Here are four strategies to help you position your clients for success by making sure their information is visible, trustworthy, and optimized for ChatGPT (and other AI-driven search experiences):
1. Organize client data for conversational search
ChatGPT excels at generating nuanced, context-rich responses to queries. To be part of those responses, a client's information needs to be structured in a way that AI can easily pull from.
Use a knowledge graph to centralize data: A knowledge graph acts as a unified source of truth for all of your client's key details — such as their locations, hours, services, and offerings. By using or creating a knowledge graph, you help AI search engines connect the dots between disparate data points, allowing for more accurate and relevant responses.
Link unstructured data to structured information: Encourage clients to create content that uses natural language, such as FAQs, blog posts, and reviews. These provide important context for AI, making it easier for platforms like ChatGPT to surface their brand in the right conversations.
Pro Tip: Suggest that your clients go beyond simple claims like "Eco-Friendly" on their listings. If a client runs an eco-friendly landscaping company, for example, encourage them to include FAQs, reviews, and social media posts that highlight specific eco-friendly services like "Eco-Friendly Fertilizers," or "Certified Organic Landscaping". Consistency in using these terms across multiple platforms will help AI recognize and trust the full scope of services they offer.
2. Prioritize accuracy across all client touchpoints
AI platforms pull data from various sources, and they rely on consistent, accurate information to build trust and relevance.
Update everywhere: Whenever client details change — be it business hours, location information, or offerings — make sure the update is reflected across all their listings in one fell swoop. Again, a knowledge graph is the key to doing this. By making updates in a knowledge graph — which powers hundreds of endpoints — you help make sure that AI search engines, like ChatGPT, always have access to the most current data.
Update regularly: Fresh content and real-time updates signal reliability to AI, improving your client's chances of appearing in search results. Regularly updating your clients' information and content across digital channels keeps their brand current and visible.
Pro Tip: If your client is running special holiday hours, update these through the Yext Knowledge Graph to make sure all local directories (Google, Yelp, etc.) reflect the same information in real time.
3. Guide clients to write in a natural, conversational tone
For their brand to surface in AI-driven search experiences like ChatGPT, your clients need to speak to their customers in a way that feels human — not robotic or overstuffed with keywords.
Encourage conversational content: Help your clients craft content that feels like a friendly conversation. Steer them away from corporate jargon and encourage them to write the way their customers naturally speak.
Optimize for intent-based queries: AI search platforms are great at answering highly specific questions. Instead of only using broad keywords like "organic coffee shop," help clients optimize for more targeted queries such as "Where can I find organic coffee shops with vegan pastries near downtown Austin?"
Reframe website content: Update product descriptions, local pages, and blog content to address real customer needs. Go beyond listing features — provide answers to potential customer questions.
Pro Tip: Have clients read their content aloud before publishing. If it sounds like something a person would say to a friend, they're on the right track. If it's overly formal, help them rewrite it to feel more natural.
4. Use FAQs and customer reviews for enhanced visibility
FAQs and customer reviews are rich sources of AI-friendly content. ChatGPT and other AI search engines love pulling real-world examples from these sources, so make sure your clients are taking full advantage.
Build location-specific FAQs: If your client has multiple locations, make sure each one has its own tailored FAQ section. Answer hyper-local questions like "Do you offer free parking at XYZ location?" or "What's the wait time at your downtown Columbus location?"
Use insights from reviews: Monitor customer reviews for recurring themes and phrases, such as "best service," "fast shipping," or "great ambiance." Encourage clients to update their FAQs with these common customer phrases to improve the chances that their brand is surfaced in AI searches.
Sync reviews with structured data: If customers frequently mention specific aspects of your client's business — such as "outdoor seating" or "vegan options" — integrate these keywords into the Knowledge Graph, reviews, and local listings.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to how customers phrase their questions in reviews, and use that exact language when updating your client's content.
