fix(ai-seo): align with Google's official AI features optimization guide (#313)
Source: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide The skill was framed as "optimize for AI systems," which mis-states Google's explicit position: AI Overviews and AI Mode are powered by core Search ranking, so SEO best practices ARE the optimization strategy. Don't write separate content "for AI." The structural patterns the skill recommends (FAQ schema, comparison tables, 40-60 word answer blocks, llms.txt, /pricing.md) still help non-Google AI engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot) materially. The skill now calls out the platform split explicitly rather than implying universal benefit. Major changes: - New section "Google's Official Stance vs. Multi-Platform Reality": Frames Google's "don't optimize for AI" position alongside the reality that other AI engines reward extractable structure. Quotes Google's own phrasing. - New section "Query Fan-Out (Google AI Search)": Explains Google's documented behavior of generating concurrent related queries. Reframes content strategy from per-query targeting to topical cluster coverage. - New section "Agentic Experiences": Browser agents accessing sites via visual rendering, DOM inspection, and accessibility tree. Semantic HTML, JS-free meaningful render, clean a11y tree. Mentions the emerging Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). - New section "What NOT to Do": Explicit Google guidance: don't write for AI, don't chunk content for AI, don't scale variations (scaled content abuse spam policy), don't pursue inauthentic mentions, don't block AI crawlers if you want citation. - Machine-Readable Files section reframed: Now opens with Google's stance ("not required") + the reason to include them anyway (non-Google AI engines). - Schema markup note reframed: Notes Google's position that structured data is "not required for generative AI search" but still recommended. - Search Console expectations added: Sets correct expectation that no AI-specific Search Console reporting exists; standard SEO metrics + third-party tools are the measurement options. - Moved "AI SEO for Different Content Types" to references/content-types.md: Kept SKILL.md under 500 lines. Added a local-business/ecom subsection (Merchant Center + Google Business Profile + Business Agent) per Google's emphasis. All 40 skills still pass validation. Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.7 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Corey Haines
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@@ -66,6 +66,45 @@ In traditional search, you need to rank on page 1. In AI search, a well-structur
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- Optimized content gets cited 3x more often than non-optimized
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- Statistics and citations boost visibility by 40%+ across queries
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### Google's Official Stance vs. Multi-Platform Reality
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This is important to read once before doing anything else.
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**Google's position** ([AI features optimization guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide)):
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> "The best practices for SEO continue to be relevant because our generative AI features on Google Search are rooted in our core Search ranking and quality systems."
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Google explicitly says:
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- **No special markup or files are required** for AI Overviews or AI Mode
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- **Don't chunk content for AI** — write for people, organize with normal headings and paragraphs
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- **Don't write separate content for AI** — that risks "scaled content abuse" spam policy
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- **Helpful, reliable, people-first content** wins — same E-E-A-T standards as regular Search
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- **No AI-specific Search Console reporting** — use standard SEO metrics
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**Other AI engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot) behave differently:**
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- They actively reward extractable structure — passages, FAQs, comparison tables, definition blocks
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- They parse `llms.txt`, structured pricing pages, and machine-readable files when present
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- They cite third-party sources (Reddit, Wikipedia, review sites) more heavily than top-ranked pages
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**What this means for the work:**
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- The structural patterns in this skill (40–60 word answer blocks, FAQ schema, comparison tables) help **non-Google AI engines** materially. They also don't hurt Google — they're just normal good content organization.
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- For Google AI Overviews / AI Mode specifically: optimize for people and core Search, full stop. Strong E-E-A-T, original information, semantic HTML, clean indexability.
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- For ChatGPT/Claude/Perplexity: layer on the extractable structure + llms.txt + machine-readable files.
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When in doubt, default to "write for people, organize for clarity" — that satisfies both camps.
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### Query Fan-Out (Google AI Search)
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Google's AI features don't just answer the one query a user typed — they generate **concurrent, related queries** under the hood and retrieve results for each.
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Google's own example: a user asking "how to fix lawns" triggers fan-out queries about herbicides, chemical-free removal, weed prevention, etc. The AI synthesizes across all of them.
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**Implications:**
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- Single-page-per-keyword targeting is less effective. Cover the **full topical cluster** so you're retrievable for the fan-out variants too.
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- Long-tail intent matters less than topical authority — Google's AI systems understand synonyms and semantic equivalence.
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- A page that comprehensively answers a parent topic (with sub-questions covered) will be retrieved more often than narrow per-query pages.
