Hi hi hi Reader,
Okay, I haven't had a chance to record this into a YouTube video yet, BUT I also didn't want to wait to give you this new SEO tea π
Microsoft just rolled out a brand new report inside Bing Webmaster Tools called: AI Performance πβ¨
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
Annnnnnd I have a feeling that Google & Google Search Console are going to start to prioritize showing us this data too (right now there are sneaky ways to find it, but I think it's gonna be it's own report soon).
What does this mean for you & me tho?
We can NOW start seeing how our content gets cited & referenced in AI tools, for free.
Here's a screenshot of my personal AI data in Bing Webmasters π
The new AI Performance dashboard shows:
π₯ Total Citations: The total number of citations that are displayed as sources in AI-generated answers during the selected time frame.
π₯ Average Cited Pages: Shows the average number of unique pages from your site that are displayed as sources in AI-generated answers per day over the selected time range. (Average cited pages reflect overall citation PATTERNS and doesn't indicate ranking, or authority).
π₯ Visibility trends over time: The line graph shows how citation activity for your website changes over time, making it easier to spot trends at a glance.
π₯ Grounding queries: Shows the KEY phrases that AI used when retrieving content that was referenced in AI-generated answers. (this will continue to be refined as additional data is processed).
π₯ Page-level citation activity: Shows citation counts for SPECIFIC URLs on your website, making it easy to see which individual pages are most often referenced across AI-generated answers.
IMPORTANT NOTE THO: The report does NOT show:
- Clicks
- Traffic
- Conversions
So we canβt say whether those citations *actually* turned into website visits yet (hopefully that's coming soon. But in the meantime, looking at Google Analytics should be helpful!)
What to DO with this data?
Get familiar with looking at it & checking in on it.
Because data tells a STORY.
These insights can help you:
- Validate which pages are ALREADY being used as references in AI answers.
- Identify content that appears frequently across AI answers.
- Spot opportunities to improve clarity, structure, or completeness on pages that are indexed but less frequently cited.
Aka these insights help give you CLARITY on your priorities.
Just like Google Search Console already does with pages + queries (keywords).
TBH, nothing here is groundbreaking LOL
It's just another available source for understanding how search engines & AI tools understand our website.
What to prioritize to get cited & recommend *more often* in AI:
I know you prob want some in-depth *super special* list SPECIFICALLY for AI visibility butttttt the answer is KEEP DOING GOOD SEO π
Don't believe me?
This is LITERALLY the list from Microsoft...
Core practices for AI search visibility:
- Traditional SEO is essential: Ensure crawlability, metadata, and internal linking remain the baseline.
- Structure your content: Use schema, clear headings, and modular layouts.
- Write with clarity: Be precise in language, context, and punctuation.
- Make answers snippable: Use concise, self-contained phrasing in lists, Q&As, and tables.
Check out that first suggestion lololol
AND, the rest of them are just modern SEO practices (aka this is the shit I've been aware of for the past 5+ years. An SEO that's surprised by any of this is not a good SEO. I said what I said).
IF YOU'VE BEEN INFUSING SEO INTO YOUR SITE & CONTENT, YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
As much as people wanna sell you into AI SEO / GEO / AISEO / AEO or whatever the hell they're calling it, I just need YOU to know...
You cannot get sustainable AI Visibility results without a solid foundation of SEO.
AI search isn't rewriting the rules for this shit. It's piggybacking off of what search engines have BEEN looking for (AI tools just *read* content differently), and making clarity, expertise, and structure even MORE important.
Aka SEO is getting harder to bullshit.
And for that? I'm grateful (bc the shitty SEO agencies suck ass lmao).
Annnnnnnnd NO, you do NOT need an LLMS.TEXT file OR a "special page for AI tools to learn about your business" -- I've seen people recommending both, and they are not needed.
I promise.
They're just a waste of time bc the AI crawlers don't give a shit about them. They just read through the pages/files that the traditional SEO bots have crawled for decades.
I'm staying on top of this shit so you don't have to lolol
NEWSLETTER SPONSOR -- This newsletter is sponsored by Natty Writes, blog writer & strategist for creative business owners.
If you WANT to show up on social media consistently, but it feels overwhelming and like a total time suck, NATTY KNOWS THE PROBLEM!!! Annnnnd she has your solution.
On March 17th, Natty Writes is hosting the Blogs First, Socials Second workshop where youβll learn how to use your blog content to create seamless social media content for your business WITHOUT reinventing the wheel every time you post.
By the end of the workshop, youβll know EXACTLY how to turn a blog post into multiple social media content ideas.
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π Action step for this week:
Set up Bing Webmaster Tools & submit your sitemap in the dashboard, if you havenβt already.
That's the first order of business.
Once you have that good to go, and your dashboard starts collecting data (this can take a few days/weeks for new accounts. Kinda depends how much traffic your website gets), you can start to look at your AI Search Performance:
- Click AI Performance
- Look at the Grounding Queries + Pages
Then ask yourself a few questions:
- Does these queries make sense for my target audience?
- Are these pages setup to convert COLD leads/audiences?
- Could I make one of these pages clearer, deeper, or more helpful?
- Am I interlinking other pages/posts FROM these pages?
If AI is already referencing certain pages, it's EASIER to keep building momentum from them.
You could be one tweak away from even more visibility π
If you're on the Search Club SEO Membership Waitlist...
Keep your eyes peeled for a *DOORS OPEN* email heading YOUR way this afternoon. It's gonna have all the details, annnnnd the link to *officially* sign up and join Search Club.
The sooner you join, the more BONUS days you get inside the membership!!!
I'm SO FUCKING EXCITED FOR THIS π₯
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