What is agentic commerce? A peek into the future of buying (with caveats)

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Table of contents

Commerce has undergone several major shifts over the past few decades. What started with localized physical stores evolved into borderless, internet-driven ecommerce experiences.

Now, with the rise of AI, it is believed that commerce could be heading toward another transformation: agentic commerce, where AI agents help consumers discover products, compare options, and even complete purchases on their behalf.

Yet despite the excitement, many questions remain. Will consumers trust AI agents with buying decisions? Will businesses see enough return on investment to justify the costs? And does autonomous shopping solve a real problem, or simply add another layer of complexity to the buying journey?

Still, the technology is advancing rapidly. Imagine a shopping experience where consumers no longer jump between tabs, compare dozens of products on different websites, or manually research every purchase. Instead, AI agents understand intent, evaluate options, compare prices, and act within predefined rules to help users make purchasing decisions. What once sounded futuristic is already beginning to take shape.

In this article, we’ll explore what agentic commerce is, how it works, the technological developments driving it forward, and some of the challenges that could shape its future adoption.

Key takeaways

  • Agentic commerce represents a shift where AI agents assist consumers in product discovery, comparisons, and purchases
  • AI agents execute tasks based on user intent, simplifying the shopping journey and enhancing efficiency
  • Consumer interest is growing, with over 60% expecting to use AI in their shopping experiences by 2026
  • Technological developments like the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) and Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) are crucial for enabling agentic commerce
  • Despite its potential, agentic commerce faces challenges related to consumer trust, security, and the need for business investments.

What is agentic commerce?

In simple terms, agentic commerce refers to a commerce model where AI agents act as decision-makers on behalf of customers.

Instead of manually searching for products, comparing options, filtering results, and completing purchases, users can rely on AI agents to handle these tasks based on their intent, preferences, constraints, and buying goals.

To paint a clearer and practical picture, here’s how Alex Moss explained agentic commerce in the SEO Unplugged: Agentic Commerce with Alex Moss podcast:

So everything’s connected.

I could literally say into the into a phone to my agent, go and buy me some new shoes with that jacket I bought last week, and that’s it.

And it would go away.

It would do the research.

And of course, you can have a say in an approval in terms of part of the journey.

At its core, agentic commerce works like a digital shopping proxy. Humans define the intent or goal, while AI agents execute the process behind the scenes. While the AI handles the heavy lifting, users still remain in control of the final decision-making process.

Also read: Ensuring continuous discoverability with agentic AI for SEO

Agentic commerce is the next big thing in ecommerce

The concept of agentic commerce may still sound futuristic, but the shift has already started. Consumer behavior, AI adoption, and industry forecasts all point to a future in which AI agents become an active part of the buying journey.

Here are some numbers that highlight why agentic commerce is emerging as the next major evolution in ecommerce.

Consumers already use AI in their buying journey

Consumers have already started relying on AI-powered tools to discover products and make purchasing decisions. According to a McKinsey & Company report, more than 70% of AI-powered search users ask top-of-the-funnel questions about categories, brands, products, or services.

tofu product research on claude
Example of a TOFU research performed on Claude

The same report also found that nearly 50% of consumers already use AI-powered search experiences today. As AI increasingly becomes part of product discovery, traditional search-driven traffic may face growing disruption. In fact, the study suggests that businesses could see 20–50% of their traffic shift away from traditional search experiences over time.

This highlights an important shift: consumers are no longer just searching; they are increasingly asking AI systems to guide their decisions.

Shoppers are expecting agentic commerce

Consumer interest in AI-assisted shopping is also growing rapidly. The 2025 report titled “Agentic Commerce: From Brand Loyalty to Bot Logic” explored how shoppers feel about AI agents in retail experiences.

The report found that more than 60% of shoppers expect to use agentic AI in 2026. The findings also revealed a major behavioral shift: consumers increasingly prioritize convenience, speed, pricing, and trust over platform loyalty.

Instead of browsing individual retailer apps, shoppers may rely on AI agents that can compare products across multiple platforms, evaluate reviews, identify the best deals, and complete purchases more efficiently. This changes the competitive landscape from retailer-versus-retailer competition to AI-driven discovery ecosystems.

Analysts predict explosive growth for agentic commerce

Industry analysts also expect agentic commerce to become a massive economic opportunity over the next few years. Another McKinsey report suggests that agentic commerce could fundamentally reshape the shopping experience.

Based on the growing adoption of AI-powered discovery tools and increasing merchant readiness, the report estimates that by 2030, the US B2C retail market alone could unlock an orchestrated revenue opportunity of $900 billion to $1 trillion. Globally, that opportunity could range from $3 trillion to $5 trillion.

How does agentic commerce work?

At its core, agentic commerce combines human intent with AI-driven execution. Instead of manually browsing websites, comparing products, and completing purchases, users can delegate much of the shopping journey to AI agents. These agents understand goals, evaluate options, make decisions within defined constraints, and even complete transactions on behalf of users.

What makes this different from traditional AI assistants is the ability to act. While assistive AI tools mainly provide information or recommendations, agentic AI can independently execute tasks across the shopping journey.

Also read: What is the user journey in SEO?

Here’s a step-by-step look at how agentic commerce works:

Agentic commerce step-by-step working diagram

Step 1: Capturing the intent

Every agentic commerce journey begins with intent. Instead of typing short keywords into a search bar, users interact with AI agents conversationally.

For example, a shopper might say:

  • “Find me a durable pair of running shoes under $150.”
  • “Restock groceries for a vegetarian dinner party.”
  • “Buy a formal shirt that matches the trousers I purchased last month.”

At this stage, the AI agent focuses on understanding the user’s goals, preferences, budget, delivery expectations, and constraints. If the request feels too broad, the agent may ask follow-up questions to refine the intent before moving forward.

Step 2: Autonomous instruction execution and brand discovery

Once the intent becomes clear, the AI agent begins executing the task autonomously. Instead of searching a single website, it scans multiple ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, product catalogs, reviews, pricing databases, and inventory systems simultaneously.

This is where agentic commerce begins to change traditional product discovery. Rather than showing endless product pages, the agent narrows down the most relevant options based on the shopper’s needs.

At the same time, brands with better-structured product data, accurate inventory information, transparent pricing, and machine-readable content are more likely to be discovered by AI agents.

Do read: Taxonomy SEO: How to optimize your categories and tags

Step 3: Evaluation and decision-making

After gathering options, the AI agent starts evaluating products and comparing tradeoffs. It may analyze factors such as:

  • Price and discounts
  • Product specifications
  • Customer reviews and ratings
  • Shipping timelines
  • Return policies
  • Brand trust and reputation

Instead of simply listing products, the agent reasons through the options and explains why certain products better meet the shopper’s requirements than others.

Users can also refine the decision-making process further by adding conditions such as:

  • “Only show products with free returns.”
  • “Prioritize faster delivery.”
  • “Exclude refurbished products.”

This creates a feedback loop where the AI agent continuously improves its recommendations based on user preferences.

Step 4: Purchase

Once the shopper approves a product or sets predefined rules, the AI agent can move forward with the transaction. Using APIs, commerce protocols, and secure payment systems, the agent can add items to carts, apply discounts, authenticate payments, and complete purchases.

In some cases, the purchase may happen instantly. In others, the AI agent may wait for specific conditions, such as a price drop, stock availability, or faster delivery options, before completing the transaction.

Even though the AI handles execution, users still remain in control through permissions, approval settings, and spending limits.

Step 5: Post-purchase support

The role of AI agents does not end after checkout. Agentic commerce also extends into post-purchase experiences.

AI agents can continue assisting users by:

  • Tracking deliveries
  • Managing returns or exchanges
  • Monitoring refunds
  • Sending delivery updates
  • Reordering recurring products
  • Recommending complementary products or accessories

This turns shopping into an ongoing and intelligent experience rather than a one-time transaction.

Technological developments

Agentic commerce is not powered solely by AI models. Behind the scenes, it depends on a growing ecosystem of protocols, frameworks, APIs, and payment systems that help AI agents interact with digital commerce platforms securely and efficiently.

One important concept shaping agentic AI is the Model Context Protocol (MCP). In agentic AI, MCP enables AI models to connect with external systems, tools, databases, and applications via a standardized communication layer.

Instead of building separate integrations for every AI model and every software platform, MCP creates a common framework that allows AI agents to access information and execute actions more consistently. Think of it like creating a shared operating language between AI systems and digital tools, so they can work together without requiring completely custom connections every time.

As agentic commerce evolves as a use case of agentic AI, similar commerce-focused protocols are now emerging specifically for shopping ecosystems. These protocols help AI agents understand product information, communicate with merchants, compare inventory, and securely complete transactions on behalf of users.

Here are some important developments supporting agentic commerce:

Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)

One of the most important developments in this space is the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), an open standard introduced by Stripe in collaboration with OpenAI.

ACP is designed to help AI agents interact more naturally with ecommerce systems by creating a standardized framework for product discovery, checkout, and payment execution. In simple terms, it provides the infrastructure that allows AI agents to move beyond simply recommending products and actually complete purchases securely on behalf of users.

The protocol is still in its early stages, but its first real-world implementations are already emerging. For example, ChatGPT users in the United States can already purchase products from Etsy merchants directly within the chat experience through Stripe-powered checkout. Shopify integrations are also expected to follow.

This matters because it signals a shift from AI-assisted discovery to AI-enabled transactions happening inside conversational interfaces themselves. Instead of redirecting users across multiple websites and checkout flows, ACP aims to make the entire shopping journey more seamless and agent-friendly.

