Search isn’t what it used to be. That might sound a little dramatic, but the way people look for information online is shifting, and fast. Developments over the last 6 months have made this even more stark.
Instead of scrolling through ten blue links, users are now getting full, AI-generated answers at the top of Google. And those answers? They’re often pulled from websites, content, and sources that the AI considers reliable and clear.
That’s where Search Generative Optimisation, or SGO, comes into play. It’s all about shaping your content so that it actually shows up in those AI-generated responses. Not just on page one — but inside the answers themselves.
So, What Exactly Is SGO?
Search Generative Optimisation is, in simple terms, a way to make sure your website content is the kind that search engines will use in their AI-written responses. Instead of relying on traditional SEO rankings alone, SGO focuses on how content is understood and summarised by generative search tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Microsoft’s Bing AI.
It’s not about tricking the system. It’s more about making your content easy to quote, easy to trust and easy to surface.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
1. Search Results Are Changing — Visibly
People are asking longer, more conversational questions — and AI is responding in kind. These new generative results often appear above the traditional listings, pulling in bits and pieces from various sources to answer a query directly.
If your site isn’t structured in a way that fits how the AI delivers those answers, there’s a good chance it won’t show up at all.
2. Clicks Are Becoming Rare
Users are often getting what they need directly from the AI response. That means you’re competing less for traditional rankings and more for inclusion in the summary itself.
This rise of 0 click search means your content needs to be clear, credible, and structured in a way that AI models can understand and reuse.
3. Authority Is Still Everything
Generative tools prefer content that feels trustworthy i.e content that sounds like it came from someone who knows what they’re talking about. Sites that include author bios, cite sources and explain ideas clearly tend to be favoured. In other terms, if you sound reliable, AI tends to lean more towards you.
How to Optimise for Generative Search Results
Optimising for SGO doesn’t require a completely new set of tasks separate from SEO. All it requires is a slightly different way of thinking about how you create your content in the first place.
1. Write Clear Answers to Real Questions
AI tools are trained to look for content that answers a question quickly and clearly. So if you’re writing about a topic like SGO, start with a direct question (“What is SGO?”), and then answer it within the first few lines.
You can go deeper afterward — just make sure the initial answer is easy to find.
2. Use Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Structured data is code you add to your website that helps search engines understand what your content is about. For generative search to use your site effectively, this kind of behind-the-scenes clarity matters.
If you’ve got FAQs, how-tos, products, or articles, use the correct schema tags to label them properly.
3. Focus on Real Expertise and Trust
Google and other AI search systems look at things like:
- Who wrote the article
- Whether they have relevant experience
- If the content includes clear, helpful sources
It helps to include author bios, link to trusted references, and keep your content updated over time.
4. Include Conversational, Long-Tail Keywords
Search queries are getting longer and more specific. That means it’s helpful to include headings and subheadings that match the kinds of things people type, or say, when you they search.
FAQs are a great tool as well as blogs that start with common questions.
5. Build Topic Clusters, Not Just Individual Posts
Instead of one-off posts, focus on building out collections of content around a core idea. If you’re writing about SGO, have a main guide and then link to related articles like:
- “How SGO is different from SEO”
- “Tools that help with SGO”
- “Examples of content that performs well in AI search”
This shows that your site is a reliable place to learn about that subject.
6. Don’t Forget Site Experience
AI might pull from your content, but users still click through. And if your site is hard to navigate, slow to load or overloaded with distractions, they won’t stay long.
Make sure your site is responsive, fast, and easy to read. Just as it always has needed to be for SEO.
Conclusion
Search Generative Optimisation isn’t an entirely new game. Instead, it’s more like an updated set of expectations.
Search is no longer just about visibility. It’s about being helpful within the search itself. If your content answers real questions clearly, sounds like it came from someone who knows what they’re talking about and is easy for machines to make sense of, your on the right track.
It doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your website entirely but start thinking about how your content might sound if AI pulled a quote from it. That small change makes a big difference.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire site overnight — just start thinking in terms of how your content might sound if an AI pulled a quote from it. That small shift? It makes a big difference.
Want help making your content SGO-ready? Drop us a message — let’s make sure your site doesn’t get left behind.
