Users no longer "search" for links; they ask questions. And they expect direct answers generated by AI. If your site isn't formatted to provide these answers, you are invisible. Welcome to the era of AISO (Artificial Intelligence Search Optimization).
1. Structured Data: The Bot Language
If there is one thing Large Language Models (LLMs) love, it's structure. Structured data (Schema.org JSON-LD) is no longer optional.
In WordPress, plugins like SEOPress PRO or RankMath allow you to precisely define entities such as `Article`, `FAQPage`, `HowTo`, and `Organization`. The more context you provide via JSON-LD, the more likely an AI will understand your content and cite it as a source.
2. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Structure your content to answer questions directly.
- Use questions as H2s: Instead of "Benefits of WordPress", use "What are the benefits of WordPress?".
- Direct answer in the first paragraph: Provide a concise definition right after the title (the "Featured Snippet" of the AI era).
- Lists and Tables: LLMs digest tabular information very well for comparisons.
3. Authority and Citations (E-E-A-T)
AIs are trained to avoid "hallucinations" by prioritizing authoritative sources. Google's E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) concept is central here too.
Ensure every article has a clear author biography, links to social profiles (LinkedIn), and references to reliable external sources. An anonymous site has little chance of being cited by Perplexity.
4. Technical Performance (RAG Optimization)
When an AI navigates the web in real-time (like ChatGPT with Browsing), it needs to access content quickly. A slow site or one full of JavaScript blocking rendering (excessive Client-Side Rendering) might be ignored or only partially "read".
Keep your HTML clean, use Server-Side Rendering (or static caching on WordPress), and minimize "Noise" in the DOM.
Conclusion
The goal is no longer just to rank first on Google, but to be **the answer** the virtual assistant reads to the user. This requires a mindset shift: write for humans, but format for machines.