Are You Answering the Questions Your Audience Is Asking?

Regardless of how we feel about AI (conflicted, it’s complicated), we are in a new era of search. It's no longer just about ranking. You also need to answer the questions your audience is asking and optimize for traditional and AI search.

According to Gartner, GenAI is changing how people research. “They are spending more time, considering more options, and asking more nuanced questions,” says Emma Mathison, Senior Principal, Research in the Gartner Marketing practice.

Why does this matter for your brand?

If you’re not optimizing for all forms of search, your consumers might discover your competitors before they find you.

You also want to shape the narrative around your brand, products, and services. If you leave this to LLMs, they may piece together a story from reviews, retailer listings, media coverage, forums, and other third-party sources.

These sources might be outdated or incomplete. For example, if a skincare brand reformulates a product, an old review or retailer listing could still influence how an AI tool describes it.

How do you control your brand narrative in search?

As a copywriter, I’m approaching this from a messaging perspective, but copy is only part of the equation.

Search has a technical side. Google recommends structured data to help it understand product information, while Bing recommends keeping content clear, consistent, accurate, and up to date.

User experience and information architecture matter. Your site should be easy to navigate and speak your audience’s language.

Answer the questions your audience is asking

Start with FAQs. If you’re not sure what to include, look at forums, reviews, retailer questions, and your social media posts.

Use product comparison charts, buying guides, ingredient glossaries, how-to content, routine and usage tips, “which product is right for me” recommendations, pairing suggestions, and storage guides.

Review your product/service pages and other content to make sure you’re addressing objections, confusion, pain points, and questions that influence purchasing decisions.

Make your messaging consistent across every touchpoint

You should adapt your content for each platform because different formats, tones, and lengths work in different places.

But your core brand story, voice, positioning, and claims should remain consistent.

Otherwise, you risk confusing consumers and giving search engines and AI tools conflicting information about who you are, what you offer, and why someone should buy from you.

Keep your copy current

If an offering, ingredient, formulation, positioning, price, or policy changes, update it wherever the information appears.

Mixed or outdated messages can lead to inaccurate information appearing in search engines or AI-generated answers.

Be specific and substantiate your claims

Vague language gives consumers, search engines, and AI tools little to work with.

Don’t say your product is “more effective” or “high-performance.” Define what that means. Explain how your formulation works, why you chose certain ingredients, who it’s for, and what makes it different.

For services, explain your process, your expertise, and what clients can expect when working with you.

Support claims with proof, including testing, credentials, testimonials, case studies, or data.

Pay attention to what third parties are saying

You can’t control everything people say about your brand, but you can know how it’s being described in reviews, retailer copy, press, forums, and social media.

Look for patterns. Are customers confused about how to use a product? Are retailers describing it differently than you do? Is outdated information still circulating?

These patterns can show you where messaging needs to be clearer, or information needs updating.

Final thoughts

Search may be changing, but your brand’s mission and goals haven’t. I remember when I first started writing for SEO and awkward phrasing was part of the job. Now AI is simply the latest shift.

Be clear. Stay consistent. Know who your audience is, what they need from you, and what questions they are asking.

You don’t need to optimize every touchpoint for AI. Start by searching for your brand and seeing what comes up. Then you’ll know where to correct information, strengthen messaging, and improve how your story is being communicated.

Because if you’re not defining your story, someone or something else may be doing it for you.

Related article by Blythe Alpern:

The 3-Part Framework for Building a Successful Holiday Campaign