Another important aspect of ACP is its open-standard approach. Rather than creating a closed ecosystem tied to a single platform, Stripe and OpenAI position ACP as a framework that developers, merchants, and ecommerce platforms can adopt more broadly as agentic commerce evolves.

Looking ahead, protocols like ACP could become foundational infrastructure for AI-driven shopping experiences, especially as more businesses begin to optimize their product catalogs, payment systems, and checkout experiences for AI agents rather than only human users.

Also read: Boost your checkout page UX: Vital tips for online stores

Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)

As more AI agents enter the shopping journey, a new challenge emerges: how can these agents communicate with thousands of retailers, marketplaces, payment providers, and service platforms without requiring a custom integration for each one?

This is the problem that the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) aims to solve.

Introduced by Google, UCP is an open standard designed to create a common language for agentic commerce. Rather than building separate connections between every AI agent and every commerce platform, UCP provides a shared framework that allows them to communicate more efficiently throughout the shopping journey.

Think of it this way: if agentic commerce becomes mainstream, millions of AI agents could research products, check inventory, compare prices, place orders, and manage returns every day. Without a standardized framework, retailers and AI platforms would need to create and maintain countless one-to-one integrations. UCP aims to remove this complexity by providing a common set of rules for all participants to exchange commercial information.

What makes UCP particularly interesting is its broad scope. Unlike protocols that focus mainly on purchasing, UCP is designed to support the entire commerce lifecycle, including:

  • Product discovery
  • Product comparison
  • Purchasing and checkout
  • Order tracking
  • Returns and post-purchase support

Google has also designed UCP to work alongside other emerging AI standards, including Agent2Agent (A2A), Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), and Model Context Protocol (MCP). This allows businesses to adopt agentic commerce without completely replacing their existing systems.

The initiative already has significant industry backing. Google co-developed UCP with major commerce companies, including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart. It has also received support from companies such as Mastercard, Visa, Stripe, and American Express.

Platforms that support Google's Universal Commerce Protocol
Platforms that support Universal Commerce Protocol

While agentic commerce is still in its early stages, UCP represents an important step toward a future in which AI agents, merchants, and payment providers can operate within a single ecosystem rather than through isolated platforms. In many ways, it provides the foundational infrastructure needed to make agentic commerce scalable across the broader digital economy.

Mastercard Agent Pay

While protocols like ACP and UCP focus on communication and interoperability, Mastercard Agent Pay focuses on one of the most critical challenges in agentic commerce: trust and secure payment execution.

As AI agents gain the ability to discover products, compare options, and make purchasing decisions, they also need a secure way to complete transactions on behalf of users. Mastercard Agent Pay was introduced to provide the infrastructure for exactly that.

The platform is designed to allow AI agents to execute payments while operating within user-defined permissions, authentication requirements, and spending controls. Rather than giving AI systems unrestricted access to payment credentials, Agent Pay focuses on creating verified, traceable, and authorized payment flows for agent-driven commerce.

One of the most significant developments came through its collaboration with PayPal, where Mastercard Agent Pay is being integrated into PayPal’s wallet infrastructure. It allows AI agents to securely complete transactions on behalf of PayPal users while maintaining the security and trust mechanisms that consumers already expect from digital payments.

This partnership is particularly important because it moves agentic commerce closer to real-world adoption. Instead of existing only within experimental AI environments, agent-driven payments can potentially operate across a much larger ecosystem of merchants, consumers, and payment networks.

Together, ACP, UCP, and Agent Pay are helping lay the foundation for agentic commerce. While ACP focuses on enabling AI agents to interact with merchants and complete purchases, UCP creates a common language that allows agents, retailers, and platforms to work together at scale. Agent Pay adds the trust layer by enabling secure, authorized payments, bringing AI-driven shopping one step closer to reality.

FAQs: What is agentic commerce?

What are the benefits of agentic commerce for enterprises and users?

Agentic commerce benefits both businesses and consumers by making shopping more efficient and personalized.

For users
AI agents can reduce research time, provide tailored recommendations, monitor prices, and automate routine purchases.

For enterprises
Agentic commerce can streamline operations, improve personalization, automate repetitive workflows, support faster decision-making, and help products reach customers more quickly. Together, these benefits create a more convenient shopping experience while improving operational efficiency.

Are agentic AI and agentic commerce the same?

No, they are not the same. Agentic AI is the underlying technology that enables AI systems to understand goals, make decisions, and complete tasks autonomously. Agentic commerce is a specific application of agentic AI in shopping and commerce. In other words, agentic AI is the foundation, while agentic commerce is one of its real-world use cases.

What’s the difference between traditional commerce and agentic commerce?

In traditional commerce, the shopper remains the primary decision-maker and executor throughout the buying journey. Even when AI is present, its role is largely limited to recommending products or improving search experiences. In agentic commerce, AI agents actively participate in the shopping process by researching products, comparing options, and executing tasks on behalf of users, guided by predefined goals and preferences.

Can you share some practical, real-world use cases for agentic commerce?

Several companies are already experimenting with agentic commerce. For example, Amazon has introduced its “Buy for Me” feature, which allows AI agents to purchase products from third-party websites when items are unavailable on Amazon.

Similarly, Google is testing AI-powered shopping experiences that can monitor prices and automatically purchase products when they meet user-defined conditions. Beyond consumer shopping, businesses are also using AI agents to monitor inventory levels and automatically reorder supplies when stock runs low.

Agentic commerce still faces important questions

While the technology behind agentic commerce is advancing quickly, widespread adoption is far from guaranteed. Many consumers may not feel comfortable giving AI agents the authority to make purchasing decisions or access payment methods on their behalf. Others may question whether autonomous shopping solves a real problem or simply makes it easier to buy more things, more often.

Businesses face their own uncertainties. Supporting agentic commerce may require investments in new protocols, structured data, integrations, and AI-ready commerce experiences. Whether those investments yield measurable returns remains unclear, especially given that consumer adoption is still in its early stages.

There are also broader challenges to solve, including security, fraud prevention, AI bias, platform dependency, and the potential loss of direct relationships between brands and customers. Agentic commerce may represent an exciting new direction for digital shopping, but its long-term success will depend on whether it can create value for consumers, merchants, and the broader ecommerce ecosystem, not just the AI platforms powering it.

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How to get blog post ideas: Tips to find inspiration

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What do you do when inspiration for your umpteenth blog post is low? What’s the solution to writer’s block or a general lack of ideas? Every writer will encounter a lack of inspiration from time to time. You’ll be staring at your screen, not knowing what to write about. Nevertheless, you are determined to write those blog posts regularly. Today, AI tools like LLMs or Yoast AI Content Planner can spark ideas when you’re stuck. Luckily, there are many other ways to get inspired!

Table of contents

Key takeaways

  • Use audience feedback as a source for blog post ideas, especially questions that need elaboration.
  • Check the Google Search Console’s Performance report for search queries that might inspire new content.
  • Consult your keyword research for long-tail keywords; they can point to potential blog topics.
  • Explore platforms like ChatGPT and Pinterest, and use tools like the Yoast AI Content Planner for fresh blog post ideas.
  • Draw inspiration from current events, your daily activities, and maintain a list of ideas to combat writer’s block.

Getting new blog post ideas on your site

Inspiration from your audience

If your blog has a comment section for your audience to leave comments or you have a contact form, you’ll receive feedback. While most of the reactions you get will just be positive or negative statements, you might receive questions as well. Perhaps some of these questions are easy to answer in a reply, but other questions will be off-topic or need elaboration. You can also send a questionnaire to your readers to gather input and feedback. Those kinds of questions are excellent starting points for your next post. You could try keeping a list of relevant questions whenever you come across them, so you have a place to look when inspiration is low. 

Read more: How to handle comments on your blog »

Find blog ideas in Google Search Console

Google Search Console is still one of the best tools to find new blog post ideas. It shows you the exact search terms people use to find your site. This helps you spot topics your audience cares about, but you haven’t fully covered yet.

The Performance Report is where you’ll find these insights. It lists the search queries that bring visitors to your site, along with clicks, impressions, and average rankings. Look for queries where your content ranks but doesn’t fully answer the question. For example, if people find your site by searching “how to keep toddlers busy without screens” but you don’t have a dedicated post on that topic, it’s a clear sign to write one.

If you use Yoast SEO with Google Site Kit, you can access Google Search Console data directly in your WordPress dashboard. This integration saves time because you don’t have to switch between tools. Just open the dashboard, click on the Yoast SEO tab, and open the General section. You’ll see your top search queries and performance metrics right there.

While tools like Ahrefs or Semrush offer deeper competitive analysis, Google Search Console provides direct data from Google. It’s free, reliable, and still one of the best ways to find information about what your audience is searching for. Use it alongside Yoast SEO’s tools to ensure you cover all the topics that matter to your readers.

Use the Yoast AI Content Planner

You know you need to publish, but deciding what to write about can sometimes take forever. To help you overcome this, we built the Yoast AI Content Planner. It scans your existing content, identifies gaps, and suggests five relevant blog ideas.

When you open a new post, Yoast SEO analyzes your site’s content and generates ideas tailored to your niche. These aren’t generic suggestions because they’re based on what your audience is already reading and what’s missing from your blog. For example, if you run a food blog and have written about meal prep but not quick vegetarian lunches, that might suggest that topic.

Once you pick an idea, Yoast SEO creates a structured draft with a suggested title, headings, and even a meta description. You get a clear outline so you can start writing immediately. If the first set of ideas doesn’t feel right, you can generate a new batch with one click.

