How do you optimize for the consideration phase when buyers are using AI to research options?

You’re right - consideration phase is highest stakes. Here’s the framework:

Consideration phase AI queries:

Content that wins these queries:

1. Comprehensive comparison pages - Include yourself and competitors
2. Buying guides - What to consider when choosing
3. Use case pages - Best solution for [specific use case]
4. Honest reviews - Pros/cons, including your own

The key insight:

AI wants to help users make informed decisions. Content that genuinely helps comparison wins. Content that only promotes you loses.

On including competitors - this was controversial internally.

The debate:

Against: “Why would we promote competitors on our site?” For: “If we don’t compare, others will, and we won’t be in AI responses.”

What we decided:

We created comparison content that:

• Includes top 3-5 competitors
• Is genuinely balanced
• Positions us honestly
• Lives on our domain

The result:

For “[Our product] vs [Competitor]” queries:

• Before comparison content: We weren’t cited
• After comparison content: We’re cited 60% of the time

The key:

AI was going to answer these queries anyway. Better to be the source (on our domain) than to let third-party sites (or competitors) control the narrative.

By creating honest comparisons, we became the authority AI trusts for these queries.

That makes sense. We control the narrative better by creating the comparison ourselves.

Question: What about “best X for Y” queries where I want us to be recommended? How do I optimize for those specifically?

“Best X for Y” optimization:

Step 1: Identify your winning use cases

You won’t be best for everything. Identify where you genuinely excel:

• Best for small teams because…
• Best for [industry] because…
• Best for [specific need] because…

Step 2: Create dedicated use case content

For each winning use case, create:

• “[Category] for [Use Case]” page
• Specific benefits for that use case
• Customer examples from that segment
• Comparison specifically for that use case

Step 3: Build proof

AI looks for validation:

• Customer testimonials from that segment
• Case studies for that use case
• Third-party reviews mentioning that fit
• Community discussions confirming the fit

Step 4: Be specific, not broad

Instead of: “We’re the best CRM.” Claim: “We’re the best CRM for teams under 10 that prioritize simplicity.”

Specific claims are more citable and more believable.

The framework:

Win narrow, expand gradually. Own specific “best for” queries before trying to own broad ones.

Buying guides are consideration phase gold.

Why they work:

When someone asks AI “how do I choose a CRM?”, AI looks for comprehensive buying guidance. If you have the best guide, you get cited.

Buying guide structure:

1. What is [category]? - Brief context
2. Key factors to consider - Evaluation criteria
3. Questions to ask - Specific questions for vendors
4. Types of [category] - Different approaches/options
5. What to avoid - Red flags and pitfalls
6. Making the final decision - Decision framework

Include your product:

Position yourself as one option within the guide: “Solutions like [Your product], [Competitor A], and [Competitor B] all address these needs. [Your product] is particularly strong for [specific use case].”

Why this wins:

• It’s genuinely helpful (AI likes to cite helpful content)
• It positions you as an expert
• It naturally includes your product
• It answers the actual question being asked

Great insights. Here’s my content plan:

Comparison Content:

1. “[Our product] vs [Top Competitor 1]” - Honest comparison
2. “[Our product] vs [Top Competitor 2]” - Honest comparison
3. “[Category] comparison” - All major players including us

Use Case Content:

1. “Best [category] for [winning use case 1]”
2. “Best [category] for [winning use case 2]”
3. “Best [category] for [winning use case 3]”

Buying Guide:

1. “How to choose [category]” - Comprehensive guide
2. “[Category] evaluation checklist”
3. “Questions to ask [category] vendors”

All with:

• Honest positioning
• Competitor acknowledgment where appropriate
• Specific, citable claims
• Customer proof

Timeline: 3 months to create, then measure and refine.

How to measure consideration phase success:

Metrics to track:

1. Citation rate for comparison queries

   • “[You] vs [competitor]” queries
   • “Best X for Y” queries
   • “Alternatives to X” queries

2. Position in citations

   • When mentioned, are you first or third?
   • How are you described?

3. Competitive share of voice

   • What % of consideration queries mention you vs competitors?

4. Content-level performance

   • Which comparison pages get cited most?
   • Which use cases perform best?

Am I Cited can track:

• Citation frequency for specific query types
• Your position vs competitors
• Trend data over time

Set up tracking before creating content so you have baseline to compare against.

Don’t forget sales alignment.

The connection:

If prospects are using AI for consideration research:

• They may come to sales already influenced by AI
• They may have seen (or not seen) you in AI responses
• Their expectations are shaped by AI information

What sales needs to know:

1. What AI is saying about you
2. What AI is saying about competitors
3. How to address AI-influenced questions
4. How to differentiate when AI has “leveled the playing field”

New sales questions you might hear:

• “AI said [competitor] is better for X - is that true?”
• “ChatGPT recommended [competitor] - why should I consider you?”
• “I asked AI about this and…”

Make sure sales is prepared for AI-influenced buyers.

Final thought on consideration phase:

The old funnel: Awareness -> Interest -> Consideration -> Decision

The AI-influenced funnel: Awareness -> AI Research (consideration compressed) -> Decision

AI is compressing the consideration phase. Buyers may go from “I need to solve X” to “AI recommended Y” very quickly.

Implication:

The consideration phase is where deals are won or lost, and it’s happening faster.

If you’re not in that AI research step, you’re not in the consideration set.

Invest heavily in consideration phase content. It’s the highest-leverage point in the AI-influenced buyer journey.