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Content GEO Intermediate
Step 3 of 6

Structure: the formats engines prefer

There are formats engines reach for when they have to synthesize a quick answer: TL;DRs, definition lists, tables, FAQ blocks. The catch is that the same structural cues also identify AI-generated content if you over-apply them; the lever has a ceiling, and finding the ceiling is half the craft.

What to read for this step

  1. Writing for AI Citation
    Playbooks
  2. GEO: Generative Engine Optimization (Aggarwal et al. 2024)
    Papers

After this step, you should be able to answer

  • How long should a TL;DR be, and where does it belong on the page?
  • When should you use a list vs a paragraph — and when does either backfire?
  • Which structural moves have actually moved citation rates in benchmark tests, and which sound like they should but didn't?