Yoast AI Content Planner is included in all our Yoast SEO Premium products. It’s designed for anyone who writes regularly and wants to publish consistently without running out of fresh ideas. This tool helps you create content that fills real gaps for your audience. Give it a try the next time you’re stuck for ideas.

Yoast AI content planner feature suggestions list
Tailored content suggestions generated by Yoast AI Content Planner

Dig deeper into your keyword research

Your keyword research document contains many potential blog ideas. But don’t just pick a keyword and start writing, because digging deeper helps you find the best angle.

What’s the search intent behind a keyword? Are people looking for a how-to guide or an opinion piece? Tools like Yoast SEO’s Semrush integration, or Google’s autocomplete can help you figure this out. Don’t forget to check what appears in Google’s AI Overviews or AI Mode answers when you research these keywords and topics.

For example, if your keyword is “best running shoes for flat feet,” ask:

  • Are people looking for affordable options?
  • Do they care about durability or style?
  • Are they comparing specific brands?

Each of these could be its own post:

  • “Best budget running shoes for flat feet in 2026”
  • “Most durable running shoes for flat feet (tested and reviewed)”
  • “Nike vs. Brooks: Which running shoes are best for flat feet?”

This way, you’re not simply writing about a keyword, but answering the exact question your audience is asking. Plus, if you set up Wincher in Yoast SEO, you can track how well your posts perform for these keywords over time.

Finding ideas for blog posts on the internet

Pinterest

Pinterest is still a useful place to find inspiration, especially if your blog covers visual topics like food, DIY, fashion, travel, or home decor. But it’s not just for pretty pictures, because you can use it to spot trends and gaps in your niche. Search for keywords such as [blog post ideas], [blog ideas], or [what to blog about]. To get even more inspiration fast, include your niche in your search. For example: [blog post ideas for parents], or [blog post ideas for lifestyle bloggers]. Be sure to check the top-pinned post for the topics.

It’s a good idea to be cautious as well, because Pinterest is clickbait heaven. Falling into the trap of quantity over quality is easy. Keep your focus, or you’ll lose track of time.

Content Idea Generator

To be clear, the Content Idea Generator won’t give you ready-to-go article ideas. At best, it will point you in the right direction; at worst, it will provide you with a few good laughs to clear your head. For example, you can enter the term [house plant]. Content Idea Generator could give you the following title: ‘The 15 biggest house plant blunders’. A content idea about [wine]: ’17 unexpected uses for wine’. Enter [baby] and a suggestion that might come up: ‘20 ideas you can steal from babies’.

So, while the Content Idea Generator won’t give you what you want immediately, it’s sure to get your creativity flowing. Taking the previous examples, you could expand on that and get the following blog ideas:

  • ‘The 15 biggest house plant blunders’: a post about common mistakes people make when caring for the plants in their homes
  • ‘17 unexpected uses for wine’: a post about using wine for cooking, cleaning, baking, etc.
  • ‘20 ideas you can steal from babies’: could inspire a blog post about babies’ habits adults should adopt, such as getting enough sleep, dressing up warmly, expressing your emotions, etc…

Use AI and chatbots for inspiration

AI tools and chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini can help when you’re stuck. But don’t just ask for generic ideas, and always provide context about your blog and your audience. Here’s how to get the most out of them:

Ask for specific angles, so instead of “Give me blog ideas about parenting,” try:

  • “What are five unique angles on ‘screen time for toddlers’ that most blogs miss?”
  • “What are three common mistakes new bloggers make when writing about SEO?”

Always try to refine vague ideas, so if you have a broad topic, ask AI to narrow it down. For example:

  • “Give me five blog post ideas about ‘healthy snacks for kids’ that aren’t just recipes.”
  • “What are three easy-to-apply SEO tips for small e-commerce stores based in India?”

Reverse-engineer competitors by feeding AI a competitor’s blog URL and asking:

  • “What gaps does this blog have? Give me five post ideas they haven’t covered.”
  • “What are three topics this blog covers poorly? How could I do them better?”

Try to avoid producing commodity content, because AI often suggests ideas that feel generic or overdone. Always add your own perspective, your experience, or data, as this can truly make your content stand out from the crowd. For example, if AI suggests “10 tips for better sleep,” make it unique:

  • “The science behind sleep: What actually works, according to research”
  • “How I improved my sleep in 30 days (with data)”
  • “Why most sleep tips don’t work for parents (and what to try instead)”

Days Of The Year

Days Of The Year is a website that offers inspiration for all kinds of blogs. This website collects all the fun, bizarre, and nice holidays the world has to offer. You can easily lose a couple of hours while scrolling through that site. Keep your pen and notepad at hand, though, because it is bound to give you tons of inspiration. There are days available for every niche. Are you a fan of mythical creatures? April 9th is ‘Unicorn Day’. There’s also a ‘Leprechaun Day’ and a ‘Howl at the Moon Day’. May 25th is ‘Towel Day’, which can give travel bloggers and lifestyle bloggers ideas for posts. Think of blog posts such as: ‘How to keep your towels soft’ or ‘With this information you will never buy the wrong towel again’. 

Other blogs and fellow bloggers

The internet is full of inspiration for blog ideas, and there are many places to look. Perhaps you follow other bloggers who inspire you. A great way to come up with blog post ideas is to read other posts or just scroll through post feeds. Similarly, you can join Facebook groups related to your niche or for bloggers. Discussing ideas with fellow bloggers will surely get your creative juices flowing! Make sure you do not copy people’s ideas, though, and give credit where credit is due.

Get blog post inspiration from your life

Current events

Current events can give you great blog ideas if you connect them to your niche. The trick is to link the news to what your audience cares about in a way that feels natural. For example, if you run a parenting blog, a new study on screen time could inspire a post like “How much screen time is too much? What the latest research says.” If you write about personal finance, a change in tax laws might lead to “Three ways the new tax rules affect your savings (and what to do about it).” The key is to add value, so don’t just repeat the news, but explain what it means for your readers.

Set up Google Alerts for keywords related to your topic to stay updated. When something relevant pops up, think about how it affects your audience. For instance, if you blog about sustainable living, a new recycling policy could lead to a post titled “How to adjust your recycling habits under the new rules.” Avoid sensitive topics unless you can handle them thoughtfully. If you do cover them, focus on helping your readers, not just exploiting the trend. The goal is to turn news into high-quality content that fits your blog’s purpose.

Your daily life

Situations from your own work could also be great inspiration for blog posts. You can write about things that happen in your day-to-day life, and how you go about them. Or even about what you do if your clients or colleagues are faced with a certain problem. It’s quite possible that others encounter the same problem and are seeking input. 

If you write about real-life situations, you should always make sure that you respect the privacy of your clients, friends, or colleagues and ask for permission to use their cases on your blog. For example, a therapist with a blog offering mental health tips might want to use examples from their practice. In that case, it’s vital to change names and details to protect clients’ privacy and the practice’s future!

Clear your head to find fresh ideas

Sitting at your desk for too long can drain your creativity. If you’re staring at a blank screen, step away and do something that shifts your focus. A short walk, or even washing the dishes, can help reset your mind. The goal isn’t to force ideas but to give your brain space to wander. Often, the best thoughts come when you’re not trying too hard.

If you need a more structured break, try a ten-minute brainstorming sprint. Set a timer and ask yourself: “What are twenty blog ideas about [your topic]? Make five weird, five practical, and ten in between.” Don’t overthink it and just write down whatever comes to mind. When the timer goes off, pick the most interesting idea and freewrite about it for another five minutes. This exercise forces you to think outside your usual patterns and often leads to unexpected angles. When you return to your desk, you’ll likely feel more focused and inspired.

Keep a list of ideas

The solution can be very simple: some days, you have plenty of blog post ideas, some days you don’t. So, prepare for days when you have no inspiration and keep a list of blog ideas. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a list on your mobile phone or on paper. Every time you have a good idea, write it down. You can use these ideas on days you’re feeling uninspired.

Wrap up with fresh ideas

Don’t let a lack of inspiration derail your publishing schedule. Whether you use Yoast AI Content Planner or take a break to clear your head, there are always ways to find new topics. The best approach combines structure and creativity, using tools to generate ideas, then refining them with your own insights and voice.

The next time you’re stuck, pick one method from this list and give it a try. Maybe it’s deep-diving into your keyword research or setting a timer for a quick brainstorming session. Each of these strategies can help you break through writer’s block and keep your content flowing.

Keep reading: SEO copywriting: the ultimate guide »

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New: Track your brand visibility in Claude with Yoast AI Brand Insights

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Yoast AI Brand Insights, part of the Yoast SEO AI+ plan now lets you scan how your brand appears in answers generated by Claude. You can see your Claude data alongside ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini, all in one dashboard. 

Why Claude is worth paying attention to

Think about how your own customers are making decisions right now. They’re not just Googling anymore. Nearly half of consumers used AI to research purchases in 2025, and 64 percent plan to use it in 2026, for everything from big investments to everyday buys. At the same time, the businesses they’re choosing between are catching on too. AI adoption among small businesses tripled in just two years according to the JPMorganChase Institute. 

What that means for your brand is that the conversation is happening across more places than ever. Your customers are using ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and now Claude, often for different reasons and in different contexts. Each platform forms its own view of the brands it mentions, drawing on different sources and applying different reasoning. So the same question about your business can get a very different answer depending on where it’s asked. 

With Claude now added to Yoast AI Brand Insights, you can see how all four platforms describe your brand, in one place. 

