust factors and social proof - Clear expectations" class="wp-image-469899"/></figure></div>


<p>Reinforce trust and increase your page’s conversion rate by listing any:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Industry associations you’re a member of (locally and nationally).</li>



<li>Local chamber of commerce groups.</li>



<li>Professional groups and associations.</li>



<li>Meetup groups.</li>



<li>Neighborhood associations.</li>



<li>Better Business Bureau rating.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Tip</strong>: Link each association name to your business’s profile on its website.</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/local-seo-sprints-a-90-day-plan-for-service-businesses-in-2026-469059">Local SEO sprints: A 90-day plan for service businesses in 2026</a></em></strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-awards-and-accomplishments">Awards and accomplishments</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="925" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-126.png" alt="Sample business awards" class="wp-image-469909" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-126.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-126-768x444.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-126-1536x888.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure>



<p>Include any awards your business has received or mentions in the press, and link each one to the relevant article or website. If you’ve been mentioned frequently in the press, you can create a dedicated media section on the page.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reviews-and-testimonials">Reviews and testimonials</h3>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1394" height="654" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-119.png" alt="Reviews and testimonials" class="wp-image-469893"/></figure></div>


<p>Embed reviews from other sites and include testimonials on your contact page to build trust. You can increase reviewers’ credibility by including their photos, names, cities, and a link to their websites or directly to the review platform they used.</p>



<p>Be sure to include your overall review rating and total number of reviews.</p>



<p>Remember, customers don’t expect your business to have a perfect 5-star rating. A rating around 4.7-4.9 signals you’re a real business, not one that’s purchased all its reviews.</p>



<p>Customer reviews not only build trust and increase conversions, they also add unique, locally relevant content to the page, which is great for traditional and AI search performance.</p>



<p><strong>Tip: </strong>This section is also great for requesting reviews, since repeat customers might visit your contact page. Add a Google review request link with a call to action to generate more reviews for your Google Business Profile.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-reviews-keywords-rich-local-seo-wins-464418">7 local SEO wins you get from keyword-rich Google reviews</a></em></strong></p>



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<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-location-specific-content">4. Location-specific content</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1600" height="924" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-121.png" alt="LOcation-specific content" class="wp-image-469895" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-121.png 1600w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-121-768x444.png 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-121-1536x887.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /></figure></div>


<p>Create content that references local information and explains exactly what your business does, where it’s located, and why prospects should choose you.</p>



<p>Here are some ideas for local content:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Include photos and descriptions of your team members.</li>



<li>Tell visitors about the customers you serve and your areas of expertise.</li>



<li>If you’re located in a popular neighborhood or area, mention that in your content.</li>



<li>Highlight any customer satisfaction guarantees or price-match policies.</li>



<li>Mention any upcoming events, volunteer efforts, or relevant partnerships.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href="https://searchengineland.com/top-seo-tips-for-location-specific-websites-447951">Top SEO tips for location-specific websites</a></em></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-amenities">5. Amenities</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1264" height="1516" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-122.png" alt="Business information - amenities" class="wp-image-469896" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-122.png 1264w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-122-768x921.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1264px) 100vw, 1264px" /></figure></div>


<p>Start by reviewing your Google Business Profile’s attributes section and consider listing those attributes on your contact page, such as whether the business is family- or women-owned, neurodivergent-friendly, or offers outdoor seating or home delivery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Then list any other attributes your business has that Google doesn’t provide as options. Detailed business attributes help search engines, LLMs, and customers understand that you meet specific needs.</p>



<p>This can be especially useful for AI search, where people use more conversational queries, such as “Give me a list of cafes in Seattle that are wheelchair accessible and have free WiFi.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-a-clear-cta-button">6. A clear CTA button</h2>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="1394" height="596" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-120.png" alt="Sample CTA button" class="wp-image-469894"/></figure></div>


