Do I really need to rewrite my content for AI search?

Short answer: No (with with a few wee caveats).

Firstly, the good news: If your content is already SEO-friendly (clear, structured and genuinely helpful), you’re 80–90% of the way to being AI-friendly too.

But with tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude becoming part of people’s daily decision-making, it’s a question worth asking.

Yes, people are using AI tools like ChatGPT as a search engine because it's easier than scrolling through source after source in order to make a decision (whether it's always accurate is another matter).

People are asking more specific questions like...

• ”Who do I hire to get my brand messaging right?"

• ”Who’s the best copywriter for ethical brands in NZ?"

• "Do I need a copywriter or can ChatGPT do it"*

*Spoiler: a specialist human brain + AI tools = best results.

Want to show up in AI search? Here's how

If you want ChatGPT to throw up your company, cause, product or service, you need to...

1. Use obvious words in your copy - eg 'Ethical copywriter for purpose-led brands' vs 'Word-wrangler for brands that give a damn'.

   
   

2. Use scannable layouts like FAQs, summary sections, lists and bullet points.

   
   

3. Simplifying your structure so answers are easy to find, clear and useful.

   
   

4. Prioritising clarity and substance over fluff. Don't ditch creativity though as that’s what makes people click through, stay on your page and remember you.

   
   

5. Keep your content fresh. Think: news articles, testimonials, fresh FAQs.

Essentially, it's less about gaming the algorithm and more about being genuinely helpful in a way both people and AI can understand.

Which, as it turns out, are mostly the *SAME* best practice principles for Google optimisation.

So while there are some caveats and a few tweaks you can make to become ultra-AI-friendly, the fundamentals still hold.

Which means if your content is SEO friendly, it's pretty damn likely to be AI-friendly too.

However...those caveats ARE worth considering. Let's take a look.

A few things AI search handles differently

While a lot of traditional SEO best practices still apply, AI search brings some new dynamics to the table. It’s not just about ranking anymore. It’s about how your content is summarised, surfaced and understood by tools like ChatGPT.

Here’s what to keep in mind.

1. the goal isn’t the click, it’s the summary

With Google, your goal used to be driving traffic. With AI tools, the user might never visit your site at all. They’re often simply reading the AI-generated answer which may or may not include a link to your site.

What to do

Write content that’s clear, specific and worth quoting. If your page gives a direct, useful answer, it’s more likely to be picked up in AI summaries even if there’s no click involved.

2. vague or fluffy content gets ignored

AI tools don’t bother with slow intros, clever metaphors or SEO filler. They scan for content that gets to the point.

In saying that DON'T give up creativity. Yes, clarity may get you found on AI search, but creative, engaging, emotive content will connect with readers, keep them on your site and ultimately inspire them to take action.

It's a balance.

What to do

Lead with the answer. Use strong subheadings. Keep paragraphs short and formatting clean. Think: “How can I make this scannable, quotable, useful and engaging?”

3. structured content is favoured

AI tools love content that’s easy to read and easy to extract meaning from, especially FAQs, bullet points and clearly labelled sections.

What to do

Use semantic structure (clear headings, questions, anchor links) and label sections in plain language. Consider adding FAQ sections on key pages tailored to that topic.

4. questions and answers for the win

People are asking AI tools full, conversational questions not just typing “copywriter NZ” and hoping for the best.

Think:

• "How do I write website copy that reflects my brand personality?"

• “What’s the process for working with a brand copywriter?”

• “How do I get my business to show up in ChatGPT results?"

  
  

AI tools are trained to recognise and respond to these natural-language queries and they’re more likely to surface content that mirrors the structure of the question itself.

What to do

Use real questions as (ideally in headings or subheadings), especially ones your clients actually ask. Then write your answers in a direct, helpful way so AI can quote or summarise them easily.

5. authority still matters

AI tools consider credibility signals (like first-hand experience, clarity, and consistency). But they won’t always link to you or name you even if they paraphrase your words.

What to do

Use your own voice, show your expertise and don’t rely on SEO fluff. Add a bio, use clear bylines, and link to real sources or examples of your work.

NEED A HAND?

If you need support finetuning your content for AI search or SEO, let's chat.