What’s new

You can now:

  • Run brand visibility analyses in Claude, in addition to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini
  • Compare how all four platforms describe your brand, with a built-in historical view
  • Track brand mentions, sentiment, and citations across every platform in one place
  • Monitor changes over time in your AI Visibility Index

How to get started

If you’re already using Yoast SEO AI+, nothing changes in how you work. Log in through MyYoast and Claude will appear as a new option in your dashboard at your next analysis, at no extra cost.

If you’re not yet on Yoast SEO AI+, upgrading gives you access to AI Brand Insights along with on-page SEO tools, content optimisation, and AI-powered insights, so you can see how your brand is mentioned and act from the same workflow.

Get Yoast SEO AI+ to start scanning your brand across Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

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Build a blog that drives real results

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A blog can grow your audience and build trust, but only if you do it right. AI search now answers questions before users click, so your posts need to stand out, not just rank. Where do you start? What should you write? How do you keep readers coming back? This guide covers everything from finding inspiration and writing great posts to optimizing for search, building an audience, and even making money.

Table of contents

Key takeaways

  • Blogging boosts SEO and serves as a powerful marketing tool, enhancing brand visibility and reader engagement.
  • Regular content creation helps improve Google rankings and allows targeting of new keywords.
  • Effective blogging requires careful planning, keyword research, and understanding search intent to draw an audience.
  • Original and readable posts attract readers; tools like Yoast SEO help optimize content for search engines.
  • Engagement through comments and social media is crucial for maintaining a blog’s visibility and attracting traffic.

Why blog?

If you have a website of any kind, you must blog occasionally. It doesn’t matter whether you have an online shop, a personal website, or a portfolio. Besides being great fun, blogging is one of the best things you can do for SEO. Not only that, thanks to a high-quality, unique blog, you can turn your site into a powerful marketing tool.

Google’s AI Overviews/AI Mode and other AI search platforms favor blogs that answer questions clearly and thoroughly. If you’re not blogging, you’re missing a great way to get seen in search and connect with your audience.

Blogging for SEO

Adding content regularly should be a part of every sustainable SEO strategy. If you write regularly, Google will see your site as active, alive, and relevant. These signals help your pages rank better in both traditional and AI-powered search. This also gives you more chances to appear in AI-generated snapshots, where Google summarizes answers for users.

In addition, blogging allows you to rank for new keywords and to keep ranking for those you’re already being found for. Since AI search favors fresh, well-structured content, regular updates ensure your site stays competitive. Your blog also gives you another way to target search intent, whether users are looking for answers, comparisons, or solutions. We’ll discuss that in more detail later on.

Blogging as a marketing tool

A blog is one of the best marketing tools for any website. It helps readers get to know your brand and products beyond just sales pitches. People remember stories, not ads, so share behind-the-scenes details or real customer experiences to build trust. Not everyone visiting your website is already committed to you or your products. A quality site will work in your favor in those cases: if you can offer people useful information in a post, they’re more likely to remember and convert in the future. Today, this kind of authentic engagement matters more than ever, as AI search prioritizes brands that users already know and trust.

Read on: To blog or not to blog »

A blog isn’t valuable just because it exists. It becomes valuable when it helps your audience solve problems, understand something better, or see your expertise in action. In today’s search landscape, the goal isn’t simply to publish, or even to publish more. It’s to create content worth being found, cited, and remembered.

Carolyn Shelby – Principal SEO at Yoast

Setting up a new blog

If you’re starting a new blog, preparing beforehand is important. A little planning now prevents headaches later, especially with AI search favoring well-organized, intent-driven content. Take some time to think about your niche and do proper keyword research. Remember, don’t just chase search volume. Focus on topics your audience actually cares about, like questions they’re asking or problems they need solved.

Please don’t forget to set up a clear and manageable structure for your blog. A logical layout helps both readers and search engines navigate your content, which improves engagement and rankings. If you give some thought to how you want to set up your blog before you start writing, it will save you a lot of work later. These include tasks such as mapping categories, setting up cornerstone topics, and developing an internal linking strategy. A strong foundation makes it easier to adapt as AI search evolves.

Keep on reading: How to start a blog »

What should you blog about?

You can only blog with ideas, so you’ll need many to keep a successful blog going. Whether blogging is your site’s main purpose or you use your blog as a marketing tool, you must consider which topics you want to cover. Don’t forget to think about what your audience needs to read. Where do you look for inspiration?

Keyword research

You’ll have to decide which terms you want to be found for before you start writing your content. To decide that, you need to get inside people’s heads and find out which words they use while searching for your type of business. Think beyond single keywords. Consider phrases, questions, and even conversational queries people might ask AI search tools. When you write, use these exact terms in your content to signal relevance to both search engines and AI-powered results. Keyword research is the first step in SEO copywriting and an essential part of any successful SEO strategy, even as search itself evolves.

Targeting the right search intent with your blog

As you’re doing keyword research, it’s important to know not only which keywords your audience uses but also what they’re looking for. People use search engines with a specific goal, so they have a particular intent for each query. The results pages provide some insight into a query’s intent. AI search tools like Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode now prioritize content that directly matches what users are looking for, whether they want to learn, compare, or buy.

In many cases, people are looking for information, so search engines favor informational pages. This is where your blog shines. For example, if you run an online shop, your product pages target commercial or transactional intent, but informational blog posts can attract a much larger audience. Write relevant, helpful articles to pull people into your site early in their research phase.

Which intent to target depends on your niche and goals. Are you trying to educate, entertain, or convert? Either way, aligning your content with intent is non-negotiable today.

Read more: Keyword research: the Ultimate Guide »

Where do you get inspiration for your posts?

If you’ve done your keyword research properly, you’ll end up with a long list of keywords and keyphrases to write content about, and you know which intent you want to target. A keyphrase is not yet a topic, though. You’ll need an angle or a specific story around a keyword to write a decent blog post, as well as a keyword.

Current events, your own work, and comments from your readers are just some things that could inspire new posts. For example, if customers keep asking the same question, that’s a sign you should write about it. Reading a lot is also a good way to find inspiration for your articles. Read magazines, newspapers, and other posts.

Of course, AI platforms and LLMs like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Perplexity, or Anthropic’s Claude can help, while Yoast AI Brand Insights can help you find out how you appear in chatbots.

Looking at your site’s stats or browsing the internet can also lead to inspiration. Which posts get the most traffic? Which ones keep readers on the page longest? Double down on what works. Pay attention to trending topics in your industry, but don’t just copy what’s already out there. Always ask yourself, how can you make this better or more engaging?

Be sure to keep a list of ideas for new posts on your mobile phone. Inspiration strikes when you least expect it.

Keep reading: How to get blog post ideas: 11 tips to find inspiration »

Beat writer’s block with Yoast AI Content Planner

Yoast AI Content Planner, available to Yoast SEO Premium users, helps you overcome frustrations about what to write next. It scans your existing content, identifies gaps, and generates five tailored post ideas. Each proposed post comes with a ready-to-use draft framework. Just pick an idea, and Yoast SEO provides a title, outline, focus keyphrase, meta description, and section notes to jumpstart your writing. If the first set of ideas doesn’t fit, refresh for new options. It’s all built into the WordPress editor, so you can go from blank page to first draft quickly.

Yoast AI Content planner feature example, showing possible article ideas for a travel site
An example of content suggested by the Yoast AI Content Planner

How to write a high-quality blog post

Writing requires some skills, and it’s more difficult for some people than for others. We’ll give you some tips to make writing easier for you later on, but first, let’s discuss two important aspects of high-quality posts: originality and readability.

Original content

Your posts should always be fresh, new, and original. Each one should stand out from other articles on the same topic. Today, this matters more than ever. Google’s AI search tools now filter out generic, repetitive content, so your posts need to offer something unique. Focus on what makes you different, even in a crowded niche. Your content should also be something people want to read. With competition fiercer than ever, good isn’t enough, so you need to go further.

Avoid commodity content. These kinds of posts rehash what’s already out there without adding value. Google recently warned that AI-generated summaries and search results prioritize content that stands out, not just repeats the same ideas. If your post doesn’t offer a new perspective or a fresh take, it risks being ignored. Don’t forget to ask yourself if this post teaches or solves a problem in a way others don’t.

With AI-generated content flooding search results, Google prioritizes human expertise and unique insights. These are the things AI can’t fake. Your blog can provide those, if you do it well.

Read on: The importance of original content for SEO »

Readable content

After writing a post with original content, you should ensure your article is easy to read. Readability is vital for your audience. If your text is well structured and clearly written, people will understand your message. Readability also impacts SEO, as Google’s AI tools favor content that’s simple to scan and digest. If your post is easy to read, with a clear structure with subheadings and logical paragraphs, chances are it’ll rank higher in the search engines, too.

Keep on reading: Does readability rank? »

Practical tips on how to write high-quality blog posts

Plan before you write

Before you start, take a little time to think about what you want to write. Who is your audience, and what do you want to tell them? What should they know, understand, or do after reading your post? Which topics will you cover, and in what order? Answering these questions upfront saves time and keeps your writing focused.

Read more: How to write a blog post »

Write clear paragraphs

Start each paragraph with the most important sentence, then explain or expand on it. This way, readers and AI systems can grasp your main points just by skimming the first sentences. Keep paragraphs short; seven or eight sentences is plenty. Think about the order of your paragraphs and ensure they flow logically. Avoid complex words when simpler ones work. Your goal is to be clear, not to confuse readers with jargon.

