SEO, from
the roots up.

Google describes three stages: crawling, indexing, and serving results. Access is a prerequisite, not a promise of inclusion. Google also warns that its crawler does not scroll or click to load content; essential explanations need to be available without those actions.

AI discovery. For ChatGPT search discovery, OpenAI points publishers to OAI-SearchBot access. Its guidance treats GPTBot training controls separately.

Try this. Check one important page in Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool. Confirm that its essential text is available without clicking or playing anything.

A visitor should be able to move from a broad category to the right detail. Google recommends logical organization and descriptive links. Structured data must describe visible content and meet the relevant policies; correct markup does not guarantee a rich result.

AI discovery. Google says there is no special schema required for its AI search features. Describe real relationships clearly and use applicable markup accurately.

Try this. Write a one-sentence description of your business. Check that your About page, service pages, and public profiles tell a consistent story.

Match the page to the task: learning, comparing, or taking action. Use the words customers use, then give the question a useful destination. Google’s spam policies warn against substantially similar doorway pages created to target variations of a query.

AI discovery. For an AI answer, a useful passage still needs to address a real question. Treat question-led organization as a writing practice, not a guaranteed citation tactic.

Try this. List three questions customers ask before they contact you. Match each to a useful page, and link related answers together.

Google’s people-first guidance asks for original value, clear sourcing, and enough information to satisfy the reader. It explicitly rejects the idea of a preferred word count. Show the details behind a claim rather than padding the page.

AI discovery. Google recommends keeping important information in text for AI search eligibility. Support visual explanations with readable substance.

Try this. Improve one page with a direct answer, a practical example, a limitation, and a source where the claim needs support.

Google identifies links created primarily to manipulate rankings as link spam. For readers, attributable sources and clear authorship make evidence easier to assess. Build references around useful work, and distinguish a brand’s own claim from independent verification.

AI discovery. A source link lets someone check a statement. Treat corroboration as evidence quality, not a promise that a particular AI system will cite you.

Try this. Identify a useful resource you could share with a relevant community or industry publication. Keep business information accurate across legitimate profiles.

Search Console reports search impressions and clicks. Google includes AI Overviews and AI Mode in its overall Web reporting. Bing’s AI Performance report measures citations across supported experiences; citation counts do not indicate ranking or placement.

AI discovery. OpenAI documents ChatGPT referral tracking through utm_source=chatgpt.com. A visit, a citation, and a sale answer different questions.

Try this. Choose one meaningful outcome and review it alongside search impressions, clicks, and relevant referral traffic. Record changes so comparisons have context.