Learn the facts on SEO, keywords, AI, and search intent so you can stand out in Google and AI
Make it easy.
Make It Easy Please to get found, noticed, clicked, and remembered.
Make it so easy for Google and AI tools to highlight your expertise, experience, and content.
The easier something is, the more likely you’re going to do it. The same holds true for Google and AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and AI Overviews.
The easier it is for them to find, notice, and share your content, the more they’ll do it.
Make It Easy Please (MIEP). Yes, I just created this acronym. That’s the beauty of the internet and publishing on my website–I can create and write whatever I want.
And so can you! I know you have great ideas, products, services, and thoughts you want to share with others.
So, let’s MIEP for people, Google, and AI tools to find, trust, read, share, and remember you.
SEO. Keywords. AI. Search Intent.
You need to know the basics of these four search marketing fundamentals to get found, noticed, clicked, and remembered.
But don’t sweat this. I’m going to MIEP for you.
In this blog you get the five things you must know, do, and understand about SEO, keywords, AI, and search intent. Five things. You can handle this. You’re super smart and motivated. You’ve got this.
To maximize the MIEP, I’ve formatted this blog as a checklist.
When you’re ready to write, edit, and publish, pull out this checklist, review it, tick the boxes, and bam – you’re ready to get found, noticed, clicked, and remembered.
5 Basics of SEO You Need to Know
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
SEO is the practice of optimizing your website, blog posts, articles, and social media posts so they appear in search engines like Google and Bing and get referenced by AI tools.
SEO is about more than keywords, and this is why getting the basics right helps you get noticed and referenced by AI tools like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and others.
▢ Helpful Content: is content written for real people. This content answers questions, solves problems, and provides new and useful information.
Always Ask: how does this content help people?
▢ Human, People-First Content: write like you speak, think, and feel. Emotion matters, make it clear that you understand your reader’s challenges, questions, and pain points.
Always Ask: is it obvious that I care and want to help people?
▢ Easy-To-Read and Skim: use bullets and numbered lists, vary your sentence length, break up long paragraphs, create whitespace, and choose a simple font.
Always Ask: if I’m in a rush, can I easily skim this page and find what I need?
▢ Optimize Headings and Subheadings: people scan your headings and subheadings to quickly understand what your page is about. Use H1s, H2s, and H3s to organize your content and highlight key sections.
Always Ask: do the headings and subheadings provide a thorough overview of what the page is about?
▢ E-E-A-T: stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trust. Google and AI tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT are looking for websites and content that clearly communicate experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trust.
Experience: write what you know.
Expertise: show-off and brag.
Authoritativeness: tell people about yourself.
Trust: write the way you speak.
Always Ask: would I trust this content? Is it obviously written by a human who has real knowledge about the topic?
Can you tick all the boxes for your blog, web page, newsletter, or social media post?
Hint: Remember to read your content out loud, you’ll catch typos and dropped words that your brain automatically corrects and that your content editing tool doesn’t realize are errors.
5 Basics of Keywords You Need to Know
Keywords are the words, phrases, and questions people enter into search engines and AI tools when they’re looking for information.
These keywords tell you what people want to know and give you hints at subjects and topics that need more helpful content.
While search engines and AI tools use keywords slightly differently, the principle behind them is the same:
It’s important your content uses the words and phrases people use to find information about you, your services, products, and expertise.
Google and AI tools prioritize websites that answer questions clearly and succinctly.
▢ Natural Keywords: write first and then look for ways to naturally incorporate your keywords and keyphrases.
If it’s difficult to incorporate your keyphrases and you know your content ticks all the boxes for being human, people-first, E-E–A-T, and helpful, then it’s likely the keyphrase is not accurate.
Don’t sweat it. Reread your content. If you like and believe in it, don’t force the keywords. Instead look for related keyphrases and questions people are using to learn about you and what you do.
Always Ask: does this content feel natural and could I use these sentences in a real human conversation?
▢ No Keyword Stuffing: don’t overload your headings and sentences with your keywords. A good rule of thumb is to use your keyphrases 10 – 12 times in a 1,000 word blog.
Always Ask: am I forcing the keyword into my sentences? How many times does the keyword appear in a five sentence excerpt? If it’s more than twice, you’re stuffing.
▢ Focus On The Topic: do not focus on writing about a specific keyword or phrase. Instead, think about the topic as a whole, and write about this.
This strategy is called semantic SEO and I really like how Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media defines semantic SEO in this Serpstat interview:
“Semantic SEO is about optimizing content, not just for one specific keyphrase, but the broader topic.
Rather than simply using the primary keyphrase in the title, header, and body, content is optimized by incorporating semantically-related phrases, questions, and subtopics into the article.”
Always Ask: does this content give the reader everything they need to know about the topic?
▢ Know The Related Questions: Google and AI tools are looking for the best content available to answer questions. To make your content the best, you need to know the questions related to your primary keyphrase and search query.