<p>If you’re going to do all this work to make a killer contact page, don’t forget to put the cherry on top. Sprinkle strategically placed calls to action throughout the page to encourage visitors to contact you. Make them bright, animated, eye-catching, and convincing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treat-your-contact-page-like-a-local-seo-asset">Treat your contact page like a local SEO asset</h2>



<p>If you want a contact page that helps people reach out to you, informs search engines and LLMs about your business, and converts visitors into customers, treat it like a multi-location landing page. Save this list so you remember every section your contact page needs.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="977" height="1600" src="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-7.jpeg" alt="Must-have sections of a contact page" class="wp-image-469897" srcset="https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-7.jpeg 977w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-7-768x1258.jpeg 768w, https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2026/02/image-7-938x1536.jpeg 938w" sizes="(max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px" /></figure></div>


<p>Do this, and your contact page will outperform 99% of your competitors’ contact pages, because most businesses do a terrible job with them.</p>



<p></p>

When you hear the term “contact page,” you probably think of a simple page containing contact info and maybe a form. 
I’m here to tell you why that’s a big miss from a local SEO perspective and show you how to build a contact page that builds your prominence with Google and helps you convert more leads.
Google pays special attention to your contact page
The former head of Google Business Profile Support, Joel Headley, once told me that Google specifically crawls and parses your contact page to gather information about your business.
This led me to realize that most businesses have awful contact pages. They list their name, address, and phone number (NAP), embed a contact form, and call it a day.
Google is saying, “Give me data about your business,” and you’re saying, “No data for you.”
What you need to do instead is give your contact page the same level of care and attention as a multi-location landing page. 
Here are the must-haves for a contact page that converts site visitors into paying customers:
Business identity.
Contact information.
Trust factors and social proof.
Location-specific content.
Amenities.
Call to action.
1. Business identity
Just like every other page on your site, your contact page should reflect your brand. This means you should include:
Your business logo (that matches all your other marketing materials and real-world signage).
Your slogan (bonus points if you can work some keywords into it for added SEO value).
A short introduction that explains what your business does, where it’s located, and what your unique value proposition (UVP) is.
Dig deeper: The local SEO gatekeeper: How Google defines your entity
2. Complete contact information
You won’t believe how many businesses forget to include their contact information on their contact page. Here’s what you absolutely have to include:
Full business name.
Contact form and an email address people can write to (I recommend both).
Complete address.
Phone and text numbers.
Social media links.
Hours of operation (including any holiday, seasonal, or special hours).
Shopping options (e.g., in-store pickup, curbside pickup, delivery, appointment only).
Embedded Google Map to your business (not your address).

A common mistake businesses make is embedding a map of their business address on Google Maps instead of their actual Google Business Profile.
Make sure you embed a map in your business listing on Maps so that whenever someone clicks it, they send engagement signals to your profile. Practically, this means:

Search for your business name on Google Maps.
Bring up your profile.
Click the Share button.
Click the Embed a map tab.
Copy and paste the code into your contact page.
A link to your Google Maps listing.

A few years ago, Holly Starks conducted a case study to test whether driving directions affected local rankings. She set up Google Maps driving directions on 100 cell phones, put them in her car, and drove to the business. The results were dramatic. The business’s rankings jumped from the 20s to number 1.
In the past, I recommended writing driving and walking directions on your contact page. Now, with Starks’ findings in mind, adding a link to your Google Maps listing with anchor text like “Get driving directions” is even better. It encourages people to use Google Maps driving directions and can increase engagement signals to your Business Profile.
Accepted payments.
Parking details.

Including detailed business information helps customers contact and visit you and signals to traditional search engines and AI search tools that your business is legitimate and credible.
Bonus tips for your contact form:
Add a compelling call to action (you can use the same CTA throughout your page).
Set up form conversion tracking.
Avoid spam by including reCAPTCHA, using a plugin, requiring double opt-in, and formatting your email address so bots can’t read it (e.g., hello (at) domain (dot) com).
Make sure your contact section matches your Google Business Profile as a signal of legitimacy.

