INDUSTRY INSIGHT: What Does It Really Take to Convert Your Website for AI Search? And Why you Need to Read This?
If you're looking to optimize your website for AI search, hang onto your cowboy hat. It's the Wild West out there. Former (and current) SEO companies see the handwriting on the wall as more search moves from traditional SEO to AEO (answer engine optimization). Opportunists are popping out of the woodwork.
(There are good options out there, but vet them carefully.)
GUEST ARTICLE WRITTEN BY Heidi Tolliver-Walker OF WHATTHEYTHINK
If you’re looking to optimize your website for AI search, hang onto your cowboy hat. It's the Wild West out there. There is help available, but vet the options carefully. Is there a DIY solution? If so, what does that look like? Heidi Tolliver-Walker explains.
Is AEO a DIY Project?
Looking for help with AEO? Just go to your inbox and there are probably a dozen offers in there right now. But who can you trust? Finding the right company can seem overwhelming, so it can be tempting to try doing it yourself. What does that actually involve?
Mike Ford, CEO of Skydeo, a company that “helps brands and agencies identify high-intent consumers and understand where demand is emerging across digital channels,” writes in his "AI Search Engine Checklist”: “AI search doesn't follow the old SEO playbook. Nor does it follow Google’s rules.” That, Ford says, is actually the opportunity.
Ford’s first recommendation is simple: Ditch the sales and marketing copy for educational content that positions you not as the top salesperson, but as the top college professor.
Write Like a Professor, Not a Salesperson
This presents a challenge for the printing industry (and any business, really), since most websites are mired in sales and marketing copy. Converting to AEO is like changing the foundation of a house or converting an entire math syllabus from standard measurements to metric.
Say you are a printer specializing in the healthcare market. Here's a quick SEO vs. AEO comparison as it might look on your website:
SEO approach: “We specialize in the healthcare industry and offer premium direct mail services with fast turnaround times and competitive pricing.”
AEO approach: “Direct mail printers serving healthcare clients should maintain HIPAA-compliant facilities and offer variable data capabilities for personalized patient communications. Key factors include secure data handling, healthcare-specific paper stock options, and understanding of medical marketing regulations.”
Is this a lot of work? Yes. But as Ford writes, “If you don’t, [your competitor] will and they'll get mentioned by AI.”
It’s Not Just What, but How
Equally challenging: it’s not just how you’re writing, but what and how much. You aren’t just rewriting existing copy. You need entirely new content on new subjects.
AI assistants don’t want to see your exhaustive list of print products with hyperlinks to specifications and order pages. They want content that directly addresses “decision-stage questions,” the kinds of questions people ask during the discovery process. Case studies, comparison charts, and how-tos.
For example:
“Best direct mail printer for healthcare compliance”
“Variable data printing vs. static: which converts better?”
“Top print finishing techniques for luxury packaging”
“When people ask AI, they’re not looking for definitions,” Ford writes. “They’re looking for recommendations, comparisons, and proof points to justify their choice.”
Can you just use ChatGPT or Claude to write the copy AI wants? You can, but remember that other printers are using them, too. You’ll want to include details, case studies, and real-life examples that are unique to you. If you have case studies, response metrics, certifications and awards, talk about them.
You Aren’t AI’s Only Source of Truth
Ford notes that large language models lean heavily on domains they recognize as credible and frequently cited. “That means you don’t just need great content on your own site. You need to be part of the broader conversation happening on platforms the AI trusts.”
This is where it gets tricky, since this isn’t always something you can control. Ford points to review blogs, Reddit threads, YouTube reviews, and comparison sites. “When multiple trusted domains mention your brand, the AI sees a pattern, and that's how it chooses which brands to mention,” he says.
That’s great for fashion and technology brands, but how about printing? It requires creativity. It’s not like SEO where you can manufacture backlinks from a server farm. AI engines recognize manipulation and can penalize you for it. But there are options:
Proactively list on trusted sites: Industry directories, regional print associations, local chambers, and vertical-specific directories that AI systems already cite frequently.
Encourage detailed customer reviews: Not generic praise, but use-case-rich reviews like “variable-data postcards for oncology clinic launch.” AI leans heavily on reviews and listicles.
Publish guest posts: Contribute articles to niche marketing and printing blogs that tend to show up in AI citations.
You can start conversations on platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn, but once the conversation is out there, you cannot control where it goes. This offers both opportunity and risk if the conversation takes an unexpected turn.
What AI Actually Wants
The bottom line is this: Make it easy for AI to find, trust, and cite you. AI engines don't dig for buried details. They surface the clearest, most directly usable answers.
That means FAQs that answer real questions (not “What is offset printing?” but “When should I use offset vs. digital for a 5,000-piece run?”); case studies with actual numbers; and transparent pricing, even if it's ranges or starting points. AI also loves head-to-head comparisons: "Best color match in my area" tells AI who you compete with and where you win.
AI cites what it finds, so this is all part of feeding the ecosystem. From local directories and a great Google Business Profile to guest posts on relevant blogs, give AI good things to find. Populate the ecosystem AI relies on with positive information leading back to you.
The Bottom Line
This essentially requires rebuilding your content strategy from the ground up. Most print company websites are built to showcase capabilities and close deals. AI search rewards sites built to educate and advise.
It would be nice if you could just put your site into “Google AI-Translate,” but it doesn’t work that way. Maybe someday it will, but that day is not today. If you want to show up in AI search results, you’ll have to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
About Heidi Tolliver-Walker
Heidi Tolliver-Walker is former print industry magazine editor and long-time industry analyst, content developer, author, and blogger. She has written for the industry’s top publications, research companies, and private companies for the past three decades — so long that she still has an AOL address, which she signed up for back when AOL was still cool. You can reach her at htollvr@aol.com.