Keep reading: Practical tips to set up a clear text structure »

Get help and ask for feedback

Our Yoast SEO plugin helps you write readable posts. For example, the readability analysis checks for long sentences and suggests transition words. This is especially useful today, as AI search tools prioritize well-structured, easy-to-read content. If you use Yoast SEO Premium, you’ll also get AI features like Yoast AI Optimize to refine your writing.

However, tools aren’t everything. Always have someone proofread your post. A fresh pair of eyes catches typos and ensures your message is clear. If your proofreader struggles to understand your post, your audience will too.

Need more guidance? Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting the perfect blog post!

Read on: 5 tips to write readable blogposts »

Optimize posts for search engines

After you’ve written a blog post that’s both original and readable, you should make sure your content is optimized for search engines. You should maximize the likelihood that Google will pick up your content. Don’t try to game the system, but make sure your article is genuinely good for search engines and readers alike. You must take this final step after you’ve written your post, though. SEO should never compromise your idea’s originality or the readability of your text.

the yoast seo premium analyse for a post about site structure, which has two red traffic lights, one for keyphrase in subheading use and one for competing links
Yoast SEO helps you optimize your blog post

How Yoast SEO helps

Yoast SEO gives you the tools to fine-tune your post without guesswork. We call this process “Yoast your post.” It’s about making small, smart adjustments to improve visibility.

  • The red and orange traffic lights highlight areas that need attention, like keyword placement or readability.
  • The plugin might suggest adding your focus keyword in the first paragraph or a heading to signal relevance.
  • It also helps you craft a compelling Google preview, which includes the titles and descriptions users see in search results.

Don’t just set it and forget it. Use Yoast SEO to spot opportunities, make improvements, and give your post its best shot at being discovered.

Keep on reading: Use Yoast SEO to make your content findable »

Blog engagement

Blog engagement is an important SEO factor. If your audience leaves comments on your posts and you respond, Google will see that your blog is very much alive and active. If people share your post on social media or talk about it online, it will definitely drive more traffic. Engagement goes beyond just comments and shares. Citations, when others reference your content, and mentions, even without links, also signal authority and trust.

Replying to comments is important for building engagement, but it takes effort. Answering questions and joining discussions shows your audience you value them, which encourages more interaction. Positive feedback is easy to handle, but negative comments require care. Please just stay professional and keep the conversation constructive.

For more tips, check out our guide on handling comments.

Marketing your blog

If you’re writing posts, you need an audience. Nobody wants to perform in an empty room! Ranking well in search engines through flawless SEO will, of course, help. But there is always more you can do.

Read more: Marketing your blog »

Social media and newsletters

Social media is a powerful way to connect with your audience and drive traffic. Start with a Facebook page and an X or Reddit account, but don’t stop there. If your audience is younger, Instagram and TikTok are essential for engagement. Short-form video content, such as Instagram Reels or TikTok videos, can help your posts reach a wider audience.

A newsletter is another great way to keep readers coming back. Collect email subscribers and send regular updates with your latest posts, exclusive insights, special discounts or gifts, or behind-the-scenes content. This builds a direct line to your audience, independent of algorithm changes.

Keep reading: Does social media influence SEO? »

Monetizing your blog

Growing your audience doesn’t automatically mean growing your income. Many bloggers focus on goals beyond money, like building a community or sharing expertise. But if you do want to monetize, here are the most effective strategies:

  • Advertising: Display ads like Google AdSense can generate revenue, but they work best with high traffic.
  • Affiliate marketing: Promote products you trust and earn commissions on sales made through your links.
  • Sponsored posts: Brands may pay you to write about their products or services.
  • Sell your own products or services: Use your blog to drive traffic to your online shop, courses, or consulting services

If you have an online shop, your blog can boost its rankings by attracting organic traffic and linking to your products.

Read on: Monetizing your blog »

Maintaining a blog

Starting a blog is easier than maintaining one. Writing blog posts regularly can be a lot of work. You don’t need to blog daily, but you should decide on a frequency and stick to it so your audience will know what to expect. Consistency builds trust, and trust keeps readers coming back. Blogging does require some discipline.

As your blog grows, you’ll probably face new SEO problems. How do you keep coming up with new content and keep your old content up to date? How do you manage different authors? What do you do when traffic to your blog is decreasing? And how will you keep your blog’s structure in shape?

Some challenges and how to solve them

As your blog grows, new problems pop up. Here’s how to tackle them:

  • Running out of ideas. Repurpose old content, and update outdated posts with new data or insights. Use the Yoast AI Content Planner to generate fresh topic ideas from your existing content. Don’t forget to listen to your audience, as their comments, emails, and social media threads can contain questions to answer.
  • Keeping old content fresh. Please audit your blog every six months, fix broken links, and refresh outdated advice. It might make sense to add “Last Updated” dates to show readers and Google that your content is up to date. AI search tools prioritize fresh content, which can revive traffic for old posts. If you have a lot of similar content, you can merge posts and combine thin or overlapping articles into a single comprehensive guide.
  • Declining traffic. Please check Google Search Console regularly to see which posts have lost rankings and why. Then, you can improve this underperforming content by adding depth, updating keywords, or merging with stronger posts. Promote strategically, and share old but valuable posts on social media or in newsletters.

Site structure

As your blog grows, it’s important to regularly analyze its structure. Organize your categories, subcategories, and tags well. As your blog grows, its structure will change and evolve. To keep your site structure clean, you can organize by topic clusters. Group related posts under pillar pages, like “SEO basics” linking to “Keyword research,” “On-page SEO,” et cetera. Don’t forget to update internal links. When you publish new posts, link to 2-3 relevant older ones. If your site becomes unwieldy, prune low-value content. Delete or redirect posts that no longer serve your audience. As long as you stay on top of that, your structure will remain SEO-friendly!

Keep on reading: Why you should add links to a new post as soon as possible »

Content planning

As your blog grows, writing shifts from spontaneous posts to strategic planning. Without a system, teams risk duplicate topics, inconsistent tones, or missed opportunities. A clear plan keeps your content organized and aligned with your goals, whether that’s driving traffic or conversions. Use tools such as editorial calendars, topic clusters, and the Yoast AI Content Planner to streamline the process. Assign roles and document guidelines for voice, style, and formatting to maintain consistency.

Planning saves time and reduces last-minute stress. An editorial calendar maps out topics, deadlines, and authors in advance, while topic clusters group related posts to boost SEO and reader navigation. Regular audits help you spot gaps and adapt to trends, keeping your blog relevant and valuable.

Read more: Content planning for a (growing) blog: 6 easy-to-use tips »

Avoiding content cannibalization

If you’ve been blogging in a certain niche for a long time, you’re bound to address the same topic more than once in your blog posts. That’s not necessarily a problem, but do make sure you’re not eating into your own ranking chances. Keyword cannibalization occurs when you have several different articles that could rank for the same and similar keyphrases. When a search engine can’t tell which article should rank highest for a certain query, it’s likely both will rank lower. The solution: stay on top of this by regularly doing an SEO audit of your blog posts to find and fix keyword cannibalization.

Conclusion

Blogging is great. It’s one of the most powerful tools for growing your website, whether it’s an online shop or personal blog. It boosts your search visibility and turns visitors into followers. But to get the best results, you’ll need more than just good writing.

Start with a good keyword strategy to target what your audience is searching for. Keep your content original and structured for AI search. Google’s algorithms, and your readers, reward clarity and depth. As your blog grows, stay organized with planning tools and engage with your audience to stay in the flow. Use our tips to build a blog that ranks and delivers real value. Now, go write something great!

Keep reading: WordPress SEO: The definitive guide to higher rankings for WordPress sites »

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Security patch: Yoast SEO Premium 27.6.1

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Yoast SEO Premium 27.6.1 is out now. This release contains a security fix affecting the Redirect Manager in Yoast SEO Premium. The good news: the vast majority of users are not impacted. If you’re a customer of Yoast SEO Premium, Yoast WooCommerce SEO, or Yoast SEO AI+, please read on. 

Are you affected? 

The vast majority of customers are not impacted. Your site is only potentially at risk if all three of the following are true: 

  • You are using a plan that includes the Yoast SEO Premium plugin. This includes Yoast SEO Premium, Yoast WooCommerce SEO, and Yoast SEO AI+ 
  • Your server runs Apache and you have manually changed your redirect method to write to .htaccess. If you’re using the default PHP-based redirects, you are not affected 
  • A user who has access to your site with edit_posts capability. Without this, the vulnerability cannot be exploited even if the other conditions are met 

What was the issue? 

An authenticated user could inject unexpected configuration into a site’s .htaccess file by including special characters in a redirect. Depending on what was injected, this could range from a site crash to, in the most serious cases, remote code execution.  

We have reviewed a sample of sites using the affected configuration and found no evidence of exploitation. There are no known cases of abuse. 

What’s fixed 

The patch includes three layers of protection: 

  • Input sanitization: control characters are now stripped from redirect fields before they’re saved 
  • Removed unused code: the specific endpoint involved in the vulnerability has been removed, as it was no longer used by the plugin anyway 
  • In-plugin warning: we’ve added a proactive notification that will alert you if anything unusual is detected in your redirects or .htaccess file, so you can review and act quickly without the need to go looking for it 

What you should do 

Please update to 27.6.1 from the WordPress plugins screen, your Admin can do this in under two minutes. 

If you meet all three conditions above, we recommend updating as soon as possible. Should you not, the security fix doesn’t apply to your setup, but keeping your plugins current is always good practice, and 27.6.1 is the version we recommend for everyone. 

