The rise of AI answer engines is changing the way people search for information. Instead of clicking through multiple links, users are now getting direct answers from AI-powered tools. While this shift presents new SEO challenges, it also opens exciting opportunities. But here’s the key takeaway: search isn’t disappearing—it’s evolving. AI answer engines and traditional search will work side by side, at least for the foreseeable future.

At Unfold Digital, we focus on the 5% of strategies that drive sustainable growth. Here’s how you can stay ahead by optimising for AI search engines while building a scalable, connected marketing ecosystem.

1. Co-Occurrence: [Brand] + [Keywords] = Greater Visibility

Co-occurrence means how often your brand appears alongside specific keywords across the web. The more your product or service is mentioned with relevant keywords (e.g., “best life insurance” + [Your Brand]), the more likely AI answer engines will feature your brand in responses.

Actionable Tips:

• Maximise Brand + Keyword Co-Occurrence: Make sure your brand is paired with relevant keywords on both your site and authoritative external platforms.

• Quality Content Matters: Create well-researched content on your site and pitch guest posts or interviews to other trusted sources.

Example: If you’re a life insurance provider, ensure that terms like “best life insurance” appear not only on your site but across high-authority industry platforms. The more often these co-occurrences happen, the stronger your brand’s association with key terms.

2. Answer Optimisation: Cover All Consumer Questions

Answer optimisation is about ensuring your content provides comprehensive answers to relevant user queries. AI models prefer content that fully and accurately addresses questions, which increases your chance of being featured in AI-generated results.

Actionable Tips:

• Research the Right Questions: Use tools like Answer the Public to discover what your potential customers are asking.

• Answer Everywhere: Ensure key questions are addressed directly on your landing pages, product pages, and FAQs—not just in blog posts.

Example: If you’re in life insurance, include questions like “How much coverage do I need?” directly on your product pages, alongside a detailed FAQ. This not only boosts your chances of being featured in AI answers but improves user experience.

3. Citation Optimisation: Become the Trusted Source for AI

Citation optimisation is about getting your content referenced by AI models in their generated answers. Whether through owned or earned citations, being cited in AI responses significantly boosts your brand’s visibility.

Actionable Tips:

• Owned Citations: Create high-quality, informative content that positions your brand as a reliable source.

• Earned Citations: Develop relationships with high-authority sites that naturally cite your content. Paid placements on trusted platforms can also help boost your credibility.

Example: A life insurance provider could publish a guide like “Best Life Insurance Providers in 2024.” When referenced by finance bloggers or cited in reputable publications, your content is more likely to be featured in AI-generated answers.

4. User-Generated Content: Leveraging Communities

User-generated content (UGC) like reviews and forum posts are important sources of information for AI engines. While platforms like Reddit and Quora are valuable in markets like the US, New Zealand lacks large active UGC communities. This means businesses here may need to focus more on paid inclusions.

Actionable Tips:

• Explore Paid Inclusions: Invest in sponsored content or partnerships with trusted websites to compensate for the lack of organic UGC opportunities in New Zealand.

Example: In the life insurance space, securing sponsored content on trusted New Zealand-based media outlets could increase your chances of being cited by AI answer engines.

5. Cross-Platform Optimisation: Cover All Search Surfaces

Search today isn’t just limited to Google. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and even AI tools like GPT-based chatbots are becoming search and discovery engines. AI answer engines pull from a variety of sources, so it’s important to optimise your content across multiple platforms.

Actionable Tip:

• Optimise Across Platforms: Create video content for platforms like YouTube and Instagram that addresses common industry questions.

Example: If people are searching for “best life insurance” on YouTube, ensure your video content is optimised and discoverable across these platforms, increasing the chances of being featured in AI-generated answers.

Track Your Share of Voice: Monitor Mentions Across AI Tools

As AI answer engines grow in popularity, tracking traditional SEO rankings is becoming less important. Instead, it’s crucial to focus on your brand’s share of voice in AI responses.

Actionable Tips:

• Monitor AI Mentions: Regularly check how often your brand is mentioned in AI-generated answers on platforms like ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Perplexity, and Gemini.

Action:

Example: A life insurance provider can search for terms like “best life insurance provider in New Zealand” across AI tools and track how often the brand is mentioned. This allows for adjustments in content strategy to increase mentions over time.

AI Search Is Evolving Fast - Optimise Now, Stay Ahead & Future Proof Your Business.

AI-powered search is here, and it’s evolving fast. At Unfold Digital, we focus on the 5% of strategies that truly drive impact, helping your business stay visible in a world where AI is reshaping search.

If you’re ready to optimise for the future, let’s talk.

By focusing on answer optimisation, citation strategies, UGC, and cross-platform presence, your business will be ready to thrive in the AI-driven landscape—building long-term success and agility as search continues to evolve.

#AI answer engines, #AI search engines #How to optimise for AI search engines, #How to optimise for AI answer engines, #SEO strategies for AI answer engines, #SEO strategies for AI search engines #How to increase AI share of voice.