How to optimise content for AI search.

Your website might look great, but can Perplexity read it without squinting?

So, here’s the deal: Most brand content wasn’t written for AI. Which is why you're already ahead of competitors just by being here (already killing it!). If we were to guess, you're here because your content was written for humans, but you've realised that they don’t always find it in their searches. It's because it's not formatted for AI tools.

AI-powered search tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are increasingly the first line of discovery for consumers. If your site is invisible to them, you’re invisible. So, start by thinking: how do people prompt? Instead of anticipating keywords.

Welcome to GAIO (Generative AI Optimisation) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), the not-so-distant cousins of SEO, that are making their debut these days.

Here’s how to write copy that doesn’t just sit there looking pretty but actually gets picked up by AI search engines.

1. Write like a human, structure like a machine.

Contrary to what some headlines out there say, AI isn’t out to kill brand personality or flatten it. In fact, conversational copy, the kind that sounds like you’re explaining something over a coffee, is exactly what it's looking for. That's the content that performs best because it aligns with how people research nowadays.

But here’s the catch: formatting matters.

You can have the wittiest, most insightful landing page in the world, but if it’s a long wall of text without structure? AI tools will struggle to scan, summarise, and pull key takeaways from it.

So:

• Use clear headings (hello, H2s and H3s!).

• Answer common questions directly.

• Summarise key points in the first paragraph.

• Bold important terms (where UX allows).

2. Anticipate prompts, don’t just sprinkle keywords.

Gone are the days of stuffing “vegan shampoo” 15 times into a paragraph and calling it an SEO strategy. AI engines like Gemini and ChatGPT work by understanding intent, so your copy needs to respond to real-world prompts.

So, ask yourself:

• What would someone ask to find this content?

• Would my landing page actually answer that?

For example, instead of just writing “Our candles smell amazing,” try: “Looking for soy-based candles that don’t trigger your migraine? We got you.”

Echoing a user prompt and answering it is as easy as that.

3. FAQs aren’t a bonus. They’re your AI power tool.

You know those boring little FAQ sections everyone hides at the bottom of the page? They’re actually one of the most effective ways to get picked up by generative engines.

Why?

Because they mirror the exact format of a query, followed by a response.

So make yours good. Real questions, real answers. Not “Do you ship internationally?” unless that’s actually a differentiator. Aim for questions people would genuinely ask, like:

• “What’s the difference between your €750 ceremony and the bespoke one?”

• “Can you write your own vows if we choose a semi-customised package?”

Write the answer like you’re chatting with a friend, not submitting it for legal review.

4. Metadata has evolved.

Title tags, meta descriptions, alt text… Few of us really enjoy thinking of those. Well, now you should also be thinking about embedded meaning.

Use structured data (like schema markup) where possible. And wherever you’re entering content, from Notion to Framer to your CMS, make sure you’re labeling things properly.

AI is hungry for structure. Feed it.

5. Tone still wins. But it needs to play nice with structure.

At decipher., we’re big fans of brands with personality. But your voice shouldn’t get in the way of clarity.

• Be playful, but say what you mean.

• Be bold, but break it down.

• Be cheeky, but don’t be toooo out there...