If you’re unsure whether you’re affected, check your redirect settings directly at [www.yoursite.com]/wp-admin/admin.php?page=wpseo_redirects#/redirect-method,  if you don’t see .htaccess mode enabled, you’re not at risk. 

Security method in app UI

A full security advisory will be published soon. If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, our support team is here to help you. 

Thank you for your continued trust in Yoast. 

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The May 2026 SEO Update by Yoast recap

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Each month, we host an SEO update covering the latest in search and AI. In this edition, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss discussed Google’s latest AI-driven changes, the impact of AI on content creation, and why simply publishing more content is no longer enough, and could even backfire. Read this recap for the highlights or watch the full May 2026 SEO Update by Yoast to dive deeper.

Watch the full recap on YouTube to dive deeper into these topics, hear some examples and hear the answer to audience questions.

Google’s preferred sources are a boost for publishers

Google released a guide to preferred sources in Google Search for web publishers, allowing users to signal their preference for specific news outlets. This is particularly useful for publishers reliant on ad revenue, as it helps drive more impressions from loyal readers.

Why it matters: If your business model depends on ad revenue from search traffic, this feature can help stabilize or even increase impressions.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Publishers should implement the preferred sources feature to maximize visibility.
  • Non-publishers, such as eCommerce sites, may not need this, but users can still set preferences for trusted sources.

UCP (Universal Checkout Protocol) expands for AI agents

Google is pushing UCP (Universal Checkout Protocol), an open standard allowing AI agents to complete purchases on behalf of users. Shopify has already integrated UCP, enabling seamless transactions directly from search results.

Why it matters: AI-driven purchases are becoming more common, and eCommerce sites need to ensure compatibility with UCP to avoid losing conversions.

Actionable takeaway:

  • If you run an eCommerce site, check if your platform supports UCP. Shopify does; WordPress/WooCommerce may need plugins.
  • Ensure product feeds are accurate to prevent issues like incorrect pricing in bundles.

Search indexing vs. grounding indexing: What’s the difference?

Bing clarified the distinction between traditional search indexing (for human users) and grounding indexing (for AI agents). Grounding indexing occurs at inference time, meaning AI models scrape and process visible text without interacting with JavaScript or hidden elements.

Why it matters: Content hidden in accordions, tabs, or behind clicks may not be seen by AI agents, even if it’s indexed by search engines.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Prioritize visible, structured content for grounding indexing.
  • Avoid relying solely on schema markup, as AI agents primarily read on-page text.

Google drops FAQ rich results (again)

Google has stopped supporting FAQ rich results in search, though they may still appear for certain sites, like medical or government pages. This doesn’t mean the FAQ schema is useless; it may still help with AI responses or future search features.

Why it matters: If you relied on FAQ rich snippets for visibility, you’ll need to adjust your strategy.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Keep FAQ schema in place, as it may still be used elsewhere.
  • Ensure FAQ content is visible on the page, so don’t hide it in accordions or tabs.

The decline of the “Ultimate guide” and commodity content

Rand Fishkin’s research highlights that long-form “ultimate guides” and low-value listicles are losing effectiveness as AI models synthesize answers directly. Google and AI systems favor authoritative, structured, and differentiated content.

Why it matters: Publishing generic, high-volume content is no longer a viable SEO strategy.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Break long guides into bite-sized, structured chapters for better AI consumption.
  • Focus on unique insights, original research, and expert perspectives to stand out.

Gemini Intelligence expands on Android

Google is integrating Gemini Intelligence into Android, enabling proactive AI features such as booking appointments and making purchases directly from search results. This shift moves users away from traditional websites, impacting traffic and ad revenue.

Why it matters: Publishers and businesses must adapt to AI-driven discovery rather than relying solely on website visits.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Optimize for AI-powered interactions by using structured data and clear calls to action.
  • Explore alternative monetization options, such as subscriptions, YouTube, or podcasts.

Google’s AI optimization guide: What you need to know

Google released a guide on optimizing for generative AI features, advising against:

  • Creating markdown versions of pages.
  • Building AI reference pages, such as llms.txt, or agents.md.
  • Publishing duplicate or low-value content for AI consumption.

Why it matters: Google wants to reduce spam and inefficiency in AI-driven search, but these guidelines are specific to Google. Other AI models, such as Perplexity and Claude, may still benefit from structured data.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Follow Google’s recommendations for Google, but don’t ignore other AI platforms.
  • Focus on high-quality, structured content that works for both search engines and AI agents.

Conde Nast CEO: Assume ad revenue from search traffic is gone

Conde Nast (publisher of Vogue, The New Yorker, etc.) is telling stakeholders to assume programmatic ad revenue from search traffic will decline. This reflects a broader shift in how publishers monetize content.

Why it matters: Publishers must diversify revenue streams beyond programmatic ads.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Explore subscriptions, memberships, and sponsorships.
  • Repurpose content for YouTube, podcasts, and newsletters to offset traffic losses.

Google I/O 2026: AI agents, personalization, and unified commerce

Key takeaways from Google I/O 2026:

  • Search is no longer the primary focus. Google is positioning itself as an AI agent manager.
  • Gemini Intelligence is expanding across devices (phones, watches, laptops).
  • Unified Wallet integrates UCP for seamless AI-driven purchases.
  • Agents and Sparks enable AI-powered research and personalization.

Why it matters: Google is shifting from a search engine to an AI-driven ecosystem, impacting how users discover and interact with content.

Actionable takeaway:

  • Optimize for AI agents (structured data, clear answers, personalization).
  • Prepare for unified commerce (UCP, AI-driven transactions).

Yoast news

Yoast also shared some exciting news this month with the launch of the Yoast AI Content Planner, a new tool designed to help users overcome writer’s block and create structured, high-quality content effortlessly. The AI Content Planner transforms a blank page into a structured draft in seconds, offering topic suggestions, outline generation, and SEO optimization tips.

It’s a helpful tool for anyone struggling to start or organize their content, saving time and improving readability and SEO. If you’re a Yoast Premium user, you can enable this feature in your WordPress editor and start experimenting with AI-driven content creation.

Yoast AI Content planner feature example
The Yoast AI Content Planner is suggesting possible content to write

Sign up for the next SEO Update by Yoast

The next SEO Update by Yoast is on June 30, 2026, at 4:00 PM CET (10:00 AM EST). Sign up here to join live!

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The SEO Update by Yoast – June 2026

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The SEO Update by Yoast – June 2026



Will take place on



4 PM CEST / 10 AM EDT

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Carolyn Shelby

Principal SEO

Don’t miss the next SEO Update by Yoast

Big changes in search are happening fast – get the context you need to keep up.

The SEO Update by Yoast brings you the latest insights on algorithm updates, AI-driven search changes, and industry developments, all in one easy-to-follow session.

Join Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss as they discuss the stories shaping SEO today and share actionable takeaways you can apply right away.

    Who should sign up?

    This update is ideal if you:

    • Want expert insight into recent SEO changes and trends
    • Need help refining or validating your SEO strategy
    • Have SEO questions you’d like answered live

    Event details

    • Level: Intermediate
    • Duration: 1 hour
    • Live Q&A with our SEO experts
    • Free registration
    • Recording available after the session

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    First upcoming events

    SEO for beginners webinar
    27 May 2026

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    Support engineer

    SEO for beginners webinar

    Learn the essentials to start SEO confidently and boost your site’s visibility.

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    SEOFOMO x WhitePress Free Meetup in Boston
    June 02, 2026

    Who will be there:

    Carolyn

    • Speaking

    SEOFOMO x WhitePress Free Meetup in Boston

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    Yoast x WTS Global: SEO is built in community
    26 May 2026

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    Carolyn Shelby

    Principal SEO

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    WordPress 7.0 is out: the 7 highlights of this release

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    On May 20th, 2026, the next major release of WordPress came out: WordPress 7.0. While previous releases focused on improving the block editor, this release takes it to a new level. It pushes the platform into the next phase of its roadmap with smarter workflows and a more app-like experience. So, let’s dive into what’s new and what features are interesting for you.

    Table of contents

    A modern admin experience

    WordPress 7.0 introduces a refreshed admin interface. One thing that’s been changed is the new way to transition between pages in your backend. When navigating to another page, this now looks a lot smoother than before, thanks to the CSS View Transitions API. The new update also comes with a new addition to the menu bar at the top, called the Command Palette shortcut. When you click on this icon (or use the shortcut ⌘K or Ctrl+K), you get easy access to the command palette that allows you to navigate your backend or perform other actions from that bar.

    Command palette in adminbar WordPress 7.0
    The Command Palette in the menu at the top.

    Although it’s a seemingly small thing, another cool thing to mention is the new color palette. As you can see in the screenshot above, the default color scheme has changed. The palette previously known as ‘Modern’ is now the new default, better aligning the admin with the visual direction of the block and site editor. If you preferred the old look, don’t worry, it’s still available under your profile preferences, now listed as ‘Fresh’.

    Overall, these improvements and others give a fresh look and feel to the backend of your website. With the intent of making WordPress feel less like a traditional CMS and more like a modern web app.

    Revisions are now more visual

    Whenever you need to check or restore an earlier version of a page, the revisions in WordPress help you do so. These give you an idea of what has been changed on your page and when. Now, WordPress 7.0 makes this even easier with visual revisions instead of the raw text shown until now.

    Visual revisions in WordPress 7.0
    An example of the visual revisions in WordPress 7.0

    The revisions feature can be found in the same spot as before, and now, when you click it, it takes you to a preview of your page, where you can use the slider at the top to view earlier versions. The slider also shows you the date and time of the change. When looking at an earlier version of the page, additions are shown in green, changed sections in yellow, and deleted sections in red. Allowing you to locate the changes made right away.