To see the related questions in Google, type your search phrase and look at the follow-on questions displayed in the search box:
To see the related questions in Perplexity, look at the People Also Ask section below the answer:
Always Ask: does this content answer related and follow-on questions, giving people a thorough understanding of the topic?
▢ Think Broadly: imagine we’re sitting down in a coffee shop talking about what you’re writing about. What kind of questions would I have? How would the conversation meander and flow to other topics?
Consider adding this information to your content–but only if it makes sense. Just like keyword stuffing, you don’t want to stuff your blog or newsletter with words just for the sake of it.
Always Ask: how does this add value for my reader? Does this extra information help or confuse?
Are you proud to hit publish and share this piece of content? Are you happy to have your name attached to it?
Hint: Focus on writing succinct and clear content. This is what humans, Google, and AI tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT want.
5 Basics of AI You Need to Know
There is confusion about how people are searching for answers to their questions. If you believe the hype, no one is using Google and the AI tools are taking over.
But the data spotlights the reality of how people are looking for answers:
“Google had more than 14 billion searches/day
ChatGPT had (at the very most) 37.5M searches/day
In 2024 Google received ~373 times as many searches as ChatGPT.” Rand Fishkin, SparkToro
If this is the case, why am I including a section on AI and what you need to know to make sure your content is optimized for Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and AI Overviews?
Because AI is here and it is changing how people use the Internet.
Google is the leader today, but you’re not just writing content for today–you want your content to stand the test of time, and this means helping yourself by doing what you can today to be visible tomorrow.
In keeping with the MIEP (Make It Easy Please) principle of this blog, you’ll find the five basics of optimizing your content for AI tools is very similar to optimizing for Google.
▢ Create Unique Helpful Content: take a stand, write about a topic with a different viewpoint, share your unique perspective–make it very clear that no one else could have written the blog, Instagram post, whitepaper, or newsletter.
Always Ask: did I bring my true voice to this content? Have I set my voice free?
▢ Easy To Read: make it easy for AI tools to scan and read your content quickly. These tools like clear headings, bullets and numbered lists, whitespace, short paragraphs, and FAQs.
Always Ask: can I scan this page in 5 seconds and understand what it is about?
▢ Be A Little Bit Different: make your content stand out with expert quotes, client case studies, testimonials, infographics, and sharing your unique insights or expert opinions.
Always Ask: is this cookie-cutter content? What does this tell me that I can’t get from my competitor’s website or LinkedIn feed?
▢ Human and People-First Content Always: write your own content. Do not use ChatGPT or some other tool to write your content. Human content always wins.
And here’s a little secret: AI tools can tell the difference between human and robot content…
Always Ask: can I honestly attach my name to this content? And is it worthy of my byline?
▢ SEO and Keyword Basics Covered: on-page SEO (formatting with headings, whitespace, lists, etc.) and keyword relevance make it easy for an AI tool to find, notice, and share your content.
Always Ask: does this content answer questions clearly and add value to my readers?
It’s always helpful to search for your company, product or service in Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. You want to know what the LLMs know about your company and how they’re describing your product or service and even you.
Try it, go to perplexity.ai and type:
- “Tell me everything you know about [insert your company name here].”
- Next, type: “Tell me everything you know about [insert your product or service].”
- Now take it a step further type “Tell me everything you know about [insert your primary competitors].”
- And then type “How would you compare [our product to the competitor product]?”
Using these four questions and the People Also Ask questions in Perplexity can give you a different perspective on your brand and company awareness.
5 Basics of Search Intent You Need to Know
Search intent is the goal or purpose behind any Google search or AI tool query. By understanding what is driving people to ask specific questions, you can create more helpful and purposeful content.
Search intent helps you determine the information to include in your product and service pages, home page, blogs, and social media posts.
When you know search intent, you can give people the information they need and want.
▢ Are People Searching For This?: the days of creating random content and expecting it to generate traffic are over. There must be purpose behind everything you write, share, and publish.
Always Ask: does this new content help people, is it solving known problems and challenges, is this content purposeful?
▢ Why Is This A Question?: are people seeking information, ready to buy, looking for your products and website, or looking for reviews and extra information to confirm their decision.
There are four types of search intent: informational, navigational, transactional, and commercial investigation.
Understanding the type of search intent should shape the type of information you create and share.
Always Ask: will this information help someone get to the next step so they can make a decision?
▢ What Are The Content Gaps?: guaranteed people are asking questions and not finding helpful quality answers. You want to fill these content gaps.
This is core to creating helpful content–giving people what they’re looking for.
Here is a ChatGPT prompt you can use to help you find content gaps:
“I’m researching [topic] to identify content gaps and uncover opportunities for new insights. The target audience is [describe audience, e.g., executives, small business owners, general consumers]. I want to analyze existing content from sources like [list competitors, publications, or platforms] and focus on content formats such as [blogs, white papers, case studies, industry reports, social media, etc.].
