As of today, we've gone from:

Search > Scroll > Click > Browse > Learn (repeat)

to: 

Ask > Preview > Decide

Decide what?

Decide if a summarized preview is enough to satisfy our search query, or if we need to dive deeper into our rabbit hole of curiosity. 

That tension has created the AI Search Paradox.

Everyone is fighting to get found in AI Search Summaries, but even when they do, no one likes the drop in web traffic being created.

It’s a hot mess of SEO irony that many are scrambling to solve.

So what’s the answer and how do we get there?

If our content is designed to answer questions, it’s a step in the right direction.

Our content needs to be considered valuable enough for AI to include in its summaries, and answering frequently asked questions is a decent place to start. 

But we’re dealing with tools that summarize answers to avoid extra clicks. Answering basic questions to get found in AI Search is akin to traditional SEO.

If that's the case, has anything really changed?

Yes and No.

What hasn’t changed:

1. People are still looking for answers.
2. Good content still gets engagement. 
3. Algorithms are still in control of what is considered “the best content.” 
4. When AI summaries aren’t enough, we still rely on traditional search results and SEO.

What is different now?

1. People are more often asking questions using natural language, rather than entering search terms. 
2. We still want answers, but faster.
3. When a simple answer is enough, summarized in search results, there is no need for that traffic to come to our website.

How can we improve traffic in the AI Search era?

Here's the thing: AI Search is in its infancy and there's no definitive answer.

But there's at least one approach worth discussing and it's not a new concept.

We have to:

Serve The Curious.
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Creating a Brand-Driven Content Architecture

When curiosity kicks in, clicks happen.

The brands that are winning appear to understand content strategy, brand voice and credibility supersede keyword stuffing.

Not only do we need to provide answers, we also need to bring along information that adds more value to the conversation, namely: 

1. Fact-based Data – Start here. Make it real.
2. Structured & Digestible Content – Make it easy to read, easy to follow, and technically structured for web readability.
3. Unique Personal or Industry Perspective – Make it original. Keep it relevant and on point.
4. Relatable Context that Ties It Together – Context matters. Bring it all together with relatable storytelling.

Optional: Fine tune it even more with Thoughts & Opinions sprinkled in for more personalization and engagement without losing interest.

The bottom line is, we have to serve our viewers better than 99% of the internet that fails to do the same.

If a target audience likes what they see, the chances increase for that content to be sourced, shared, talked about, and hopefully... it creates more traffic.

Because the algorithms seem to like that sort of thing, and rightly so. 

It’s why good Public Relations (and earned media) matter now more than ever. 

The days of driving traffic through web code are nearly over. 

Studies continue to pop up that show AI Responses are derived HEAVILY from Earned Media.

That means our content needs to serve curiousity enough to be picked up by others.

Tricking algorithms never felt like a smart way to build the internet.

Brands need content that is worth finding, worth the time to digest, and ideally worth sharing with others.

Content exists for curiosity, and that is who we're here to feed.