    As before, this allows you to quickly restore previous versions of a page, find the source of layout issues and review updates. This visualization of the revisions makes it easier to do so, as you won’t have to dive into the text to figure out what changed. You’ll notice it right away when sliding between revisions.

    New blocks in the block editor

    As expected, the block editor has also gotten some new additions with the release of WordPress 7.0. For starters, the new Breadcrumbs block lets you add breadcrumbs to your pages, improving navigation on your site. When added, it automatically adds the correct breadcrumb path to the top of your page, but it also gives you options to customize it. The other new block in this release is the Icon block. This allows you to add icons to your pages from a directory of icons added to the backend.

    Directory of Icons for Icon block WordPress 7.0
    Current selection of icons you can use in the Icon block.

    There are also some improvements to existing blocks, such as the Grid Block and Cover block. The Grid block used to have an Auto/Manual toggle, but this has now been replaced by several options to help you set the responsiveness of the block and columns shown. The Cover Block now includes the option to use embedded videos as the background, so you can display videos from platforms like YouTube there. These new blocks and improvements continue to further reduce the need for plugins and custom work to achieve the desired design.

    Better responsive design controls

    Designing for mobile just got a little bit easier. This latest version of WordPress introduces viewport-based controls, allowing you to show or hide blocks depending on the user’s screen size. Simply go to the block, click ‘Show’ in the toolbar and select which devices should show the block (desktop, tablet, or mobile). This will automatically hide it on the devices that you don’t select. This allows you to fine-tune your design for different devices and build responsive designs without using custom CSS. A big win for anyone building sites without relying heavily on code.

    Smarter pattern editing

    Patterns and templates now come with different editing modes to make changes without accidentally messing up the design. When selecting a pattern, the List View will show you all the text and image elements in that pattern. This allows you to focus on the content-focused elements and change those where needed. However, when you click ‘Edit pattern’, it will also show you the remaining elements (design elements such as spacers), so you can still adjust those. This helps users focus on content optimization, while still giving the option to make changes to the design or layout if needed.

    Edit pattern from the list view in WordPress 7.0
    A list view showing the content and image elements in a pattern, with a button to edit the pattern further.

    This new approach makes it a bit easier to customize patterns to fit specific use cases across your website.

    Connect to AI tools of your choice

    WordPress 7.0 doesn’t come with any AI-powered tools, but it is laying some groundwork. It comes with a Connectors section below Settings in your WordPress backend. Here you can connect to external integrations, including AI providers or agents. This allows you to connect to Claude, Gemini, OpenAI, and more. You can search the directory if the integration you’re looking for isn’t listed right away.

    Connectors settings in WordPress 7.0
    The Connectors section in your WordPress settings

    This gives you one central place to maintain any integrations that your website or plugins need to connect to by API keys or other credentials. In addition, this gives developers a future-proof ecosystem and standardized framework to work with.

    A new list filter for plugins

    WordPress 7.0 adds a filter that allows plugins to register custom tabs on the Plugins screen. This enables grouping plugins under a custom tab with a proper label. For example, thanks to this feature we were able to add a dedicated “Yoast” tab on the Plugins screen. This groups all Yoast plugins on that website in one view, making it easier for site admins to check versions, manage activation, and keep the overview of their Yoast suite.

    Final thoughts

    As always, these are just a few highlights. New blocks, smarter workflows, a modern admin and AI foundations. There’s a lot more we haven’t discussed here. For example, performance was not ignored in this release. Particularly, client-side media processing (faster uploads, less server strain), continued improvements to block rendering, and responsiveness. These changes help WordPress scale better, especially for media-heavy sites. It’s also worth noting that WordPress 7.0 raises the minimum PHP version to 7.4.

    Still to come: real-time collaboration

    Originally, the real-time collaboration feature was going to be shipped in this release. But a short while back it was decided to postpone the release of this feature to ensure the stability of this release. This feature will probably be part of a future release.

    But for now, we can get going with the new features in WordPress highlighted above! So, go update to the latest version or dive into more details in the release post on WordPress.org.

    The post WordPress 7.0 is out: the 7 highlights of this release appeared first on Yoast.

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    Yoast x WTS Global: SEO is built in community

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    Yoast x WTS Global: SEO is built in community



    Took place on

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    Carolyn Shelby

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    Events and Field Marketing Manager

    Areej AbuAli

    Founder of Women in Tech SEO

    What we learn, share, and build together

    As part of the WTS Global Week celebrations, join Yoast and Women in Tech SEO for a special online coffee chat celebrating two incredible community milestones: 7 years of WTS and 16 years of Yoast.

    SEO has always been more than algorithms, rankings, and updates; it’s built through people sharing ideas, supporting one another, and learning together. In this relaxed and inspiring session, Carolyn Shelby, Samah Nasr, and Areej AbuAli will reflect on the power of community in shaping careers, building confidence, and helping the SEO industry grow into a more collaborative and inclusive space.

    Have you ever wondered where SEO professionals really learn beyond courses and documentation? Or how people find mentors, supportive communities, and opportunities to grow in the industry? Maybe you’re just starting out and trying to figure out which resources are actually worth your time.

    Together, we’ll talk about how community creates learning opportunities, opens doors for newcomers, and provides the support people need to grow in SEO. Expect practical tips, career insights, honest experiences, and advice for those looking to deepen their involvement in the industry and connect with others in the space.

    The session will include a 30-minute community chat followed by a live Q&A with attendees, giving everyone the chance to join the conversation and share their perspectives.

    ☕ Bring your coffee or tea, questions, and stories; we’d love for you to be part of it.

    Event details

    • Duration: 45 mins
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    • Free registration
    • Recording available after the session

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    First upcoming events

    SEO for beginners webinar
    27 May 2026

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    SEO for beginners webinar

    Learn the essentials to start SEO confidently and boost your site’s visibility.

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    HiveMCR 2026
    May 21 – 22, 2026

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    The SEO Update by Yoast – May 2026
    21 May 2026

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    The SEO Update by Yoast – May 2026

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    What are AI brand mentions? And how are they different from citations?

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    You prompt ChatGPT with something, and suddenly your brand name shows up in the response. Sounds like a win, right? But before you share the screenshot with your team, there’s one important question to ask: Is your brand being cited or mentioned?

    As AI search and LLM-driven discovery continue to grow, understanding the difference between AI brand mentions and AI citations is becoming increasingly important for SEO and brand visibility. In this article, we’ll break down what AI brand mentions are, how they work, and how they differ from citations.

    Since we know you’re excited to celebrate your AI visibility win, let’s get straight into it.

    Table of contents

    Key takeaways

    • AI brand mentions occur when an AI tool references your brand in responses, while citations support the information with sources
    • Understanding the difference between mentions and citations is crucial for SEO and brand visibility
    • To improve AI mentions, create clear, structured, and extractable content that addresses user queries directly
    • Brands need to build authority through trusted mentions across various platforms to enhance visibility and acceptance by AI systems
    • Both mentions and citations are crucial; mentions help AI identify your relevance, while citations reinforce your credibility

    What is an AI brand mention?

    An AI brand mention happens when an AI tool references your brand name inside a generated response, recommendation, comparison, or summary. The brand mentions can be either linked (also known as explicit mention) or unlinked (also known as implicit mention).

    Here’s an example of ChatGPT’s response to, “What are some of the best WordPress SEO plugins?”

    ai brand mention example
    ChatGPT mentions Yoast SEO explicitly and implicitly

    AI can mention brands in different conversational contexts depending on the user’s query and intent. Here are some of the most common ways AI-generated responses include brand mentions:

    Direct recommendations

    This happens when AI directly suggests a brand, product, or service as a possible solution to the user’s query. For instance, these mentions typically appear in recommendation-style prompts where users are actively seeking options or tools.

    direct ai brand mention

    Comparisons

    AI may mention brands while comparing products, services, features, pricing, or use cases. In such cases, the brand becomes part of a broader evaluation or decision-making discussion.

    brand mention comparison

    Examples within answers

    Sometimes, AI uses brands as examples to explain concepts, trends, workflows, or industry practices. These mentions help provide context and make the explanation easier for users to understand.

    example within answer

    Contextual references

    Brands can also naturally appear in broader discussions about a topic or industry. These mentions are less promotional and more about establishing topical relevance within the conversation.

    contextual brand mention

    How do LLMs decide what to mention?

    Large language models don’t “choose” brands the way a human would. They generate responses based on patterns, probabilities, and signals they’ve learned over time. When a brand shows up in an AI answer, it’s usually because multiple underlying factors align.

    Must read: Go beyond CTR with 6 AI-powered SEO discoverability metrics

    Here’s what shapes those mentions:

    1. Training data patterns

    LLMs learn from vast datasets that show how often certain brands appear alongside specific topics.

    When people repeatedly discuss a brand in connection with a particular use case, the model develops a strong association. Over time, this increases the likelihood that the brand will appear in responses to similar queries.

    But it’s not just frequency. Context matters just as much.

    • What topics is the brand linked to?
    • What problems does it appear to solve?
    • What other terms show up around it?

    Brands that appear across multiple contexts build deeper, more flexible associations. Those with limited or inconsistent mentions struggle to surface.

    2. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)

    Many modern AI systems extend beyond their training data using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). This is where things get more dynamic, and where many brands either gain visibility or disappear entirely.

