If you’ve been on the internet for a hot minute, then you know that the current must-have trend making the rounds is AI optimization, or AIO. In case you’ve been hiding under a rock, the idea is that there are a gazillion things a website owner MUST DO in order to be “found” by AI agents such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Siri.

Fun Fact: Pretty much everything you’re going to read on the topic of AI optimization is a lie, designed to sell you some expensive service or another.

AIO Is SEO Is GEO

The truth is that the ONLY way to optimize your site for AI is to… well… optimize your site. That’s it. No special coding, no special software; just basic SEO best practices. The best part is that these are things you can actually do yourself.

The number one rule for any site wanting to be found, whether by search engines or AI agents, is that your site – both the client-facing parts AND everything under the hood – needs to be clear, concise, and easy to scan. Let me show you what I mean:

Front End Optimization (what your visitors see):

• Descriptive Page Titles
• Clear Navigation
• Proper Use of Headings (h1, h2, etc.)
• Hierarchal Headings (each heading should explicitly state an idea related to the last, and each related to the overall idea of the page title)
• Content That Answers Specific Questions
• Local-Focused Content

Back End Optimization (the code):

• Clean Code
• No JS-Hidden Content
• Proper Page Schema
• Optimized Image and Link Tags

Off-Site Optimization:

• Google Business Listing
• Yelp Listing

That’s it. No specialized software, no ongoing ad campaigns, no crazy off-shore teams that want to charge you an arm and a leg each month; just simple steps any website owner can (and SHOULD) take, either on your own or with the help of a UX designer.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something.

Is YOUR site optimized?  Contact us today about an Optimization Audit, and discover what’s stopping you from showing up in search engines and AI searches in your area.