How to Write for AI in 2026 (Without Sounding Like a Robot)

Writing for SEO used to mean chasing keywords. You'd stuff "plumber Grand Forks" into every other sentence and hope Google noticed.

Writing for AI means producing content AI can summarize accurately and confidently. AI isn't judging your creativity. It's judging your clarity, structure, and expertise.

This is actually good news for small-town businesses. Simple, honest writing wins. You don't need to be Shakespeare. You just need to be clear.

Writing for AI vs. Writing for Humans (What's the Same)

Before you panic about "writing for robots," here's the truth: most of what works for AI also works for humans. You still need:

• Clear explanations
• Answers to customer questions
• Headings, structure, and readable formatting
• A conversational tone
• Transparency that builds trust

If you can explain what you do to a customer over the phone, you can write content AI will understand. It's the same skill.

What's Different with AI Reading Your Website

AI analyzes your content differently than a human would. It's looking at:

• Structure , Are your pages organized logically?
• Relevance , Does the content match what your business actually does?
• Authority , Do you demonstrate real-world expertise?
• Accuracy , Is your info consistent across pages?
• Local relevance , Do you mention specific towns, regions, or service areas?
• Service clarity , Can AI figure out exactly what services you offer?
• Internal consistency , Does your website match your Google Business Profile and other listings?

AI doesn't care about fancy wording. It cares about whether it can confidently answer: "Is this business legitimate, trustworthy, and relevant to the question?"

If it can't answer that quickly, it won't recommend you.

Practical Writing Tips for Ranking in AI Recommendations

1. Use Clear, Specific Language

Compare these two sentences:

• Vague: "We serve the region with quality HVAC solutions."
• Clear: "We install and repair furnaces in Grand Forks, Thompson, and East Grand Forks."

AI needs geography spelled out. It needs the full service name at least once per page. Don't assume AI will figure it out from context , be direct.

2. Answer Questions Directly

Add short FAQ sections based on real customer questions. For example:

• "How much does a new furnace cost?"
• "Do you offer emergency plumbing services?"
• "What areas do you serve?"
• "How long does a roof replacement take?"

AI heavily weights FAQs because they map cleanly to question/answer formats. When someone asks AI a question, it looks for pages that answer that exact question.

3. Add Local Proof

AI looks for signals that you actually operate in the area you claim to serve. That includes:

• Photos of local projects
• Job summaries that mention towns or neighborhoods
• Before/after images
• References to local landmarks, industries, or communities

Example: "We recently completed a 50×80 shop build for a farm operation near Grafton, ND."

That sentence tells AI you work in agriculture, you build shops, and you operate in Grafton. It's specific, local, and believable.

4. Write Short, Useful Explanations of Your Services

Avoid:

• Keyword stuffing ("We are the best plumber plumbing plumbers in Grand Forks plumbing services...")
• Generic text ("We provide quality solutions to meet your needs.")
• Industry jargon that customers don't understand

Do:

• Write 1–2 sentence definitions of each service
• Use bulleted lists where appropriate
• Include clear steps or processes
• Add real-world examples

Example of a good service description:

Furnace Installation
We install high-efficiency furnaces for residential and commercial properties throughout Grand Forks County. We handle permits, removal of old equipment, and full system setup. Most installations take 1–2 days.

That's clear, specific, and useful. AI can summarize it confidently.

5. Add Content That AI Can Quote Back to Customers

AI needs sentences it can pull directly and present as factual. Write statements like:

• "Greenway Disposal serves rural communities across Pembina County and northern North Dakota."
• "We've been building custom homes in the Red River Valley since 1998."
• "Our service area includes Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Thompson, Emerado, and Manvel."

Simple. Factual. Easy to verify. That's what AI wants.

What Businesses Should Update in 2026

If your website is more than 5 years old, here's your checklist:

• Rewrite thin service pages , If your service pages are only 2–3 sentences, expand them to 200–300 words with real detail
• Add 2–3 local pages , Create pages for your main service towns or regions
• Update old blog posts , Make them more direct and clear; remove fluff
• Add FAQs to every major page , Answer 3–5 common questions per service
• Add JSON-LD schema , Structured data that tells AI exactly what you do (a web designer can add this for you)
• Refresh outdated photography , Replace old stock photos with real project photos
• Fix broken links and dead pages , AI penalizes sites with technical errors
• Match your website to your Google Business Profile , Name, address, phone, hours, and services should be identical

This doesn't have to happen overnight. But if you knock out 2–3 of these updates per month, you'll be in great shape by mid-2026.

Examples of AI-Friendly Content Blocks

Here are some examples you can adapt for your own site:

Example 1: "What We Do" Paragraph

We provide web design and hosting for small businesses, farms, and contractors in Grand Forks and the Red River Valley. We build fast, secure, semi-static websites and WordPress sites. All sites include hosting, maintenance, and direct access to the person building your site , no middleman.

Example 2: "Who We Serve" Section

We serve clients throughout:

• Grand Forks, ND
• East Grand Forks, MN
• Thompson, ND
• Grafton, ND
• Devils Lake, ND
• Crookston, MN

Example 3: Simple FAQ Excerpt

How much does a website cost?
Semi-static sites start at $800. WordPress sites start at $1,200. Hosting and maintenance is $40–$80/month depending on the site type.

Example 4: Local Authority Paragraph

We've built websites for family farms, HVAC contractors, trucking companies, and main street businesses throughout northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Our clients appreciate direct communication, honest pricing, and websites that just work.

Example 5: Structured Services List

Our Services:

• Semi-static website design (fast, low-maintenance sites for small businesses)
• WordPress website design (full-featured sites for e-commerce and bookings)
• Web hosting and maintenance (security, backups, updates, and support)
• Website redesigns and modernization

Conclusion

You don't need to be a writer. You just need to be clear.

AI rewards the businesses that communicate well and show real-world expertise. The goal isn't to beat the algorithm , it's to help the algorithm understand what you do so it can confidently recommend you to customers.

Small improvements now will make your business the one AI recommends first. Rewrite your homepage. Add some FAQs. Create a couple town pages. Update your service descriptions to be more specific.

It doesn't take long, and it doesn't cost much. But it will make a real difference over the next 3–5 years as more and more customers rely on AI to make decisions.

The businesses that adapt early will win. The ones that wait will wonder why the phone stopped ringing.

For more context on why this matters now, read Your Website Still Matters in the Age of AI , Even If Your Traffic Drops.

Need help rewriting your website content for AI clarity? Contact Dirt River Design. I can update your service pages, add structured FAQs, create location pages, and make sure AI systems understand exactly what you offer and where you serve.