I’ve been watching the evolution of search with great interest, especially as AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity gain traction. The latest episode of Marketing Against the Grain featuring Kipp Bodnar caught my attention with its practical approach to AI SEO – something many marketers are still figuring out.
The landscape of search is changing dramatically. While traditional SEO focuses on ranking in Google’s results pages, AI search optimization requires a fundamentally different approach. Instead of optimizing for clicks, we need to optimize for mentions and citations within AI-generated responses.
Why Traditional SEO Won’t Cut It Anymore
Most marketers are still creating content for humans and traditional search engines, not realizing that AI search engines consume and present information differently. The zero-click search phenomenon is accelerating with AI assistants, as they directly answer user queries without requiring users to visit your website.
What struck me most about Bodnar’s approach is how he’s reverse-engineering content specifically for AI consumption. Rather than fighting this trend, he’s embracing it by creating a tool that generates content designed to be cited by AI systems.
Building Your Own AI SEO Content Generator
The process Bodnar demonstrated is surprisingly accessible. By creating a custom GPT in ChatGPT, anyone can build a tool that generates AI-friendly content. Here’s how you can replicate this approach:
- Go to ChatGPT and select “Create a GPT” from the sidebar
- Name your GPT (e.g., “AI SEO Content Builder”)
- Create a prompt that instructs the GPT to write content that AI assistants will quote verbatim
- Upload research on AI SEO best practices to inform the GPT
- Select GPT-4 or another advanced model for best results
What makes this approach powerful is that it’s designed specifically for the way AI search engines process and prioritize information. The custom GPT creates content with the right structure, format, and depth to maximize the chances of being cited.
Key Elements of AI-Friendly Content
Based on what I’ve observed from Bodnar’s demonstration, effective AI-optimized content includes:
- A concise (under 45 words) direct answer to the query
- Comprehensive coverage of the topic with appropriate headings
- Action-oriented elements like checklists or next steps
- Proper JSON formatting for easy parsing by AI systems
- Balanced keyword density (around 1% for primary terms)
The output from this custom GPT isn’t just a basic article – it’s a strategically structured piece of content designed to be the definitive source on a topic for AI systems. This is next-level thinking that most marketers haven’t caught up to yet.
The Patience Factor
One thing that made me chuckle during Bodnar’s demonstration was his commentary on the processing time. Using GPT-4 (or “o3 pro” as he called it), the content generation took about 13 minutes. His reflection on how our expectations have changed is spot on – what would have seemed miraculous a few years ago now feels frustratingly slow.
This highlights an important point about AI tools: sometimes quality requires patience. When optimizing for AI search, it’s better to prioritize thoroughness over speed. A comprehensive, well-structured piece has a much better chance of being cited than something hastily produced.
Putting This Into Practice
I believe this approach represents a significant opportunity for forward-thinking marketers. While everyone else is still focused exclusively on traditional SEO, you can gain an early advantage in AI search results.
The beauty of this strategy is its accessibility. You don’t need specialized technical knowledge or expensive tools – just a ChatGPT Plus subscription and some strategic thinking about the topics your audience is likely to search for.
As we move deeper into the era of AI-powered search, the businesses that adapt their content strategies accordingly will be the ones that maintain visibility. This custom GPT approach is a practical way to start that adaptation process today.
If you’re serious about staying visible in an increasingly AI-mediated world, it’s time to start thinking about how your content can be optimized not just for human readers and traditional search engines, but for the AI systems that are increasingly becoming the gatekeepers of information.