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**Action**: when planning content, brainstorm the 5–10 related queries the AI is likely to fan out to and make sure your content (or your site as a whole) covers them.
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---
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## AI Visibility Audit
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@@ -228,6 +267,10 @@ AI systems don't just cite your website — they cite where you appear.
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### Machine-Readable Files for AI Agents
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> **Google's stance**: not required for AI Overviews or AI Mode. Their guide explicitly says you don't need new markup, AI files, or markdown to appear in generative AI search.
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>
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> **Why include them anyway**: non-Google AI engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity) and autonomous buying agents do reward extractable structure. The files below help with those engines without harming Google.
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AI agents aren't just answering questions — they're becoming buyers. When an AI agent evaluates tools on behalf of a user, it needs structured, parseable information. If your pricing is locked in a JavaScript-rendered page or a "contact sales" wall, agents will skip you and recommend competitors whose information they can actually read.
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Add these machine-readable files to your site root:
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@@ -284,7 +327,32 @@ Structured data helps AI systems understand your content. Key schemas:
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| Reviews | `Review`, `AggregateRating` | Trust signals |
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| Organization | `Organization` | Entity recognition |
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Content with proper schema shows 30-40% higher AI visibility. For implementation, use the **schema** skill.
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Content with proper schema shows 30-40% higher AI visibility on non-Google AI engines. **Google's note**: structured data is "not required for generative AI search" but is recommended for overall SEO strategy. For implementation, use the **schema** skill.
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---
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## Agentic Experiences
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Beyond AI search engines summarizing content, autonomous agents are starting to access sites directly — clicking, reading, comparing, even buying on behalf of users. Google's guide flags this as an emerging category to plan for.
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**How agents access your site:**
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- **Visual rendering** — they screenshot/read the page like a user would
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- **DOM inspection** — they parse the page's HTML structure
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- **Accessibility tree** — they rely on the same semantic information assistive tech uses (labels, roles, landmarks, headings)
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**What to do:**
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- **Render meaningful content without heavy JS gymnastics** — if the page is blank until 4 frameworks finish loading, agents see blank
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- **Semantic HTML** — use `<main>`, `<nav>`, `<article>`, `<button>`, proper heading hierarchy, `alt` text on images
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- **Clean accessibility tree** — every interactive element labelled; ARIA used correctly (or not at all when native HTML suffices)
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- **Stable selectors / predictable layouts** — agents struggle with sites that re-render every interaction
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- **Visible pricing, specs, contact info** — anything an agent would need to make a buying recommendation should be on a public, indexable page (this is where `/pricing.md` and similar files help)
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**Emerging — Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP):**
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Google references UCP as a forthcoming protocol that will give agents standardized hooks for commerce interactions (catalog discovery, pricing, checkout). Watch for adoption; for now, the structural recommendations above are the precursor.
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For ecom and local business specifically, Google highlights:
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- **Merchant Center feeds** + **Google Business Profile** for product/service visibility in AI Search
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- **Business Agent** for conversational customer engagement (where applicable)
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---
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@@ -340,55 +408,29 @@ Monthly manual check:
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3. Record: Are you cited? Who is? What page?
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4. Log in a spreadsheet, track month-over-month
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### Search Console expectations
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Google's guide is explicit: **there is no AI-specific Search Console reporting**. AI Overviews and AI Mode use core Search ranking, so the standard Search Console reports (Performance, Coverage, Core Web Vitals) are still what you measure with for Google. The third-party tools above are the only way to see cross-platform AI citation behavior.
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---
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## AI SEO for Different Content Types
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## What NOT to Do
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### SaaS Product Pages
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Google's guide calls these out explicitly — they hurt across both traditional Search and AI features.
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**Goal:** Get cited in "What is [category]?" and "Best [category]" queries.
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1. **Write separate content "for AI"**. Same content should serve people and AI. Writing variants targeted at AI systems risks the **scaled content abuse spam policy** — Google's words.
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2. **Chunk pages into AI-bait fragments**. Google's guide is direct: *"Don't break your content into tiny pieces for AI to better understand it."* Use normal paragraph + heading structure.
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3. **Generate at scale for ranking manipulation**. AI-generated content is fine *if* it meets Search Essentials and spam policies. Mass-producing thin variations does not.
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4. **Pursue inauthentic mentions**. Don't fabricate citations or bulk-spam Reddit/Wikipedia for AI visibility. Real participation only.
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5. **Block AI crawlers if you want citation**. Blocking GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended means those engines literally cannot cite you. Block training-only crawlers (CCBot) if you must, not the search-and-cite ones.
