If you do online searches, you must’ve noticed how search results are changing faster than Melbourne’s weather. The days of writing massive content pieces to rank on Google are behind us.
The big guns like Google and Microsoft are not favouring blue links like before. They are giving direct answers. LLM- powered AI overviews and summarised responses are enough to solve user query. Promoting lesser and lesser website clicks.
SEO marketing services are important. But SEO is incomplete, as marketers are now playing the game of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
AEO and GEO is about giving the bots the content they search for to present in their answers.
1. FAQs That Actually Answer Something
FAQs are really important these days. Chuck out the old-school FAQs at the bottom of a landing page. These days it’s the front-line content. And it’s written in a way real questions are asked and answered like you’re talking to a mate.
Instead of “Shipping Info,” try “How long does delivery take to Sydney?” Instead of “Returns Policy,” go with “Can I return a product if it doesn’t fit?”
Basically, instead of writing it in a robotic and textbook way, we have to make it conversational and personal. AI will listen to you when you listen and answer people’s search with short, direct, and natural words and tone. No fluff in 2026.
2. How-To Guides That Don’t Ramble
No one has time for lecture. Your audience, if wants a step-by-step process, DIY tips, or professional guide they want it straight away. If your content feels like a textbook, it gets skipped. Best way to do it is break down paragraphs into bite-sized content, clear wordings, and easy-to-follow steps.
Think of it like directly giving instructions. You would want to avoid fluff and get into the essentials of the answer.
And if you’ve got a video? Great. Just make sure the transcript is clean and readable. AI pulls from that too.
3. Case Studies That Show Real Results
You can’t give yourself the “best” badge and expect people to believe you. Anyone can just write that. But showing what you did, and what happened, is what will get your audience’s trust. It can be done in the form of case studies that have real numbers and data, quotes, and results as outcomes.
For example, a case study talking about “Increase in 30% traffic of X brand with our Social Media Advertising services”.
4. Comparisons That Help People Decide
Before making the final call, people like to compare. They want to be sure they are getting the best deal that’s really worth their investment. Your content can help them do that.
You need clear answers, pointer based selling points, and side-by-side info.
A simple table showing price, features, and who it’s best for can do more than 500 words of explanation. And don’t be afraid to list cons. Being honest builds trust, and trust gets you cited.
5. Content That Speaks to Locals
If you’re a business in Adelaide, your content should say so. Not just in the footer. Right in the main content customers prefer to read. Talk about local challenges. Use phrases like “near me” and “in my area.”
Content doesn’t just have to be easy to read. It also needs to be relevant to the local searches, so AI knows which site needs to show up at top.
6. Tone That Feels Human
AI-generated content is everywhere. In order to stand out, you need to sound like a real person. Which means ditching the overused AI words and writing in a robotic tone. It worked before but won’t work now.
Write like you talk. Share real opinions and use examples. All you need to do is be helpful rather than just giving paragraphs of content without being too formal.
2026 is About Being Human
Making your website look like the perfect textbook with keywords after every paragraph is not enough. We’re not saying to abandon your SEO marketing. The best content in 2026 will be the stuff that is structurally simple for the AI to understand, but conversationally rich and original for the human reader.
Let’s think of it this way- you are a local business in Perth. Your AEO will trigger when someone asks on their smart speaker, “Who is the best Google Ads service provider near me?”. The search result will make you appear as an answer to the user’s query.
That’s what GEO is all about, winning the conversational, local, and generative space.
Start thinking of your site as an answering platform, rather than a long essay page. Give the AI the structure it needs to trust you, and you’ll be set to dominate the search landscape well into 2026.