AI has made it possible for prospective students, families and our other audiences to learn about NIU without ever visiting our website. Instead, they often get information from chatbots or Google’s AI Overviews.
The good news is you don’t need a separate strategy for AI search. The same practices that help people find content through search engines also help AI tools find, cite and summarize it. Creating content that is clear, accurate and up to date benefits both traditional search results and AI-powered tools. This is referred to as generative engine optimization, or GEO.
Start With Information Users Need Most
AI tools often pull short snippets of content to answer questions. That means important information should appear early on the page and be stated clearly.
When reviewing a page on your site, ask yourself if a visitor would be able to understand what the page is about within the first few sentences. Are key details easy to find, and does the page answer common questions right away?
A brief, fact-based introduction gives both your audience and AI tools a strong starting point. You can include supporting details further down the page.
Keep in mind that long blocks of text can be difficult for both people and AI tools to understand. Use concise paragraphs and lists when appropriate.
Use Headings That Answer Real Questions
It can be tempting to use headings that are solely creative or catchy, but they don’t help search engines or AI systems understand a page’s structure or content.
For example, instead of a vague heading, such as “Find Your Future,” use a descriptive heading that reflects a question users are likely to ask, such as “What Can I Do With an NIU Chemistry Degree?”
Descriptive headings help people quickly scan a page and also give search engines and AI systems more context about the content that follows.
Keep Information Consistent Across NIU Sites
One of the fastest ways to undermine credibility is to provide conflicting information.
AI systems compare information across multiple sources to determine which information is most reliable. If a program name differs from the catalog or if outdated information appears on a page, it can create confusion for both users and search engines.
When reviewing content:
- Verify program names and details against the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
- Remove outdated information and look for opportunities to make content evergreen so it remains accurate and relevant over time.
- Link to official sources, such as the Office of the Bursar for tuition and cost information.
Consistency builds trust and improves the likelihood that accurate information will appear in search results.
How We Can Help
We can provide data on how users find your pages, how often pages appear in search results and additional analytics to help guide content decisions. To request analytics for your website, submit a web analytics request form.
If you have any questions about GEO or web content strategy, please email webstrategy@niu.edu.