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6. **Hide your main content behind JS that doesn't render**. Both core Search and AI agents need to see your content; JS-only rendering loses both audiences.
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7. **Skip E-E-A-T fundamentals**. Author identity, first-hand experience, expertise signals, transparent sourcing — Google's guide leans heavily on these for AI features.
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**Optimize:**
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- Clear product description in first paragraph (what it does, who it's for)
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- Feature comparison tables (you vs. category, not just competitors)
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- Specific metrics ("processes 10,000 transactions/sec" not "blazing fast")
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- Customer count or social proof with numbers
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- Pricing transparency (AI cites pages with visible pricing) — add a `/pricing.md` file so AI agents can parse your plans without rendering your page (see "Machine-Readable Files" above)
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- FAQ section addressing common buyer questions
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---
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### Blog Content
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## AI SEO by Content Type
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**Goal:** Get cited as an authoritative source on topics in your space.
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**Optimize:**
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- One clear target query per post (match heading to query)
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- Definition in first paragraph for "What is" queries
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- Original data, research, or expert quotes
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- "Last updated" date visible
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- Author bio with relevant credentials
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- Internal links to related product/feature pages
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### Comparison/Alternative Pages
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**Goal:** Get cited in "[X] vs [Y]" and "Best [X] alternatives" queries.
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**Optimize:**
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- Structured comparison tables (not just prose)
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- Fair and balanced (AI penalizes obviously biased comparisons)
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- Specific criteria with ratings or scores
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- Updated pricing and feature data
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- Cite the competitors skill for building these pages
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### Documentation / Help Content
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**Goal:** Get cited in "How to [X] with [your product]" queries.
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**Optimize:**
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- Step-by-step format with numbered lists
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- Code examples where relevant
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- HowTo schema markup
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- Screenshots with descriptive alt text
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- Clear prerequisites and expected outcomes
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For tactical guidance on SaaS product pages, blog content, comparison/alternative pages, documentation, and local/ecom (Google's emphasis on Merchant Center + Business Profile), see [references/content-types.md](references/content-types.md).
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---
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@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
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# AI SEO by Content Type
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Tactical guidance for optimizing specific content types for AI search citation. These tactics work for non-Google AI engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot) and don't hurt Google AI Overviews / AI Mode.
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For the cross-cutting strategy, see [SKILL.md](../SKILL.md).
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---
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## SaaS Product Pages
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**Goal:** Get cited in "What is [category]?" and "Best [category]" queries.
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**Optimize:**
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- Clear product description in first paragraph (what it does, who it's for)
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- Feature comparison tables (you vs. category, not just competitors)
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- Specific metrics ("processes 10,000 transactions/sec" not "blazing fast")
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- Customer count or social proof with numbers
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- Pricing transparency (AI cites pages with visible pricing) — add a `/pricing.md` file so AI agents can parse your plans without rendering your page (see "Machine-Readable Files" in the main skill)
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- FAQ section addressing common buyer questions
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---
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## Blog Content
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**Goal:** Get cited as an authoritative source on topics in your space.
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**Optimize:**
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- One clear target query per post (match heading to query)
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- Definition in first paragraph for "What is" queries
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- Original data, research, or expert quotes
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- "Last updated" date visible
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- Author bio with relevant credentials
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- Internal links to related product/feature pages
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---
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## Comparison / Alternative Pages
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**Goal:** Get cited in "[X] vs [Y]" and "Best [X] alternatives" queries.
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**Optimize:**
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- Structured comparison tables (not just prose)
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- Fair and balanced (AI penalizes obviously biased comparisons)
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- Specific criteria with ratings or scores
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- Updated pricing and feature data
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- Cite the `competitors` skill for building these pages
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---
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## Documentation / Help Content
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**Goal:** Get cited in "How to [X] with [your product]" queries.
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**Optimize:**
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- Step-by-step format with numbered lists
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- Code examples where relevant
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- HowTo schema markup
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- Screenshots with descriptive alt text
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- Clear prerequisites and expected outcomes
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---
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## Local Business / Ecom (Google emphasis)
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Google's AI features pull from product feeds and business profiles for local + ecom queries. Optimize:
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- **Merchant Center feeds** kept current with accurate inventory, pricing, attributes
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- **Google Business Profile** complete with hours, services, photos, posts, Q&A answered
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- **Reviews** — recent + sufficient volume; respond to reviews to signal active management
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- **Service area schema** for local services
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- **Business Agent** (where available) for conversational customer engagement
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