How to write GEO-friendly content that gets noticed by AI

Forget SEO. The new buzzword for content creators is 'GEO', and it’s causing a real stir among marcoms professionals as they scramble to get their content seen by the likes of ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. 

According to Wildfire’s newly published guide — (Almost) Everything You Need to Know About GEO in PR — GEO rewards writing that is direct, well-organised, and unambiguous because it makes it easier for AI to comprehend. Funnily enough, that’s what most people want as well. 

While both human and bot audiences have much in common, that’s not to say that there isn’t an inherent tension between the two. Writing for people tends to employ traits like empathy, storytelling, and tone, while GEO rewards structure, clarity, and explicit meaning. So which is right? And how do you resolve this editorial conflict? 

Truth is, the very fact you’re considering it puts you at an advantage above other content creators who are simply bashing out copy. The fact that you are thinking of both bots and people — GEO and readability — suggests your editorial intelligence is already well attuned. 

So, as long as you adhere to good writing principles, then you won’t go far wrong. For instance: 

1. The importance of a no-nonsense headline

They may be the first thing an AI system will read, but they’re often the last things people write. Either way, headlines are one of the most important elements of successful GEO. They tell AI what your content is about and why it matters.

For AI, a clear headline makes the topic immediately identifiable and easier to retrieve. For readers, it signals relevance and tells them they are in the right place. Unfortunately, it means that puntastic or witty headlines are increasingly off the menu. Instead, you need to write headlines that are direct, specific, and aligned with the content that follows. 

2. Front-load everything you write

Your intro is also a key part of your GEO-ready content. It can be written as a news-style ‘inverted pyramid’, a ‘drop intro’ with a hook and nub, or a fusion of the two. 

Regardless of which approach you take, by front-loading your content, you ensure that the key message is front and centre. For AI, this puts the answer where it is easiest to extract. For time-poor readers, it means even if they don’t read the whole story, they will at least get a sense of what it’s about.

3. Create a clear hierarchy

Beyond your headline and intro, your content needs a clear structure that signposts what matters and where to look. That means using subheads not just to break up the copy but to provide a roadmap to make the content easier to follow and extract. 

For AI, a clear hierarchy makes it easier to extract information. For readers, it allows them to scan and navigate the content quickly. This is why the inverted pyramid style of news writing — which prioritises information from top to bottom within the body copy — is such an important editorial technique. 

4. Make sections self-contained

Following on from the concept of structure and subheads, each section should make sense on its own. That means being explicit about what you’re saying and avoiding references that rely on earlier parts of the piece. The reason is that, in GEO, your content is rarely consumed as a whole. Similarly, for readers, it helps them scan rather than read. 

5. Be both explicit and specific

GEO does not reward subtlety. At Wildfire we always say that if something matters, say it clearly. That’s because AI prioritises content that is direct and unambiguous, and may misinterpret or ignore anything that is not clearly stated. 

The same is true for human readers…except, of course, when topics are more nuanced and nothing is quite as clear-cut as we might hope. In these cases, subtlety trumps clarity, leaving it up to the reader to join the dots. 

In such cases, which is right? The answer, unhelpfully, is that it depends. And it’s down to your editorial judgement. 

6. End with clarity

Your conclusion — or ‘outro’ — should reinforce the core message and leave no ambiguity about the takeaway. But it’s not just a summary or a conclusion. For AI, a clear ending reinforces the core message as a standalone takeaway. For readers, it provides closure and makes the main point more memorable.

Ideally, your outro should tie back to your intro. That way, it brings the piece back to its core point — completing the circle, so to speak — and helps to ensure the main message sticks even if your body copy has explored multiple themes. 

GEO rewards good writing 

So while GEO might be the latest buzzword, it does not mean reinventing the way people write. Instead, it simply underlines the importance of good editorial skills and judgement. Get those things right and your chances of being picked up in searches — and read by people — improve massively.