7 expert tips to beat artificial intelligence and climb the search engine ranks

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In today's hyper-competitive digital landscape, having a website it is an absolute necessity, but not sufficient. Entrepreneurs must ensure that their content is discoverable, relevant and engaging to attract their target audience. Many of my clients take a two-pronged approach—one website for the core business and one for the founder or leading voice of the company, such as the CEO.

Regardless of focus, On-page SEO (search engine optimization) is absolutely essential for results. But don't let that term scare you; while SEO has its technical parts, most platforms are good out of the box, although you should always find someone to optimize the technical side (for those things with sometimes scary names like schema markup!).

Mastering your on-page SEO is a straightforward process that can significantly increase your website's visibility, drive traffic, and improve your bottom line.

Here's how you can harness the power of on-page SEO to scale your business, especially during the rise of search AI.

What is on-page SEO?

At its core, on-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual web pages improve their ranking in search engine results. This includes adjusting the content, metadata (what appears in a search like Google) and other elements of the page to make the page more attractive to search engines like Google.

While off-page SEO like link building is essential, on-page SEO ensures that your website is structured and written to maximize its potential to rank higher. With the rise of AI-driven search engines, content that conforms to on-page SEO best practices has a better chance of being highlighted in AI-generated search results.

1. Start with high quality content

Before diving into SEO techniques, let's address the single most important aspect: content quality. Search engines, especially those with AI involved, prioritize user experience above all else. Artificial intelligence models are designed to surface content that provides relevant, engaging and authoritative answers to user questions.

Entrepreneurs need to create content that solves their audience's problems, answers their questions, or provides unique insights. This not only builds trust with your audience, but also signals to AI models that your site is a reliable source.

Actionable advice: of Google Seek Generative Experience (SGE) already uses AI to display high-level content snippets. If your content is well-written, informative, and provides clear answers, it's more likely to appear in AI-generated results. Focus on Eat (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Credibility), a key factor for SEO and AI driven search results.

2. Optimize for keywords, but don't overdo it

Keyword optimization is still a fundamental pillar of SEO, but with AI in play, how do we approach it? keywords it is evolving. AI-powered searches are more contextual and look at the intent behind keywords rather than just surface-level matching.

Start by conducting a thorough keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Semrush. Identify primary and secondary keywords that match your business goals and target audience. Use them strategically to:

Title Tags: The title is the first thing users (and search engines) see. Make sure it includes your main keyword.
Headings: Use H1, H2 and H3 tags to separate content and of course include keywords.
Meta descriptions: Although not a direct ranking factor, a compelling meta description can increase click-through rates.
Body Content: Integrate keywords naturally throughout your content in a way that doesn't feel forced.

Actionable advice: As AI-driven research becomes more dominant, informative long tail keywords that are more specific and aligned with conversational questions will have a higher chance of appearing. For example, AI-driven searches often reflect natural language patterns such as: “What are the best marketing strategies for small businesses?” Optimizing for these types of keywords is essential.

3. Focus on the user's intent

User intent is the reason behind a search query. Google's AI-powered search tools now focus heavily on matching user intent with the most relevant content. Entrepreneurs should think about the type of content their audience expects when they search for specific terms.

For example, someone searching for “best CRM software for small business” likely wants a comparison or review of different CRM options instead of a sales pitch. Tailoring your content to match user intent helps with rankings and improves user satisfaction and conversion rates.

Actionable advice: With pieces of artificial intelligence appearing directly in search results, concise answers that directly address the user's question are more likely to appear. Create well-structured content that is easy to digest and highlighted by AI.

4. Improve page loading speed

Page speed is a crucial factor for user experience and SEO. Google's AI-driven search is likely to de-prioritize slow-loading websites, as users expect instant results in today's fast-paced digital environment.

Entrepreneurs should ensure that their websites are fast and responsive on all devices. Simple actions like optimizing images, reducing server response time and enabling browser caching can significantly affect load speed.

Actionable advice: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to measure your page speed and identify areas for improvement. This is essential for both traditional SEO search rankings and AI-generated rankings.

5. Internal linking: Strengthen your site structure

While backlinks from other websites are essential, internal connection — the practice of linking to other pages on your site — can significantly increase your on-page SEO efforts. Internal links help search engines and AI models crawl and index your site better, allowing them to discover related content and understand your site structure.

For example, if you've written a comprehensive guide on “content marketing for startups,” you can link internally to related articles like “best social media strategies for startups” or “how to write compelling blog posts.” . This also keeps users on your site longer, which signals to AI that your content is valuable.

Actionable advice: Use a strategy called topic groups, where a core piece of content (“pillars”) links to other more specific content pages (“groups”), creating a network of internal links. AI algorithms thrive on well-organized and interconnected content structures.

6. Optimize for mobile and AI

Mobile optimization is no longer just about user experience – AI-driven search often prioritizes mobile-optimized pages. With Google mobile first indexing and AI's ability to rank content based on user experience, ensuring your site runs smoothly across all devices is critical.

Entrepreneurs should invest in responsive design – a page design that adapts to different screen sizes and devices. Beyond just aesthetics, mobile optimization means making sure content is easy to read, images load quickly, and navigation is smooth.

Actionable advice: Use Google Mobile friendly test to assess your site's performance on mobile devices and optimize accordingly to ensure it appears in both traditional and AI-driven search results.

7. Use AI-friendly meta descriptions and titles

With AI-generated search snippets, compelling meta descriptions and title tags are more critical than ever. While meta descriptions and title tags may not directly affect rankings, they do affect click-through rates, and AI-driven search will often pull text from these fields to populate search result previews.

Create your titles and meta descriptions to engage users immediately, highlighting the key points or solutions your content offers.

Actionable advice: Write concisely meta descriptions that summarize the page's content in a way that speaks to the user's intent. This improves CTR and helps AI models present your content more effectively in search results.

For entrepreneurs, mastering on-page SEO is no longer optional – it's essential to thriving in the age of AI-driven search. By focusing on creating high-quality content, optimizing for keywords and user intent, and making sure your site is fast and mobile-friendly, you'll position your brand to stand out in search results. traditional search as well as those generated by AI.

Remember, as AI continues to shape the way search engines deliver information, quality content that prioritizes user experience will consistently come out on top. Start implementing these on-site SEO strategies today to future-proof your digital presence.

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