Write pages AI assistants can quote
· 1 min read
The short answer: lead with the answer, use headings that say exactly what each section covers, keep facts specific and dated, and make one page about one thing. That's what makes a page easy for an AI assistant to quote, and it reads better for people too.
Start with the answer
Many pages open with a story, then a definition, then the answer three scrolls down. An assistant reading quickly may never get there. Put a one or two sentence answer at the top, then explain.
Use headings as a table of contents
Headings like "Pricing", "Limits on the free plan" and "Cancelling" let a reader, and a model, jump straight to the part they need. Clever headings like "The fine print" hide what's inside.
Be specific
Compare these:
- "We made checkout faster."
- "Checkout now takes two clicks instead of five, so fewer people give up halfway."
The second can be quoted as a fact. The first can't.
Show dates and owners
Put a visible date on pages that can change, and say who's behind them. Assistants try to give current, trustworthy answers, and both signals help.
One page, one topic
A page that tries to rank for everything rarely gets quoted for anything. Split big pages into focused ones, and link them together.
A template you can reuse
- Title: the question or the outcome, in plain words
- First two sentences: the direct answer
- Sections with descriptive headings
- Specifics: numbers, steps, examples
- A date, an author and a link to the product
The takeaway
Clarity is the strategy. If a busy person can find the answer in five seconds, so can an AI assistant.