Is AI the new SEO?
AI Optimization:
What I learned, and how I used my own website as a test with ChatGPT.
This has been a fun rabbit hole to dive down!
Included in this overview are;
The LinkedIn post/article that sparked my curiosity
Everything that AI agents look for when looking at websites
How I used ChatGPT to audit and help me rework my website data with this new knowledge in mind
An AI agent-ready prompt that you can use for your own website.
If you discover anything new, let me know!
The post by Eric Pilkington that sent me down the rabbit hole.
“The new battleground is AI agent optimization (AAO), ensuring that a brand, product, or service is surfaced and selected when an agent decides on the consumer’s behalf.”
What AI Search Agents Look For:
Maybe aside from a few technical things, what agents look for isn’t all that surprising or different from SEO. (This means it’s also a good time to clean up SEO as well.)
I’ve provided the full list of what AI looks for here (according to ChatGPT 4.1)
1. Structured Data Everywhere (Schema Markup)
Use JSON-LD schema on every page:
Organization (name, logo, contact, address, sameAs links)
Person (bio, role, social, image)
Service/Product (every individual service you offer, with clear descriptions)
Review/Testimonial (connected to your Organization, not Person)
LocalBusiness (if you serve a geographic region)
CreativeWork/Project (for case studies, blog posts, portfolio pieces)
Update schema when you add new services, locations, or notable press.
2. Clear, Consistent Content (for AI Comprehension)
Each service gets its own page or detailed section—not just a single “services” blob.
Use plain language AND industry language (AI parses both; helps match to different prompts).
Answer real questions users/clients ask—think “FAQ” blocks, project breakdowns, how-to guides.
Provide summaries and structured lists (bullets, tables) as well as narrative copy.
3. Metadata & Semantic Clarity
Meta titles and descriptions should always match the page content and use primary keywords (AI checks these too!).
Headings (H1, H2, etc.) must clearly describe page sections.
Image alt text should be descriptive and, where appropriate, mention brand/service terms.
4. Transparency & Credibility Signals
Visible testimonials and reviews (with real names/companies).
Case studies with client names (if allowed), outcomes, and specifics.
Contact info on every page (even if just footer)—AI agents want to know you’re legit.
“About” and “Team” pages with bios and links to external profiles (LinkedIn, Instagram, etc).
5. Accessibility & Usability
Alt text on all images (critical for AI summarizers and accessibility tools).
Readable font sizes and high contrast.
Keyboard navigability and mobile-responsiveness.
Descriptive link text (no “click here”—use “View my creative direction work” etc).
6. Performance & Technical Hygiene
Fast page loads (especially on mobile)—AI agents can penalize slow sites.
No broken links or error pages.
Consistent HTTPS everywhere.
Properly configured robots.txt and sitemap.xml.
7. Interlinking & Topical Clusters
Link between related services, blog posts, case studies.
Use “related content” or “read more” blocks.
This helps AI agents map your expertise across the site.
8. Social and External Signals
Linked social profiles in schema and on site.
Links to features/interviews/awards.
Guest posts or mentions on reputable sites (backlinks!).
Google Business Profile (if you’re local-facing).
9. Freshness & Change Signals
Update content regularly (AI agents like “last updated” dates).
Announce new services, wins, or big projects.
RSS feeds and blog updates can be picked up by AI aggregators.
10. Agent-Specific Features (Cutting Edge)
“Contact Me” links with mailto/tel URIs.
AI-readable service menus (schema, but also human-friendly tables/lists).
Q&A sections with schema (FAQPage markup).
Short “TL;DR” summaries on long pages.
If you have APIs or public data—document and expose for agents!
⚡️ Bonus: What NOT to Do
Don’t hide content in images only (AI can’t read text in graphics).
Don’t use jargon-only or creative language with no context (AI loves clarity, but rewards creativity if you ALSO provide the plain-language version!).
Don’t have orphaned pages (no internal links).
🧰 Tools to Test Agent-Readiness
ChatGPT / Bing / Perplexity—prompt them to “find creative direction services in Nashville” and see if you show up!
My First AI Opt Audit
After some digging, I used ChatGPT to help me audit my own website as a test. This was a great way to learn more about AI Optimization and it also have me a great chance to clean up my SEO.
Remember, you can always ask an AI agent how best to use it, telling it what your ultimate goal is and instructing the agent to take you on the best path there. After some back and forth, I had ChatGPT write a very specific Schema to add to my website. I tested these changes and their impacts with several tools, all of which are linked above.
Code generated by ChatGPT for schema.
An AI Agent Prompt that you can use:
You can use this prompt to have an AI agent crawl your own website for AI Optimization.
This prompt is designed to provide an overview, rating, and next best steps based on the findings, covering all the key points that agents look for.
Copy and paste it into ChatGPT or other agents, following the instructions.
I’m overall really excited about all this! Lots of things in this space are changing, but such is life. That means there are new things to learn and opportunities to explore.
Let me know what you think about this! I’d love to learn from you, too!
—Chris
📝 Universal AI Agent Website Audit Prompt
Instructions for Use:
Paste this prompt into any advanced AI agent, SEO audit tool, or GPT.
Replace [INSERT YOUR DOMAIN HERE] with your actual URL.
For best results, use with agents that can access web content and run live audits (e.g., GPT-4o, Perplexity, Bing Copilot, specialized SEO bots).
Prompt:
I want you to crawl and audit my website for both classic SEO and next-generation AI/agent-readiness.
Please do the following:
Review all main pages, subpages, and content types.
Check for:
Proper use of structured data/schema (Organization, Person, Service, LocalBusiness, Review, Project/Case Study, FAQ, etc.)
Complete, keyword-rich meta titles and meta descriptions for every page
Clear, unique headings (H1, H2, etc.) and content structure
Comprehensive, detailed service listings (with individual schema where possible)
Accurate, descriptive image alt text (for every image)
Testimonials, reviews, or trust signals (with schema markup)
Accessible, mobile-responsive, and fast-loading design (test on mobile and desktop)
Internal linking between related pages (services, case studies, blog, about)
Working contact info and visible social profiles
External signals (mentions, backlinks, Google Business Profile, etc.)
Up-to-date content (recent posts, “last updated” dates, or fresh case studies)
Security basics (HTTPS, no broken links, valid sitemap/robots.txt)
Bonus: FAQ sections, Q&A, or any agent-friendly features like “TL;DR” summaries
Assess the site as an “agent”—how easily could an AI or search assistant recommend me, book me, or answer user questions about my services?
Give me:
An overview of strengths and weaknesses (SEO + AI/agent-readiness)
A numeric rating of my current site (0–100), and a projected rating with your recommended improvements
A prioritized, step-by-step action plan with specific solutions for every weak spot
Concrete examples (e.g., improved meta titles, sample alt text, suggested schema code)
“Quick wins” I can implement today, plus “power user” next steps
Goal:
Make my site fully discoverable, understandable, and actionable by both search engines and AI agents—so I can attract more organic leads and future-proof my online presence.
My website: [INSERT YOUR DOMAIN HERE]
Optional:
After the main audit, suggest one or two unique ways I could stand out even more to AI agents (e.g., creative use of structured data, interactive features, public APIs, or content types underutilized by others in my field).