How to Optimise Your Website for Google and AI Search in 2026

A few years ago, SEO was mostly about the classic Google page with ten blue links. Today things look different: Google keeps adding AI features to search, and people also look for information through AI tools.

That has brought a wave of new terms — AI SEO, GEO, LLM SEO and so on. But before building a separate strategy for every new label, it's worth understanding one thing: a solid technical and content foundation is still what matters most.

First, create content worth finding

No amount of SEO will save an article that doesn't give a good answer in the long run. If the headline reads “How much does a business website cost?”, readers expect us to explain the price — not ten paragraphs of internet history before we get to the point.

Answer clearly, explain what affects the price and give enough context for the reader to make a decision. Google has long advised creating helpful, reliable, people-first content rather than content that exists only to attract search engines.

Write about what you actually know

As a web studio, it makes far more sense for us to write about web design, development, SEO, performance and business websites than to churn out hundreds of articles on unrelated topics just for traffic. It lets us give more concrete answers.

Instead of a generic “5 tips for a better website”, we can explain:

• why a contact form with too many fields reduces enquiries,
• why large photos slow a site down,
• when WordPress makes more sense,
• when a custom build is justified,
• what a client should prepare before development starts.

Original knowledge is hard to copy

Anyone can rewrite a generic definition. Experience from real projects, concrete examples and clear opinions are much harder to copy — and that's exactly what makes them valuable.

Don't write for robots

A few years ago, SEO copy often looked like this: “Website design is important because website design lets businesses get quality website design…” Content like that is bad for readers and for any serious brand.

Keywords should appear naturally. If an article is about “business website design”, it's normal for the phrase to appear in the text — just not in every other sentence.

Good structure makes content easier to understand

A wall of text is tiring to read. A few simple rules:

• use a clear H1 and logical H2 and H3 subheadings,
• let each section cover one idea,
• use lists where they genuinely help,
• don't bury the most important answers at the bottom.

Structure helps search engines too

That kind of structure helps readers, and at the same time gives search engines and AI tools a clearer picture of what the page is about.

Don't neglect internal links

An article on “How much does a website cost?” can naturally link to “How long does it take to build a website?”. An SEO article can point to one about Core Web Vitals, and “WordPress vs Next.js” can lead to your web design service page.

That way readers can keep exploring the topic, and your pages aren't isolated islands.

The author should be a real person

If the blog is part of a business website, it makes sense to clearly show who wrote each article. An author name, photo and short bio give the text context — readers see who's behind the content.

Especially on expert topics, there's a big difference between an article signed “Admin” and one written by someone who actually works in the field.

Structured data helps, but it isn't magic

Structured data is extra code that describes a specific type of content to search engines more precisely. Google uses it to better understand a page and to show richer search results. For a business website, relevant types include Organization, LocalBusiness, Article and BreadcrumbList.

But schema is no substitute for good writing. A poor article with perfect JSON-LD is still a poor article.

Don't forget photos and visual content

Search is becoming increasingly visual — more and more people search with images and tools like Google Lens. So images shouldn't be treated as mere decoration:

• use high-quality, relevant photos,
• give them meaningful file names,
• add appropriate alt text where needed,
• don't put important content only inside an image.

Speed and user experience still matter

A site can have a great article, but if it's hard to use, the whole experience suffers. Google recommends that site owners check Core Web Vitals, secure loading (HTTPS), mobile usability, the absence of intrusive ads and clearly distinguishable main content.

So SEO isn't just writing — the technical quality of the site is part of the story.

AI search doesn't mean chasing every new trick

It's easy to give an old thing a new name and sell it as a revolution. A good web strategy is far less exciting — and far more useful:

• create original content,
• answer specifically,
• keep a solid technical foundation,
• link related pages,
• use clear headings,
• introduce the author,
• keep the site fast,
• show the experience you really have.

Recognisable sources are gaining weight

Google keeps expanding AI features in search, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, while also developing features that let users choose the sources they prefer. It's one more sign of how much a recognisable brand and quality content matter.

Conclusion

SEO hasn't disappeared in 2026 because of AI — what has changed is how people get their answers. So it makes little sense to create content for just one type of result.

The goal is simpler: build pages that are technically accessible, clear to search engines and good enough that a real person wants to read them, share them or cite them as a source. With a strong foundation, your site has a much better chance of staying relevant, whatever the next version of Google Search looks like.