    At a basic level, here’s what changes:

    • Without RAG, the model answers using only what it learned during training
    • With RAG, the system first retrieves relevant information from external or live sources, then passes both the user query and the retrieved content into the model

    The model then combines this new information with its existing knowledge to generate a more accurate, up-to-date response.

    descriptive diagram of RAG
    Descriptive diagram of RAG and training data by Amazon AWS

    When a user submits a query, the retrieval system acts as a gatekeeper. It scans indexed sources, such as web pages, documentation, articles, and forums, to find content that best matches the query.

    3. Context and semantic understanding

    LLMs don’t rely on exact keyword matches. They interpret intent. When someone asks a question, the model maps it to broader concepts and then surfaces brands that fit those meanings.

    For example, a query about “tools for remote teams” might connect to:

    • Collaboration
    • Async work
    • Team communication
    • Workflow management

    LLMs are more likely to surface brands that consistently associate themselves with these ideas, even if users don’t use the exact phrase. This is where entity clarity becomes critical. If your brand is described differently across sources, the model struggles to understand what you actually do.

    Overall, it’s not just about what you say, but how your content connects to related topics. Therefore, linking your brand to relevant concepts, use cases, and terminology helps AI systems understand when your brand is relevant. This is where it helps to semantically link entities to your content, so those relationships are clearer and easier for models to pick up.

    4. Authority and cross-source validation

    LLMs don’t rely on a single source. They validate information by comparing patterns across multiple sources and weighing the trustworthiness of those sources. When a claim appears consistently across many independent platforms, the model is more confident in including it. If it shows up in only a few places, that confidence drops.

    AI systems combine semantic understanding with retrieval signals to assess which sources to trust. This typically includes:

    • Source credibility: Well-known publications, academic content, government sites, and recognized organizations are prioritized
    • Citation patterns: Sources that are frequently referenced by others are treated as more authoritative
    • Recency: More recent information is often weighted higher, especially for fast-changing topics
    • Transparency: Content with clear authorship, dates, and references is considered more reliable

    Authority in AI is about being consistently referenced across credible, independent sources. This is why PR, earned media, and third-party mentions play a bigger role in AI visibility than they traditionally did in SEO.

    5. Relevance to the query

    Before anything else, the model evaluates fit. Even highly authoritative or frequently mentioned brands won’t appear unless they clearly match the user’s intent, such as the use case, audience, or problem being solved.

    In simple terms, if your brand isn’t a strong answer to the query, it won’t be included.

    When surfacing a brand in answers, AI models may include nuances like:

    • Beginner vs advanced users
    • Budget vs premium solutions
    • Niche vs general use cases

    Modern AI systems have shifted from traditional keyword matching to query understanding. They use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand the “why” behind the text strings. If explained technically, gen AI converts text queries (prompts) into vectors that allow it to find semantic similarity and return relevant answers.

    6. Sentiment and human feedback (RLHF)

    LLMs don’t rely solely on training data or web sources. They are continuously improved through human feedback, a process known as Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF).

    rlhf process overview
    Overview of the RLHF process (source: Amazon AWS)

    In this process, human evaluators review model responses and guide them based on whether the answers are:

    • Helpful
    • Accurate
    • Safe
    • Trustworthy

    How does this affect brand mentions? If a brand is consistently associated with negative sentiment, the model may learn to avoid or deprioritize it. On the other hand, brands that appear in neutral or positive contexts across sources are more likely to be included.

    In this way, RLHF acts as a layer that refines raw data signals, aligning brand mentions more closely with quality, trust, and user expectations.

    Tips to get more mentions

    Getting your brand mentioned in AI answers isn’t a completely new discipline. It closely overlaps with what many now call LLM SEO. If you’ve already been working on visibility, authority, and content quality, you’re on the right track.

    Here are a few practical ways to improve your chances of being mentioned:

    Publish definitive, extractable resources

    Create content that is easy for AI systems to understand and reuse. This means clear definitions, structured explanations, and direct answers rather than long, vague introductions.

    For example, a well-structured guide that clearly defines “what is customer data management” with concise sections is far more likely to be picked up than a generic blog post that buries the answer halfway through.

    Address evaluative queries

    AI assistants often respond to questions like “best tools for X” or “which platform should I choose?” If your content directly addresses these comparisons, you increase your chances of being included.

    Like a comparison page, for example, Yoast vs. Rank Math, that explains when your product is better suited than alternatives, it gives the model a clear context to recommend you.

    Strengthen authority signals

    Mentions across trusted, independent sources significantly improve your visibility. This includes being featured in industry publications, contributing expert insights, or earning mentions in reviews and comparisons.

    For example, a brand cited in multiple reputable blogs and reports is more likely to be surfaced than one that only publishes content on its own website.

    Keep cornerstone pages current

    Freshness plays a key role, especially for topics that evolve quickly. Regularly updating the content of your key pages signals that your information is reliable and up to date. For example, a “best tools” page updated every few months with current data is more likely to be retrieved than one that hasn’t been touched in years.

    Broaden entity clarity

    Your brand should be consistently described across your website and external platforms. This helps AI systems clearly understand what you do and when to mention you. For example, if your product is always positioned as “project management software for remote teams,” that repeated clarity strengthens your association with that use case.

    AI brand mentions vs AI citations

    Before sharing the comparison, let me give you a brief overview of citations. AI citations are references that AI systems and search engines include to support the answers they generate.

    Citations usually point to a specific source, such as a webpage, report, or article, and credit the source of the information. In many cases, a response can include both a brand mention and a citation at the same time.

    ai brand citation and mention example
    ChatGPT’s response mentions brands and cites resources to back its answer

    Next, let’s see how they are different.

    Aspect AI brand mention AI citation
    Definition Your brand name appears within the AI-generated response AI attributes information to your content, often with a link or reference
    Format Mentioned naturally in text, no link required URL, footnote, or inline source reference
    What it signals Brand awareness and category relevance Authority, credibility, and trustworthiness
    Impact Builds mindshare and keeps you in the consideration set Acts as proof of expertise and can drive traffic
    Traffic potential Indirect, through increased brand recall Direct, via clickable or attributed sources
    Frequency More common across most AI responses Less common and more competitive
    Where it appears Across most LLMs, even without live web access More common in systems with retrieval or web access
    How to optimize PR, earned media, third-party mentions, community presence Create citation-worthy content, structured data, original research
    Example “X is a popular CRM software” “According to The Yoast Perspective 2026 report…”

    Some takeaways

    • Mentions get you in the conversation. Citations make you the source.
    • Mentions make the AI familiar with your brand. Citations make the AI willing to vouch for it.

    In short, the most effective strategy is to optimize for both.

    Do citations still matter?

    Yes, citations still matter, but they are no longer a standalone strategy.

    AI systems still use citations as supporting signals to validate information, confirm credibility, and discover trustworthy sources. When multiple reputable websites reference the same brand or source, it reinforces trust and helps AI systems verify the information’s reliability.

    While both mentions and citations matter, mentions currently carry more weight for relevance and AI visibility. Citations still help reinforce authority and trust, but mentions give AI systems richer contextual signals about where a brand fits, how often it appears in conversations, and why it matters within a topic.

    How to achieve citations and mentions both?

    Brands that consistently appear in relevant conversations while publishing credible content are more likely to earn both mentions and citations. Here are some easy strategies that you can follow:

    Create mention-worthy content

    The easiest way to earn both mentions and citations is to publish content people naturally want to reference. This includes thought leadership, original research, unique insights, industry commentary, and practical resources that add real value. When your content contributes something new to the conversation, it becomes easier for journalists, creators, communities, and AI systems to pick it up.

    Focus on contextual brand mentions

    AI systems pay attention to how and where your brand is discussed. Mentions across community discussions, industry blogs, PR coverage, podcasts, forums, and trend-based conversations help reinforce your relevance within a topic. The goal is not just visibility, but also appearing consistently in meaningful, context-rich discussions.

    Build credibility for citations

    If you want more citations, credibility becomes essential. AI systems are more likely to reference content that demonstrates strong expertise and trustworthiness. This is where principles like E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) become important.

    AI brand mentions vs. citations: FAQs

    While mentions help AI systems recognize and associate your brand with specific topics, citations strengthen trust and authority by validating your content as a reliable source.

    The reality is that both work together. Brands that consistently appear in relevant conversations while publishing credible, high-quality content are far more likely to strengthen their AI visibility over time.

    Here are some common questions around AI brand mentions and citations:

    Are citations and backlinks the same?

    Not exactly. Backlinks are traditional SEO links that point from one website to another, mainly to help search engines understand authority and ranking signals. AI citations, on the other hand, are references AI systems use to support or validate the answers they generate. While citations can include links, their primary role is attribution and trust rather than passing ranking value. For a deeper understanding, read AI citations vs backlinks.

    If a brand is mentioned, will it be cited too?

    Not always. A brand can be mentioned in an AI response without being directly cited as a source. This usually happens because AI systems often recognize brands through repeated contextual mentions across the web, even when they are not using that brand’s content as the primary supporting source for the answer.

    Why should businesses focus on both mentions and citations from AI?

    Mentions and citations support different aspects of AI visibility. Mentions help AI systems understand where your brand fits within a topic, while citations reinforce authority and trust.

    How to track both mentions and citations for my brand?

    Tracking AI visibility manually across platforms can quickly become difficult. Tools like Yoast SEO AI+ help brands monitor how they appear across AI-driven search experiences. With AI Brand Insights, you can track mentions, citations, and overall brand presence across AI platforms to better understand where your visibility is growing and where opportunities exist to improve your AI brand visibility using Yoast AI Brand Insights.

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