- ·Score every candidate page with our AI search readiness scorecard before you touch it.
- ·Answer clarity in the first 100 words is non-negotiable.
- ·Entity signals are the invisible ranking factor for generative surfaces.
- ·Track citation share weekly on a curated query set.
What answer engines actually cite
Answer engines cite pages that (a) directly answer the query, (b) come from a recognisable entity, (c) sit inside a topical cluster. Miss any one and citations don't stick.
The AI Search Readiness Scorecard
Four axes: answer clarity, entity strength, topical placement, freshness. Score each 0–3. Pages at 9+ are citation-ready; 6–8 need rework; below 6 need consolidation.
Rewriting for answer clarity
Move the answer to the top. Cut hedging. Use tables and lists where the answer is structured. Add a summary paragraph if the content is long.
Strengthening entities
Organization schema on every page. Person schema on author pages. sameAs to authoritative profiles. Wikidata entry where feasible.
Cluster placement
A cited page rarely sits alone. Verify the pillar exists; add 4–6 supporting pages; internal-link with descriptive anchors.
Measuring citation share
Curate 200–500 queries per client. Check weekly. Track share, position within the drawer, and downstream branded-search lift 7–14 days later.
A 30–60–90 timeline
Days 1–30: audit, matrix score, prioritised backlog. Days 31–60: top-of-page rewrites, schema deployment, entity graph. Days 61–90: cluster reinforcement, first citation wins, measurement rhythm.
Want us to run this plan for you?
This guide is how we think. A 30-minute conversation is how we translate it into a program you can budget against.