Not long ago, we were all obsessing over keywords, backlinks, and “ranking on page one.” Now? Millions of people are asking ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Grok to find products, services and recommendations for them, no scrolling required.
If SEO was about showing up on Google, SCO is about showing up in the answers AI gives people.
What is SCO?
Search Conversational Optimisation!
Imagine someone asks:
“What’s the best accountant for small businesses in Surrey?”
“Which skincare brands use natural ingredients?”
“Where can I find a furniture shop that delivers fast?”
Traditional Google SEO would try to match keywords.
AI, on the other hand, interprets, summarises and recommends businesses based on:
- How clearly your website explains what you do
- How trustworthy your content appears
- How well your brand is structured for AI
- How easy it is for the model to extract answers
SCO is all about making your business “AI-friendly.”
It ensures ChatGPT and friends can understand your site and recommend your services.
Why SCO is becoming more important than SEO?
You’ve probably noticed it yourself…
People are using AI as a search engine.
- Instead of Googling “best gifts for car lovers,” they ask ChatGPT.
- Instead of browsing 15 websites for product specs, they ask Gemini.
- TikTok is now a search engine. Instagram is now a search engine.
- Even Google is shifting – with AI snippets answering questions before people click anything.
This means:
- Many customers will never reach your website unless AI places you in the results.
Your SEO may be great, but AI snippets might show the answer above you.
- If AI doesn’t trust your content, you won’t get recommended.
Even if your site ranks well on Google.
- SCO will create winners and losers – fast.
The gap between businesses adapting and those staying “traditional SEO only” is already widening.
How SCO Works (In Simple Terms)
You don’t need to be technical.
1. Structuring your site so AI can interpret it
This includes clear headings, schema markup, product attributes, FAQs and unambiguous descriptions.
If your site is vague, confusing or marketing-fluffy, it won’t surface you.
2. Writing content that answers questions directly
AI loves straightforward explanations.
If your blog rambles without answering a real search intent, AI won’t use it.
3. Ensuring your brand feels credible
AI models weigh:
- Authority
- Accuracy
- Consistency
- Trustworthiness
4. Aligning your strategy with conversational search
People ask AI full questions, not keywords.
Instead of “dentist Surrey,” they ask:
“Who are the best-reviewed dental studios near Surrey with modern technology?”
SCO prepares your content for that type of query.
Common SCO mistakes businesses are making already
- Assuming SEO = SCO (it doesn’t)
- Using AI-generated content without adding any human insight
- Writing vague service pages with no clear answers
- Hiding important info behind fluffy copy
- Having no FAQ structure
- Relying on brand-heavy language that AI struggles to interpret
SCO is all about being understandable.
Stay visible!
