Why is your site missing? In 2025, more than half of shoppers start research inside an AI search box, not on a normal results page. Showing up in those answers is the new “page one” of Google.

A quick reality check

AI Overviews show up in only about 1 % of U.S. searches, but when they do, they grab most clicks. You do not have to rank for every keyword—just cover the exact questions AI likes to answer.

How to make your pages the ones AI loves to cite

1. Go long-tail and question-first

   • Gather the real questions customers ask in emails, calls, Reddit, and Search Console.

   • Turn each question into the page’s main heading (H1).

   • Add a 40- to 60-word answer right under the heading. This length fits Google’s “answer box.”

2. Structure every passage for copy-and-paste use
   AI grabs short chunks, not whole pages. Use H2/H3 sub-headings, bullet lists, and short paragraphs so each chunk can stand alone.

3. Add the right schema—no heavy plugin needed
   Mark the page with FAQ, HowTo, or Product schema. A simple JSON-LD script is enough and keeps code light.

4. Prove the content is fresh and trustworthy
   Add a “last updated” date, cite your sources, and include an author bio with real credentials. New data—like your own surveys—stands out. Recycled tips do not.

5. Pass the new Core Web Vitals test: INP
   Since March 2024, Google uses “Interaction to Next Paint” (INP). If a page takes more than 200 ms to respond, it can be left out of AI Overviews. Cut long tasks, lazy-load outside scripts, and tone down heavy animations until you meet the limit.

6. Track where you already surface—or almost surface
   Tools such as Semrush’s AI Overview filter and OmniSEO show keywords where your page is close to being cited. Check every week. Pages that “almost” qualify often need only better structure or a fresh stat to break through.

7. Feed ChatGPT your draft and ask it to improve
   Paste each section into ChatGPT and prompt:
   “Find missing facts, user worries, or data we could cite. Rewrite in under 120 words.”
   Review the output and polish it in your own voice.

8. Seal the conversion leaks
   AI may send less traffic than classic search, so make every visit count. Place a simple lead magnet—newsletter sign-up, mini-audit checklist, or calculator—near the top. Use predictive heat maps to check that the call-to-action gets attention before launch.

Micro-case

A B2B SaaS client wanted to rank for “How much does SOC 2 compliance cost for startups?” We rewrote the guide with an answer-first intro, added FAQ schema, and cut INP from 380 ms to 140 ms. Two weeks later, Google’s AI Overview quoted our 54-word intro and linked twice into the page. Click-throughs fell 12 %, but conversions rose from 1.9 % to 4.2 %. Less traffic, more leads—net gain of 58 %.

Want the shortcut?

I have three July slots for an AI Visibility Sprint that includes:

• Long-tail keyword expansion focused on AI-trigger questions

• FAQ / HowTo / Product schema setup

• INP diagnostics with a dev-ready fix list

• Two revision rounds using ChatGPT prompt templates

Contact us and grab a time on my calendar, and let’s turn your site into the source ChatGPT and Google cite next.