What Is Content Optimization?
Content optimization is the process of improving and updating your website content to improve its visibility in both search engines and AI tools.
When done well, it helps your content reach more users, appear in AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews, and convert those visitors into customers.
Today, optimization goes beyond traditional SEO. It ensures every page is clear, relevant, and easy for both algorithms and AI systems to understand.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to optimize content to increase organic (unpaid) traffic, earn AI citations, and drive more conversions.
Why Is Content Optimization Important?
Content optimization helps your website rank higher in search engines and appear in AI results. It also motivates users to take valuable actions like signing up, purchasing, or contacting your business.
Consistent optimization keeps driving results long after you publish. Search engines like Google favor content that’s fresh and recently updated.
A Seer Interactive study found that almost 90% of AI bot activity focused on content published within the past three years, with the strongest preference for pages updated between 2023 and 2025.
For example, Semrush’s link building guide has been updated several times since publication.
And it still ranks on Google’s first page.
It appears as a source in Google’s AI Mode.
And it shows up in ChatGPT’s web results.
Search and AI tools are merging. Generative engine optimization (GEO) focuses on optimizing content for AI-generated responses in platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode.
Adding GEO principles—such as using conversational phrasing, full-question answers, and unique data—can increase your chances of being cited by AI systems.
Optimizing content this way improves visibility, drives organic traffic, and delivers better long-term return on investment (ROI).
How to Optimize Content for SEO
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you optimize your content for both SEO and GEO:
1. Match Search Intent to Improve Rankings
Search intent is the goal behind a user’s query. Google and other search engines aim to show content that best satisfies that goal.
When your content aligns with the user’s intent, it has a stronger change of ranking higher.
There are four types of search intent:
- Informational: The user wants to learn about a topic
- Transactional: The user wants to make a purchase or complete a transaction
- Navigational: The user is looking for a specific website or page
- Commercial: The user is comparing options before buying
There are two ways to determine search intent.
First, enter your keyword into Google (or another search engine) and review the top results.
For example, searching for “influencer marketing tools” shows mostly list and comparison posts.
That means the keyword has both commercial and informational intent.
Second, use Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool.
Enter your keyword and check the Intent box to confirm the search intent type. For “influencer marketing tools,” the tool shows commercial and informational intent.
Once you know the intent, structure your content to match it.
If your post on “influencer marketing tools” only defines the tools, expand it to include comparisons and recommendations.
Because search intent can change over time, review important keywords regularly and adjust your content to stay relevant.
2. Use Secondary Keywords to Expand Reach
Adding secondary keywords helps search engines and AI crawlers understand your topic more deeply. It also broadens your chances to appear for related searches.
Each post should target one primary keyword—the main keyword you want to rank for—and several secondary keywords that support it.
Ranking for multiple terms can attract more visitors and increase organic traffic.
Most content already ranks for multiple keywords naturally, but being intentional can boost performance. Focus on secondary terms with high traffic potential.
Use Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool to find these keywords.
To get started, open the tool, enter your primary keyword, and click “Search.”
The tool will generate a list of related keywords, along with key metrics for each, such as:
- Intent: What users want from the query
- Volume: How many searches the keyword gets monthly
- Keyword Difficulty (KD %): How hard it is to rank in the top 10 results
To find high-volume terms, set the "Volume" filter to “1,000” or higher, then click “Apply.”
The tool will display keywords with at least 1,000 monthly searches. Review the list and select the most relevant options.
Then, naturally include them throughout your content, especially in headers, introductions, and key sections where they fit contextually.
3. Optimize for AI Prompts and Questions
Optimizing for AI prompts means structuring your content around the exact questions people ask in AI tools. This helps your pages surface in AI-generated responses.
When people use AI tools, they use more conversational phrasing than they do in Google searches.
For example:
- Google search: “benefits of CRM”
- AI prompt: “What are the benefits of using a CRM for a small ecommerce business?”
Start with your first-party data.
Review sales calls, demo transcripts, and support tickets to see how your audience phrases questions.
You can also use Semrush’s AI Visibility toolkit. In the “Questions” report, you’ll find grouped queries related to your topic, such as pricing, competitors, or product experience.
Address these prompts in your content by:
- Adding relevant questions to existing pages if they fit naturally
- Creating new pages or blog posts for questions that need deeper coverage
AI tools process natural phrasing more accurately when language mirrors real conversation. Write clearly and directly, avoiding unnecessary entities or filler words.
Writing for AI starts with writing for humans: concise, natural, and complete answers to real questions.
4. Make Your Content Easy to Understand
Clear, readable content keeps visitors engaged and helps search engines and AI tools interpret your message accurately.
Most users skim pages. If your content is dense or confusing, they leave quickly. t.
A Semrush survey found that 43% of marketers and SEOs prioritize readability to improve both SEO and conversions.
When your writing is clear and well-structured, it can perform better in search and AI-generated results.
Ways to improve readability:
- Use a clear heading structure. Organize content with H1, H2, and H3 tags. This improves navigation for readers and context for search engines and AI crawlers.
