In Google you type three words: “google ads webshop costs”. In ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot you ask a whole question, with context. For example: “I run an online shop selling bicycle parts and my Google Ads are bringing in very little. What is the best thing I can do?” A question like that is called a prompt: the instruction or question you give to an AI assistant.
This changes how you need to write your content. A keyword is an isolated term. A prompt describes a situation. In this article you will read how people search in AI, what that means for your website and how to make a start today.
How does searching in an AI assistant differ from searching in Google?
The biggest difference is length and context. In a search engine, you adapt your question to what you think Google will understand, so it ends up short and dry. An AI assistant understands everyday language, which is why people tell it more.
A prompt often contains some or all of the following:
- Who is asking: the owner of an online shop, a marketer at a healthcare organisation, a freelancer.
- What the problem is: little revenue from ads, a website that is not being found.
- What has already been tried: “I already have a Google Ads campaign, but it is performing badly”.
- What the constraint is: a small budget, little time, no technical knowledge.
- What kind of answer is wanted: a list, a piece of advice, a comparison.
A second difference is that the conversation continues. After the first answer comes a follow-up question, then another. The user builds up a picture step by step. Your content therefore needs to answer not only the first question, but also the questions that follow.
A third difference is that the assistant often gives one combined answer instead of ten blue links. Sometimes it cites sources and sometimes it does not. You want your explanations to be clear enough for an assistant to use, and for a person who lands on your site to find what they are looking for straight away.
Nobody can say exactly how each AI assistant chooses its sources. It differs per tool and changes regularly. What does work is content that is clear, concrete and easy to find. That is simply good content for your visitors as well.
Think in situations, not in isolated keywords
Many websites are built around keywords: a page about “Google Ads”, a page about “SEO”, a page about “websites”. That is still useful, but it is no longer enough.
A prompt starts with the situation of the person asking. Your page needs to connect with that. So describe the situations in which your solution works: for whom, with which problem, in which sector.
Compare these two sentences:
- “We are specialists in online advertising for ambitious businesses.”
- “We help online shops with their own product range that already advertise on Google, but find that the return stays low.”
The first sentence could apply to a thousand companies. The second fits a specific question. An AI assistant can link that second sentence to a prompt such as: “My online shop already advertises on Google, but it brings in very little.”
Imagine the owner of a small online shop selling bicycle parts asking an AI assistant what he can do because his Google Ads bring in little. He mentions his sector, his problem and his situation. On an agency’s site, there is a single page that says “We make you successful online”. On another site, there is a page headed “Google Ads for online shops with many small products”. Underneath is an explanation of product feeds, checking search terms and measuring revenue per product. That second page matches the question far better. As a visitor, you would also trust it sooner.
So make a short list, per service, of the situations in which you help most often. Write separate pieces of text about each. It does not need to be a long page. One clear paragraph per situation is a good start.
Answer the follow-up question
After the first question comes the second, and it is often more practical. Think of:
- Roughly what will it cost?
- How long before I see results?
- What do I need to do myself and what does the agency do?
- What do I need in order to start?
- When is this not the right choice?
Many websites skip these questions. They want a conversation first and only then give an explanation. For an AI assistant, and for a visitor who is only exploring, that is a missed opportunity. Without an answer, people drop off, or the assistant picks another source.
So simply put the answers on your page. You do not need to state a price if that does not suit the way you work. You can, however, explain what the costs depend on, such as the size of the product range, the number of channels or the amount of work you supply yourself. That is already far more useful than “price on request”.
A simple way to approach this is a block of frequently asked questions at the bottom of the page. Write the questions the way your customers actually ask them. Do not use marketing language, but ordinary sentences. Keep each answer short, at two to four sentences.
Where do you get those questions from? From your inbox, from conversations with customers, from questions your team hears often. You can also ask an AI assistant which follow-up questions a customer in your situation might ask. Do check that list yourself, though. Only you know what is really going on.
Be concrete: AI skips vague language
An AI assistant wants to give a useful answer. For that it needs facts: numbers, timeframes, ways of working, terms and conditions. Sentences such as “we deliver top-quality bespoke work” contain nothing to quote. They get skipped, by the assistant and often by the reader too.
Concrete language looks like this:
- “In the first month we set up tracking and review your account.” instead of “We start quickly.”
- “A new campaign usually needs a few weeks to learn.” instead of “You will see results fast.”
- “You supply product photos and stock information, and we do the rest.” instead of “We take care of everything.”
Note that being concrete is not the same as making promises. Do not invent figures you cannot back up. General rules of thumb and ranges are fine, as long as they are honest. For example: “An SEO programme often takes several months before you see growth.” That is true and useful.
Also make sure your pages are easy for machines to read. Use clear headings. Put the core of the answer at the top of a paragraph. Explain technical terms briefly. A term such as product feed (a file containing all your products and their details, which advertising platforms use) becomes much more useful when you add a sentence of explanation.
How to start in five steps
You do not have to overhaul your site. Start small and work step by step.
- Collect real questions. Write down ten questions that customers ask before they buy from you. Pay attention to the words they use themselves.
- Choose your most important pages. Begin with the two or three services you most want to sell.
- Add situations. For each page, describe who it is for, which problem you solve and which sectors you work in most.
- Write out the follow-up questions. Put answers about costs, lead time, division of roles and first steps on the page.
- Test it yourself. Put your questions to an AI assistant. See whether your company or your explanation comes back. If not, ask yourself what is missing from your page.
Repeat that test after a while. The answers from AI assistants change. So do not look at a single result, but at the trend over several weeks.
Do not forget your regular SEO. A fast site, good titles and a clear structure remain the foundation. If you cannot find a page in Google, it is also less likely to be found in AI answers that draw on web results. The two work together, and one does not replace the other.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stop doing keyword research?
No. People still search in Google, and keywords show which topics are of interest. Use keyword research as a starting point and supplement it with the situations and follow-up questions that customers really ask.
Can I control what an AI assistant says about my business?
Not directly. You can, however, increase the chance of being represented well. Put clear, factual information on your own site and keep it up to date. Make sure your business details are correct everywhere, for example in your Google Business Profile and in other listings.
How much time does it take to adapt my content for this?
That depends on your site. For a few core pages, a few days of work is often enough to make a noticeable improvement. A complete rewrite of a large site takes more time. So start with the pages that deliver the most.
Book a free 30-minute introductory meeting
Would you like to know how your business is currently found, including in AI assistants? And what you can change to match your customers’ questions better? Then book a free 30-minute introductory meeting with Adventio Marketing in Amersfoort.
Together we will look at your current content, discuss which questions your customers ask and give you an honest picture of the opportunities. No obligations and no sales pitch. Get in touch with us and we will arrange a time that suits you.
