Writers often ask how to phrase a page so AI answers will quote it. Google’s guide to generative AI search says its systems understand synonyms and meaning, and it lists rewriting content only for AI among the things you can skip. So we treat this as plain editing. The examples below are our own and use placeholders in square brackets. They are not from real pages and carry no claims.
The rule behind them is our view, not Google’s: a sentence that makes sense when lifted out of the page is better for a reader who skims, and a quote that is accurate on its own is less likely to mislead anyone. Google’s guide does ask for content that is well written, easy to follow and organised with clear headings.
Twelve rewrites
| Problem | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Unclear pronoun | It starts at £19. | [Plan name] starts at £19 a month, billed yearly. |
| Vague word | Delivery is fast. | Orders placed before [time] ship the same day. |
| Buried answer | There are many factors in a return. | Yes, you can return opened items within [number] days. |
| Two claims in one | The app is free and works offline. | The app is free. It also works offline. |
| Empty adjective | Our award-winning team. | Our team has repaired [number] [items] since [year]. |
| No date | Prices recently changed. | Prices changed on [date]. |
| Missing condition | Free shipping. | Free shipping on orders over [amount] within [country]. |
| Vague heading | More information | How long does a refund take? |
| Points elsewhere | As mentioned above, this applies. | The [policy name] applies to [who]. |
| No source | Studies show a rise. | [Organisation]‘s [year] [report] found [finding]. |
| Mixed audience | Users and admins can edit. | Any user can edit their own profile. Only admins can edit others. |
| Undefined term | Add a canonical tag. | Add a canonical tag, a line in the page head that names the preferred URL. |
A one-minute test
Copy any sentence into a blank note. Ask three questions. Does it say what it is about? Is every number, date or condition attached? Would it still be true if nothing else on the page were read? If not, apply one of the four moves.
What not to do
- Do not stuff the same phrase into every sentence. Google says its systems understand meaning.
- Do not cut a page into tiny fragments. Google lists chunking among the tactics it says you can ignore.
- Do not invent specifics to sound precise. A missing number is better than a made-up one.
What to do
- Pick your five most visited pages.
- Read each page’s first paragraph and every heading with the test above.
- Fix pronouns, vague words and missing conditions first.
- Add dates to anything that changes, and keep them honest.
- Check one month later whether your pages appear, using our 20-prompt AI visibility test.
For page structure, see answer-first pages and writing content that AI summarises without killing your credit. The full map is in our AEO and GEO playbook.