Please review the common themes that are already well-covered and highlight areas that are missing, underexplored, or need more clarity. Organize your response into clear categories, and if possible, suggest ways to fill those gaps with fresh content ideas.
Additionally, please consider SEO factors:
Identify high-ranking content related to this topic and analyze what keywords, headings, and structure are used.
Highlight any keyword opportunities (e.g., low-competition, high-intent, or long-tail keywords) that could help improve visibility.
Identify common user questions or search intent that are not being fully addressed in existing content.Lastly, incorporate an analysis of emerging trends:
What new developments, technologies, or discussions are shaping this topic?
Are there industry shifts, recent reports, or evolving best practices that are not yet widely covered?Are there new audience behaviors or preferences that content creators are overlooking?“
Always Ask: is this fresh and unique content that people can’t find elsewhere? How does this content differentiate you from your competitors?
▢ What Content Is Best?: the type of question or search query determines the type of content you create and how you format it.
For example, are people looking for step-by-step instructions on how to plant their garden? These people want detail, so I would create a numbered list that includes images showing every step of the planting process.
Do people have questions about your products? I would create product pages that focus on the real-world problems your products solve and format the page to include sections on your product features, benefits, and information that builds trust and proves your expertise.
Your options are limitless: blog posts, FAQs, infographics, web pages, guides, slides, images, niche newsletters, etc.
Always Ask: what is the best way to answer this question so people find what they need quickly and easily?
▢ Does This Content Help People?: helpful content must be your priority.
When you write truly helpful content, your content has depth, addresses search intent, covers a range of related keywords, and proves your expertise and authority.
To meet search intent, your content must be helpful.
Always Ask: will people truly benefit from this content? Is it making a difference and adding value?
“Search intent is the most important ranking factor. When you fail to provide the information people are looking for, you aren’t going to rank. It’s this simple.
There are no tricks or workarounds to satisfying search intent. Find out what people are looking for and asking, learn what type of content best fills these content gaps, and deliver this content in a user friendly format.” Jane Phelps, CEO and Co-Founder, Know Agency
TL;DR Your Get Found, Noticed, Clicked, and Remembered Checklist
Use this get found, noticed, clicked, and remembered checklist before you click publish or share on anything you write.
▢ Helpful Content: does this content answer questions, solve problems, and provide new and useful information?
▢ Human, People-First Content: write like you speak, think, and feel.
▢ Easy-To-Read and Skim: is it easy to skim this page and find what I need?
▢ Optimize Headings and Subheadings: use H1s, H2s, and H3s to organize your content and highlight key sections.
▢ E-E-A-T: always communicate experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trust.
▢ Natural Keywords: write first and then look for ways to naturally incorporate your keywords and keyphrases.
▢ No Keyword Stuffing: the general rule is to use your keyphrases and words 10 – 12 times in a 1,000 word blog.
▢ Focus On The Topic: think about the topic as a whole, and write about this.
▢ Know The Related Questions: does this content answer related and follow-on questions, giving people a thorough understanding of the topic?
▢ Think Broadly: imagine we’re sitting down in a coffee shop talking about what you’re writing about. How would the conversation meander and flow to other topics?
▢ Create Unique Helpful Content: take a stand, write about a topic with a different viewpoint, share your unique perspective–set your voice free.
▢ Easy To Read: make it easy for AI tools to scan and read your content quickly. Use clear headings, bullets and numbered lists, whitespace, short paragraphs, and FAQs.
▢ Be A Little Bit Different: make your content stand out with expert quotes, client case study data and testimonials, infographics, and sharing your thought leadership or expert opinion on the topic.
▢ Human and People-First Content Always: write your own content. Do not use ChatGPT or some other tool to write your content. Human content always wins.
▢ SEO and Keyword Basics Covered: on-page SEO (formatting with headings, whitespace, lists, etc.) and keyword relevance make it easy for an AI tool to find, notice, and share your content.
▢ Are People Searching For This?: there must be purpose behind everything you write, share, and publish.
▢ Why Is This A Question?: are people seeking information, ready to buy, looking for your products and website, or looking for reviews and extra information to confirm their decision.
▢ What Are The Content Gaps?: guaranteed people are asking questions and not finding helpful quality answers. You want to fill these content gaps.
▢ What Content Is Best?: how can I answer this question so people get what they need quickly and easily?
▢ Does This Content Help People?: helpful content must be your priority. To meet search intent, your content must be helpful.
“Know who you are.
Know who you’re writing for.
Know why you’re writing what you’re writing.
Know what you want people to do next.
Tell this story. Write down what you would tell me about the thing that you want me to know about so I’ll go do what you want me to do next.
Use those words. Use that same emotion.” Vicki Thomas, Freelance Writer and Content Strategist, Good Words Work
I’m here to talk about your words, your website, and how I can help your clients find and trust you.
Let’s talk about your content and how I can help you. Email me today for a review of your blogs, website, or social post.
If you have any questions or want me to review your blogs, website, social posts, or other content, send me an email. I’m always happy to help you out.
Good Words Work 