- Write in active voice. Active voice improves clarity and flow. For example, write “the reader searched for the keyword” instead of “the keyword was searched for by the reader.”
- Apply the Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) method. Present key information first. Answer the main question at the start of each section.
- Write for natural language processing (NLP). Use straightforward, conversational phrasing. Avoid jargon or long, nested clauses.
- Use bullet points for key details. They make information easier to scan and process
- Add visuals. Images, infographics, and charts make content more engaging and help readers grasp complex ideas
- Check narrative flow. Read the content aloud to catch awkward phrasing or pacing issues
Readable, structured content improves user experience and helps search engine crawlers and AI tools understand and surface your content accurately.
5. Keep Content Fresh to Sustain Visibility
Updating content helps maintain accuracy, build trust, and sustain visibility in both search engines and AI tools.
Google treats freshness as a ranking signal, and AI systems like ChatGPT and Perplexity also prefer newer sources.
A Seer Interactive study found that these tools are more likely to cite content published or updated recently.
For example, a blog post on influencer marketing trends from 2015 is outdated. But if you update it with 2024 insights, it becomes relevant again.
Wondering how to find outdated content?
Use Semrush’s Position Tracking tool to monitor performance. A noticeable drop in rankings can signal that a page needs updates.
When you find pages losing visibility, update them using these steps:
- Fix broken links to improve user experience
- Add new internal links to relevant content on your site
- Replace outdated information, data, and examples
- Update visuals such as images, charts, and infographics
Regularly refreshed content signals reliability to both readers and AI tools—and keeps your pages ranking longer.
6. Improve On-Page SEO for Better Search Performance
On-page SEO focuses on optimizing individual pages to help them rank higher in search results.
Three key elements—title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text—play a major role in how search engines interpret your content.
- Title tags define your page’s main topic
- Meta descriptions summarize what readers will find on the page.
- Alt text describes images so search engines and screen readers can understand them
To find optimization opportunities, run your site through Semrush’s On Page SEO Checker.
First, enter the URLs and keywords you want to analyze. Then, click “Collect ideas.”
Once you’ve configured your project, go to the “Optimization Ideas” tab.
The tool provides actionable insights, from technical fixes to content improvements, that can help your pages rank higher.
Implement the suggested updates because small on-page changes can lead to significant ranking gains when applied consistently.
7. Optimize Your Page for SERP Features
SERP features are enhanced results on Google’s search pages that go beyond standard organic listings. Ranking for them can increase your visibility and click-through rate.
Some examples of SERP features include AI Overviews, featured snippets, local packs, People Also Ask, and knowledge panels.
They look like this on the SERP:
First, find out if your target keyword has any SERP features.
Enter it into the Keyword Overview tool. Scroll down the “SERP Analysis” section to see a list of ranking URLs and which if any SERP features appear in search results.
For example, the SERP for the keyword “what is search intent” has an AI Overview, a featured snippet, and a People Also Ask section.
Click on the “View SERP” button to see what the results look like on Google.
Next, optimize your content for the SERP feature you want to rank for.
For example, if your target keyword shows a featured snippet, apply these best practices:
- Write clear, direct answers: Respond to the query in a straightforward language
- Add a summary box: Include a 40-60-word summary at the top that concisely answers the main question
- Use question-based headers: Format H2s and H3s as full queries, such as “What is search intent?” to help Google identify relevant sections
Read our guide on how to optimize for SERP features to learn more.
8. Add Semantically Related Keywords
Using semantically related keywords (terms that are conceptually linked to your main topic) shows search engines that you’ve covered a subject in depth, improving your chances of ranking higher.
For example, if your keyword is “how to grow tomatoes,” related terms could be “organic gardening,”“best soil for tomatoes,” or “tomato plant care.”
These keywords also help AI crawlers better understand your content’s context.
Use Semrush’s SEO Content Template to easily find such keywords.
Enter your target keyword and select your country. Then, click “Create content template.”
The tool will analyze the top 10 Google results to provide a list of semantic keywords.
These aren’t the exact keywords you want to rank for, but they’re conceptually linked. So, incorporating these into your content can help you compete more effectively with your competitors.
9. Optimize Visual Content
Visuals like images and videos make content more engaging and easier to understand.
But to support SEO, they must be properly optimized. Large, unoptimized files can slow down your site and hurt user experience.
Here are a few image optimization tactics to consider:
- Add descriptive alt text: Use clear, natural language that includes relevant keywords when appropriate. For example, “Brown dog jumping over a white fence in a grassy field.”
- Compress file sizes: Use tools like TinyPNG or JPEG Optimizer to reduce file sizes without losing quality
- Use descriptive file names: Replace generic file names like “image123.jpg” with keyword-rich names such as “seo-strategy-guide.jpg”
- Provide captions or a transcripts: Add captions for images and transcripts for videos to make content accessible and help search engines understand context
Further reading: Image SEO: How to Optimize Images for Search Engines & Users
10. Satisfy Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines
Google prioritizes content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Following these guidelines can improve your chances of ranking well in search results and getting referenced by AI tools:
Include Author and Contributor Bios
Hire writers and team members with industry experience and showcase that using bio pages.
