Optimizing for AI

Optimizing for AI search engines (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews) is often called GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) or AIO.

Unlike traditional Google search, which looks for keywords to rank links, AI engines look for facts and data to synthesize answers.

Here is the efficient, step-by-step WordPress strategy to make your site "readable" and authoritative to AI.

1. The "Secret Weapon": Add an /llms.txt File

This is the newest standard specifically for AI bots. Just as robots.txt tells Google what to index, llms.txt tells AI agents specifically what content to consume to understand your website.

• What it is: A simple text file that gives AI a "concise summary" of your site and links to your most important documentation or content.

• How to do it in WordPress:

  1. Create a text file named llms.txt on your computer.

  2. Inside, write a brief background of your site and list your top 10-20 most valuable URLs (Markdown format is preferred by AI).

  3. Upload this file to your WordPress root directory (usually public_html) using your hosting File Manager or FTP.

  4. Result: AI bots checking yourdomain.com/llms.txt get a perfect, hallucination-free summary of who you are.

2. WordPress Technical "Plumbing" (Schema)

AI needs Structure Data (Schema) to understand context. Without it, your text is just "noise."

• The Efficient Fix: Use a plugin like RankMath or AIOSEO (All in One SEO).

  • Enable "Schema" Module: Ensure it is turned on.

  • Article Type: Set your default post type to "Article" or "Blog Post."

  • Speakable Schema: If you have a Pro version, enable "Speakable" schema. This specifically tells voice assistants (and AIs) which part of the text is the "answer."

  • FAQ Schema: This is critical. If you write a post answering questions, use the plugin’s FAQ Block in the Gutenberg editor. This wraps your Q&A in code that AI specifically looks for to extract direct answers.

3. Content Formatting: The "Answer-First" Method

AI models are "lazy." They prioritize content that is easiest to parse. If your answer is buried in paragraph 4, the AI will skip you.

• Structure for Citations:

  • The H2 Question: Make your subheading the literal question users ask (e.g., "How much does X cost?").

  • The BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): The very first sentence under that H2 should be the direct answer.

  • Data Tables: AI loves tables. If you are comparing products or showing prices, use the WordPress Table block. AI scrapes tables with high accuracy.

  • Statistics & Quotes: AI models are trained to look for evidence. Explicitly writing "According to [Data Source]..." or providing unique statistics increases your chance of being cited as a source.

4. Optimize Your robots.txt for AI Bots

You need to ensure you aren't accidentally blocking the AI crawlers.

• Action: Go to your SEO Plugin’s "Tools" or "File Editor" section to edit robots.txt.

• Check for Blocks: Ensure you do not have lines like User-agent: GPTBot Disallow: /.

• Explicitly Allow (Optional but good):

  Plaintext

  
  

  User-agent: GPTBot
  Allow: /
  
  User-agent: CCBot
  Allow: /
  

  (Note: CCBot is the Common Crawl bot, which provides training data for many AI models.)

5. Brand Authority (E-E-A-T)

AI assigns "weights" to information based on trust. It verifies your site against other sites.

• Author Bios: In WordPress, fill out the User Profile for every author. Include links to their LinkedIn or Twitter. AI cross-references author names to see if they are real experts.

• The "About" Page: Ensure your About page is robust, listing physical addresses and clear contact info. This grounds your "Entity" in the AI's knowledge graph.

Summary Checklist for WordPress