  
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3. Trust factors and social proof
Your contact page shouldn’t just tell people how to reach you. It should prove they’re making the right decision before they ever click or call.
Clear expectations

Be clear about what a customer can expect once they reach out to you and confirm they’ve made the right choice in contacting you:
How long are response times? 24 hours? 2 business days?
What are the next steps? What can they expect from your team?
Is there any useful information you can give them about your team, your location, or anything else that sets you apart from your competitors?
Experience and credentials

Reinforce trust and increase your page’s conversion rate by listing any:
Industry associations you’re a member of (locally and nationally).
Local chamber of commerce groups.
Professional groups and associations.
Meetup groups.
Neighborhood associations.
Better Business Bureau rating.
Tip: Link each association name to your business’s profile on its website.
Dig deeper: Local SEO sprints: A 90-day plan for service businesses in 2026
Awards and accomplishments




Include any awards your business has received or mentions in the press, and link each one to the relevant article or website. If you’ve been mentioned frequently in the press, you can create a dedicated media section on the page.
Reviews and testimonials

Embed reviews from other sites and include testimonials on your contact page to build trust. You can increase reviewers’ credibility by including their photos, names, cities, and a link to their websites or directly to the review platform they used.
Be sure to include your overall review rating and total number of reviews.
Remember, customers don’t expect your business to have a perfect 5-star rating. A rating around 4.7-4.9 signals you’re a real business, not one that’s purchased all its reviews.
Customer reviews not only build trust and increase conversions, they also add unique, locally relevant content to the page, which is great for traditional and AI search performance.
Tip: This section is also great for requesting reviews, since repeat customers might visit your contact page. Add a Google review request link with a call to action to generate more reviews for your Google Business Profile. 
Dig deeper: 7 local SEO wins you get from keyword-rich Google reviews
Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.
 
				
								
					MktoForms2.loadForm("https://app-sj02.marketo.com", "727-ZQE-044", 16298, function(form) {
						// form.onSubmit(function(){
						// });
						
						// form.onSuccess(function (values, followUpUrl) {
						// });
					});
				
			
See terms.
4. Location-specific content

Create content that references local information and explains exactly what your business does, where it’s located, and why prospects should choose you.
Here are some ideas for local content:
Include photos and descriptions of your team members.
Tell visitors about the customers you serve and your areas of expertise.
If you’re located in a popular neighborhood or area, mention that in your content.
Highlight any customer satisfaction guarantees or price-match policies.
Mention any upcoming events, volunteer efforts, or relevant partnerships.
Dig deeper: Top SEO tips for location-specific websites
5. Amenities

Start by reviewing your Google Business Profile’s attributes section and consider listing those attributes on your contact page, such as whether the business is family- or women-owned, neurodivergent-friendly, or offers outdoor seating or home delivery. 
Then list any other attributes your business has that Google doesn’t provide as options. Detailed business attributes help search engines, LLMs, and customers understand that you meet specific needs.
This can be especially useful for AI search, where people use more conversational queries, such as “Give me a list of cafes in Seattle that are wheelchair accessible and have free WiFi.”
6. A clear CTA button

If you’re going to do all this work to make a killer contact page, don’t forget to put the cherry on top. Sprinkle strategically placed calls to action throughout the page to encourage visitors to contact you. Make them bright, animated, eye-catching, and convincing.
Treat your contact page like a local SEO asset
If you want a contact page that helps people reach out to you, informs search engines and LLMs about your business, and converts visitors into customers, treat it like a multi-location landing page. Save this list so you remember every section your contact page needs.

Do this, and your contact page will outperform 99% of your competitors’ contact pages, because most businesses do a terrible job with them.

Google crawls and parses your contact page. Structure it with the right signals and trust factors to drive rankings and real leads.

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Read the Latest Trends and Headlines in Digital Marketing.

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