Consider including years of experience (e.g., 10). And in what field the contributor specializes in (e.g., content marketing and SEO).
Like this:
This shows the audience the writer has the experience and expertise to back up their statements.
Include Expert Insight
Interview subject matter experts and use their quotes to add value and insights to your content—or include experts in the review process.
Like this Semrush blog post:
Google’s own documentation stresses the importance of expert-driven content.
Also, a recent study on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) found that content featuring expert quotes, proprietary data, and natural writing has a higher chance of appearing in AI outputs.
Use Credible Sources
Support all claims with research from reliable sources, such as:
- Industry publications and authority blogs
- Academic journals and research studies
- Government or institutional reports
- Trusted news outlets
11. Cover the Topic Comprehensively
Comprehensive content gives readers complete answers and keeps them from returning to search results for more information.
It also signals to Google that your page fully satisfies user intent, which can improve rankings.
Start with a SERP analysis, which involves examining what your competitors have already covered. So you can identify any subtopics top-ranking pages address that you don’t.
Use Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool to perform a SERP analysis.
Launch the tool, enter your target keyword, and select a country. Then, click “Search.”
Scroll to the bottom to find the SERP analysis tab. Here, you’ll see the top-ranking pages for the location you’ve set, along with traffic data, the number of backlinks, and other metrics.
Once you have this information, visit these top-ranking pages one by one and manually examine their content.
Look for specific details like:
- Subtopics: What are your competitors covering that you haven’t? Are there areas where their content goes deeper, or are there missed opportunities you can capitalize on?
- Use of visuals: How many images, charts, or videos do they include in their posts?
Don’t just repeat what’s already ranking. Offer something unique that adds value for readers.
Here are some tips:
- Provide a new angle: Add insights or perspectives others haven’t shared
- Use unique examples: Include real-world cases or proprietary data to stand out
12. Include Original Research
Original research includes unique data your company collects and publishes.
It builds authority, attracts backlinks, and increases the likelihood that AI tools will cite your content.
As Quentin Aisbett, SEO Strategist at Searcht, explains:
“Original research carries built-in authority. Whether it’s owned data or survey-based, if the insights are timely and relevant, they give journalists, bloggers, and industry sites a strong reason to link back.”
For example, Semrush’s post on “Can AI Content Rank on Google?” includes original research and has earned more than 200 backlinks.
It’s also cited by multiple AI tools.
You can create original research using several approaches:
- Surveys: Collect insights through Google Forms or SurveyMonkey
- Interviews: Speak with customers, experts, or employees to gather new perspectives
- Case studies: Share examples of customer success or problem-solving using your product or service
- Platform analytics: Analyze your own performance data to uncover trends
How to Optimize Content for Conversions
Optimizing your content for conversions (desirable actions like signing up for a newsletter or filling out a contact form) increases the chances they’ll take that desired next step.
Here’s are a few ways to do that:
13. Demonstrate the Value of Your Product or Service
Showing your product or service in action helps readers understand how it solves their problems.
When readers see clear, relevant use cases, they’re more likely to convert.
For example, many Semrush blog posts include workflows that demonstrate how to use Semrush tools to achieve specific goals.
Like this one showing readers how to find voice search keywords using Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.
However, avoid forcing product mentions.
Only include them where they naturally fit and genuinely help readers achieve their objectives.
Demonstrating real, practical value builds trust and keeps your content persuasive without sounding promotional.
14. Add Social Proof to Build Trust
Social proof, such as testimonials, case studies, and success stories, shows potential customers that others have benefited from your product or service.
It builds credibility and increases conversion likelihood.
For example, in a post about influencer marketing campaigns, you could feature a short case study showing how a brand used your influencer search software, followed by a direct customer testimonial.
A clear, authentic quote adds weight and emotional trust.
Insider uses this approach effectively. The company includes five-star reviews in its content to address a key audience challenge (MarTech implementation) and reassure readers that its solution delivers results.
15. Use Calls to Action That Fit the Reader’s Journey
A call to action (CTA) tells readers what to do next.
Clear CTAs increase engagement and guide users toward conversion, such as signing up, contacting your team, or making a purchase.
Common CTAs include:
- Sign Up Now
- Contact Us
- Buy Now
The key is to match the CTA with the reader’s stage in the journey.
For example, this CTA on the Semrush blog uses the CTA “Try for Free.” Along with text that explains the benefits of signing up to try One2Target.
A CTA should:
- Be specific and action-oriented
- Explain the benefit of clicking
- Fit the user’s intent and content context
Relevant, well-placed CTAs help convert interested readers into active customers without interrupting their reading flow.
Optimize Your Content to Get Better Results
Optimizing existing content improves both search performance and visibility in AI tools.
The 15 tactics above help you drive more traffic, earn AI citations, and increase conversions without creating new content from scratch.
For the best results, use the Semrush AI SEO Toolkit and Position Tracking tool to identify new opportunities, monitor AI visibility, and measure progress in Google AI Overviews.