How to optimize content for inclusion in AIanswers (rather than ranking)

Whereas SEO traditionally revolved around positions in search results, in the era of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the focus is increasingly on inclusion: being included in the AI-generated responses of systems such as ChatGPT, Google SGE and Gemini.

These AI systems do not display a list of links, but provide direct answers based on snippets from existing sources. This requires a fundamentally different approach to content optimization.

What is inclusion in AI responses?

Inclusion means that your content is selected by an AI model, interpreted and included (in part) in a generated response. This is usually done without page-level source citation. Inclusion is based on content appropriateness and completeness of a text fragment and its semantic fit to the user’s query. Technical accessibility and readability of the document are also important.

AI selects appropriate content at the fragment level, not at the page level. Content that is suitable for response blocks and is clear and semantically rich is more likely to be included in AI responses.

Key differences from classical ranking

Ranking is based on pages, authority and link profiles. Inclusion works fundamentally differently. Here are the biggest differences:

1. Page versus excerpt
Where traditional SEO optimizes at the page level, inclusion works at the paragraph or even sentence level. Each paragraph must have independent value.

2. Keyword versus intent
Keyword usage is less leading. AI models work based on meaning and context. The text should be intent-oriented, not keyword-oriented. (1)

3. Position versus usability.
Ranking high does not automatically mean that you are right in terms of inclusion. Content that ranks lower but is semantically more relevant may still be included in generated responses.

This shift requires a content strategy where each excerpt is valuable and understandable in its own right.

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Optimization principles for inclusion

To increase the chances of inclusion, I apply the following content principles:

1. Structure in meaningful blocks
Each section should be independently understandable. Avoid content that depends on previous paragraphs. Always start with a key sentence that directly answers your question.

2. Write intention-driven
Don’t write from keywords, but from user questions. What does someone really want to know, and what answer do you give in no more than two paragraphs?

3. Use of entities and clear semantics
Make sure your text contains entities known to AI systems. Use standardized terms that also appear in knowledge resources such as Wikipedia or schema.org.

This approach increases the recognition of your content in retrieval systems and increases the likelihood of fragment selection. (2)

Technical concerns

In addition to content, the technical structure of your content is also critical. Pay attention to crawlability. Content should be accessible without JavaScript obstacles. Your structured data must also be in order. Support content with structured data whenever possible. Page speed is also an important factor. Fast load times promote indexing of your page and speed up access by retrieval systems.

AI models select content based on immediate readability, in a technical sense and in terms of content. An error-free, clear structure is important for inclusion. (3)

Case study: inclusion in AIanswers for a B2B service provider

For a B2B service provider in the IT sector, we rewrote existing knowledge articles according to GEO principles. The original texts were highly keyword-oriented and structured in long continuous pieces.

We then divided the texts into short blocks of key words and supplemented them with industry information.

Within weeks, we saw several excerpts from these articles being picked up by Google SGE, resulting in a marked increase in visibility on informational searches. This proved that inclusion directly contributes to a stronger presence in the AI search landscape.

Summary

As AI answers increasingly become a primary source of information, the focus shifts from SEO via ranking to inclusion. Your content must not only be findable, but also usable in generated answers. This requires compact and targeted text that can be presented in clear blocks of information. In any case, your content must directly connect with user queries.