Conversational SEO: Why Writing for Prompts (Not Just Keywords) Changes Everything
A few months ago, I typed a question into ChatGPT — something niche but specific — and the top response included a quote from a blog post we’d written over a year ago. It wasn’t our newest piece. It wasn’t even the most optimized. But it was written like an answer.
That moment reframed how I think about content.
Search is shifting. Fast. And the rules we used to follow — keyword density, exact-match phrases, long-form-for-long-form’s-sake — are showing their age. Today, content needs to respond to how people ask, not just what they search.
It needs to think in prompts, not just keywords.
This post is a practical guide to making that shift — not just for SEO rankings, but for resonance. We'll walk through what’s changing, how to adapt, and how to write content that shows up in search, answers real questions, and earns its place in AI-driven results.
From Keywords to Prompts
In the early days of search, people typed short fragments. "Internal linking." "Best SEO tools." "Content strategy tips."
Today, they type like they talk. "How do I improve my internal linking without breaking my site?" "What are the best SEO tools for B2B teams?" "How do I build a content strategy from scratch?"
The rise of LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini has only accelerated this trend. These tools reward clear, structured, helpful content — especially content that matches how people phrase their questions.
So where we once optimized for keywords, now we optimize for prompts.
A few key shifts:
Search is conversational: People use natural language now, especially in voice search and AI tools (Tellwell — Voice Search).
Snippets are the new homepage: If your content can answer a question cleanly, it can win the snippet — and the click (Tellwell, 2023).
AI tools surface your structure: Tools like ChatGPT often quote from well-structured content — especially content that opens sections with clear, prompt-like questions (Google Developers — AI Overviews).
Early benchmarks from C-SEO Bench: Does Conversational SEO Work? also highlight how prompt-style writing strategies can outperform traditional SEO in certain competitive niches.
In short: write like you're answering a real person, not an algorithm.
Write the Way People Ask
If you want your brand cited in AI answers, structure your writing to match how people speak.
Use question-based headers like:
“How do I create a content strategy that works in 2025?”
“What’s the best way to get cited by ChatGPT?”
“Why does Google prioritize helpful content?”
By reflecting prompt phrasing, you make your site more retrievable for Large Language Models (LLMs) — the systems behind tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
This approach directly aligns with Google’s Helpful Content guidance and practices we explored in Snippet Engineering, RAG Testing, and Provenance Tagging.
The 4-Part Section Pattern That Wins Snippets (and Readers)
Here’s a simple structure we use at Tellwell when writing for prompts. It works for featured snippets, helps with AI surfacing, and — maybe most importantly — it helps the reader.
1. Snippable opening
A one- or two-sentence answer to the question in the heading. This gets picked up by search engines and LLMs.
2. Steps, bullets, or list
Break down the process or concept. Structured content is easier to skim, quote, and rank.
3. "In short" recap
A plain-language summary of the section, in case the reader skims.
4. External source or quote
Cite something credible. This isn’t just for authority — it’s for ecosystem building. LLMs reward sourced content.
Example:
Prompt-style heading: "How do I build an internal linking strategy?"
Snippable answer: Start with your pillar content, then link to supporting articles using natural anchor text.
Steps: 1) Identify top-performing pages. 2) Group related content. 3) Add links where relevant. 4) Monitor click-throughs.
In short: Internal links connect your ideas — and help search engines understand your content.
Source: Ahrefs
Turn Your Headings Into Prompts
A quick test: look at the H2s and H3s on your last blog post.
Do they read like:
“Content pillars”
“SEO considerations”
Or do they read like:
“What are content pillars and how do they help with SEO?”
“What should I consider before launching an SEO campaign?”
The second versions are more likely to:
Get picked up in voice search
Trigger featured snippets
Show up in LLM responses
Tip: You don’t have to go full FAQ style. Just make sure your headings contain the question behind the query.
| Old heading (SEO-ish) | Conversational rewrite (use this) |
|---|---|
| Benefits of Content Pruning | Why does content pruning improve SEO? |
| Internal Linking Best Practices | What’s the best way to build internal links on a blog? |
| Canonical Tags Explained | When should I use a canonical tag? |
| Topic Clusters Overview | How do I build a topic cluster for [industry]? |
| CRM Setup Guide | How should a small team set up a CRM in 30 minutes? |
Prompt Variants: The New Keyword Clusters
We used to cluster keywords around a topic. Now we cluster prompts.
Let’s say your topic is customer journey mapping. Prompt variants might include:
What is a customer journey map?
How do I build one for a SaaS product?
Why are journey maps important in B2B?
What tools can I use to create one?
Rather than writing four separate posts, we structure a single page with four sections — each starting with a prompt-style heading.
