Content strategies for success in an AI-driven search world

Have you noticed that now when you Google a certain term or phrase — what is PR — for example, an AI-generated overview will often pop up, providing a quick summary  of the term you searched?"

Google provides AI-generated overviews for many search queries. These overviews serve as quick answers to users looking for basic information. While this may seem challenging for driving traffic to your site, there's an opportunity for innovative healthcare content creators.

On the right side of many AI-generated answers, you'll often see links to the original sources that the AI used to create its response. In this case, public relations is explained through content gathered from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) website. They are a trustworthy, reliable source and if you’re optimizing your content well (and have a solid SEO strategy), your website could also be used as a source.

In this new SEO era, it’s crucial to build rich, authoritative content so that AI crawlers find your site and use your information to generate these overviews. But you also have the option to block AI crawlers from accessing your content – more on that later.

In this new SEO era, it’s crucial to build rich, authoritative content so that AI crawlers find your site and use your information to generate these overviews. But you also have the option to block AI crawlers from accessing your content – more on that later.

Don’t be basic: why valuable content matters

Google has always prioritized valuable content because it directly influences the credibility of its search results. They reward content that meets the EEAT criteria: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. The more high-quality content you have, the better your chances of ranking well.

Creating high-quality content doesn’t mean stuffing keywords or generic marketing buzzwords into paragraphs. It’s about providing genuine value to your audience. So, how can you build this kind of rich content?

Expertise: share what you know

Show your customers you understand what they need and how you can help. One of the best ways to help your customers is to give them a robust FAQ section that addresses common customer questions or challenges. Answer questions in a helpful, tangible way instead of writing technical content.   

Another powerful method is creating explainer videos. Many of our health tech clients have seen success with short, engaging videos that add value to the website and help spread brand awareness on social media platforms. In fact, technology has advanced enough to crawl and index audio content as well. Focusing on sharing your knowledge in various formats reinforces your position as an authority and gives your audience additional ways to connect with your content.

Experience: show, don’t just tell

Case studies are often the show ponies of a website, but they shouldn’t be reduced to a simple list of facts and figures. Instead, take the time to tell a story. Use it to acknowledge the client's challenge in detail, what solution you have that addressed the challenge, and the successful outcome with details. This narrative approach allows potential customers to understand your problem-solving abilities more deeply. 

Authoritativeness: build out your reputation

Your experience with your customers will establish your authority, but it is your job to create content around this authority which elevates you as a thought leader. Demonstrate your knowledge by taking a deep dive into a topic through a whitepaper or eBook.

Another excellent way to show authority is by creating industry reports or research studies. If you have proprietary data or collect unique insights through your work, use this knowledge to build out content assets such as an industry trends report or a year in review.

Blogs are still a key driver of site visits for many companies. Committing to a regular blog allows you to share your perspectives on current trends (aka thought leadership), further reinforcing your credibility and expertise. This kind of content attracts visitors and solidifies your reputation as a leading authority in your industry.

Trustworthiness: content that matters

Trust naturally follows when you focus on creating content that aligns with the EEAT framework. Educational, helpful, and engaging content will keep users on your site for longer. The longer they spend with your content, the more likely they will trust you as a reliable source.

Building trust is more than just offering helpful information. When you take the time to develop valuable content for your audience, you are building out a relationship with your audience by meeting their needs and addressing their concerns. 

How can AI help with content

One of the biggest benefits of using AI as a tool is that it can be an enormous time saver. AI is very good at helping to create thought starters and topic ideas, building content outlines and organizing ideas, and, of course, assisting with your SEO efforts. It’s a true time saver for activities like analyzing keyword trends, developing link-building strategies, and creating schema markups.

One of the biggest benefits of using AI as a tool is that it can be an enormous time saver. AI is very good at helping to create thought starters and topic ideas, building content outlines and organizing ideas, and, of course, assisting with your SEO efforts. It’s a true time saver for activities like analyzing keyword trends, developing link-building strategies, and creating schema markups.

By incorporating AI into your workflow, you can save time and improve the effectiveness of your content, making it more SEO-friendly and relevant to your audience.

Not a fan of AI?

You can block AI crawlers from training themselves on your content. Some considerations include protecting your intellectual property from being easily shared,  although your competitors can still visit your site directly. Another reason may be a general distrust of AI and the companies behind it. You may want to control as much of your corporate messaging as possible. Whatever your reason, you can easily block AI from crawling your site. Your IT team can help you set this up using your site’s robots.txt file.

Adapting to these changes is crucial in an era where AI shapes search results and content creation. By creating content that demonstrates your expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search engines and ensure your brand remains a trusted resource for your audience.