Why this works:
You answer multiple intents in one place
You reduce content cannibalization
You increase your chance of showing up across more queries
We call this a prompt-driven pillar page (Tellwell — Small Business SEO).
| Prompt archetype | Use this layout | Example micro-template |
|---|---|---|
| How to… | 2-sentence snippet → 3–5 steps → “common mistakes” list → optional HowTo schema | The steps are: 1) __, 2) __, 3) __. |
| What’s the best way to… | Snippet with a single recommendation → short rationale → 3 bullets “do this, not that” | Best way: __ because __. |
| Why does… | Snippet cause/effect → 3 bullet reasons → 1-liner implication (“therefore…”) | Because: A, B, C. Therefore: __. |
| Should I… | Snippet yes/no or “it depends” → decision table → edge cases | If __, choose A. Else choose B. |
| What is… | 2-sentence definition → 3-point breakdown → comparison mini-table | [Term] is __. In short: __. |
Snippet engineering: the small lines that win
Put a bold, quotable 1–3 sentence answer under each H2/H3.
Strip hedges (“it might…”) unless necessary.
Keep sentences short. 12–20 words is great.
Reuse canonical phrasing across posts (avoid contradictions).
Examples you can paste:
“[Term] is defined as …”
“The fastest way to [job] is to 1) __, 2) __, 3) __.”
“In short: do __ for __ because __.”
Prompt variant strategy (so you cover the ways people ask)
Take each target keyword and brainstorm at least five prompt forms: how to, what is, why does, should I, best way.
Map each prompt to a section or FAQ on your page.
Make one prompt the primary for the page (the H1/H2), and use the others as subheads or FAQ items.
For similar prompts, consolidate with anchors instead of thin pages (keeps authority together).
Add an FAQ schema block so parsers can see the Q&A explicitly.
Real-World Results: Prompt Writing in Action
We’ve applied this thinking across dozens of client projects and our own site. Here are a few quick stories:
Case A: Snippet Lift After Rewriting a Guide
A client’s technical SEO guide wasn’t surfacing in any snippets. We rewrote it with prompt-style headings and 4-part answers under each section. Within a month, snippet visibility doubled.
Case B: Lower Bounce, Higher Engagement
We added “In short” recaps across a dense 4,000-word guide. Average time-on-page jumped. Bounce rate dropped 18%.
Case C: AI Mentions Without Paid Placement
One Tellwell article started getting cited in ChatGPT summaries. We hadn’t optimized it recently — but its clean structure, prompt-based headers, and cited sources made it AI-friendly (Puerto, Gubri, et al., 2025).
Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
1. Using keywords as section headers
This used to work. Now it makes your content feel robotic. Rewrite as a question or conversational phrase.
2. Burying the answer
Put the answer in the first sentence. Don’t make your reader — or the bot — dig for it.
3. Ignoring follow-up prompts
Think like a curious reader. If they asked this, what might they ask next?
Checklist Before You Publish:
Does each section heading sound like a real question?
Is the answer in the first 1-2 sentences?
Have you added “In short” recaps?
Did you cite a credible source?
A Simple Framework to Use on Your Next Page
Pick a topic
List 5+ prompt variants
Turn them into H2s and H3s
Write a 4-part answer under each
Add an "In short" summary and at least one link
Then: test it. Check for snippet wins. Paste your URL into ChatGPT and see if it gets quoted. You’ll be surprised how often it does (Perplexity — How It Works).
FAQ
-
A keyword is a short phrase. A prompt is a full question or request. Search engines — and people — use prompts more now (LeanSummits, 2025).
-
Lead with a 2-sentence snippet, then a 3–5 step list. Add a small “mistakes to avoid” block, and consider HowTo schema when you have clear steps.
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For each topic, cover multiple prompt forms (how to / why does / best way / should I / what is) on the same page or cluster so you’re eligible for more queries.
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No, but use them to find topics, not exact phrases. Then write naturally.
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Paste your URL into ChatGPT with a relevant prompt. Also, check tools like Perplexity or Poe.
-
Yes, and you should. Start with your most important pages.
Conclusion
Search is now a conversation. If your content answers the question the way people ask it, you earn the quote—on the SERP and inside AI answers.
Conversational SEO is the bridge between classic SEO and GEO. Keep your rankings strong, then shape each section like a helpful chat: a two-sentence answer, a clean “in short” line, a few steps or a mini-table, and an FAQ that mirrors real prompts. Do this across your pillar and cluster pages, and you’ll see more retrieval, lift, and citations over time.
Quick send-off checklist
Rewrite H2/H3s as questions users actually ask.
Add a two-sentence snippet under each heading.
Include 3–5 steps or a tiny table for easy lift.
Append an FAQ and add FAQPage JSON-LD.
Test monthly in Google AI surfaces + ChatGPT/Perplexity/Gemini; log mentions and citations.
References
Internal Tellwell articles:
External authoritative sources:
5. Google Developers — AI Overviews / AI Mode
6. Google Developers — Helpful, People-First Content Guidance
7. Google Developers — Mark Up FAQs with Structured Data
8. Google Developers — Structured Data Markup That Google Supports
9. LeanSummits — How Search Is Becoming More Conversational in 2025
10. Puerto, Gubri, et al. — C-SEO Bench: Does Conversational SEO Work? (2025)
11. Passionfruit — FAQ Schema for AI Answers: Setup Guide & Examples
12. WSI — The Rise of Conversational Queries and Their Impact on SERPs
13. Perplexity — How Perplexity Works
Author: Noah Swanson
Noah Swanson is the founder and Chief Content Officer of Tellwell.
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