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For years, SEO has revolved around Google’s way of doing things: crawling, indexing, ranking, and then (hopefully) showing your page in search results. But AI search - whether it’s ChatGPT’s browsing, Perplexity, or Google’s own AI Overviews - is playing by a different set of rules.

Instead of indexing your entire site ahead of time, AI bots often crawl on demand. That means they fetch content when someone asks a question, rather than relying on a pre-built index. This is where GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) comes in - the idea of shaping your content so AI tools can easily fetch, understand, and use it in real time.

In this blog we explain what that means for your website, your SEO strategy, and how you can make sure your content shows up in this new world of search.

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Traditional Search vs AI Search

To understand the change, it’s worth quickly comparing the two approaches.

How Google Works

Google sends crawlers (or spiders) to your website.
These crawlers follow links, fetch your content, and store it in Google’s index.

When someone searches, Google retrieves results from its index - not by crawling your site live, but by serving what it’s already stored.

Think of it as a giant library. The books (your web pages) have already been placed on the shelves, waiting to be borrowed.

How AI Bots Work

AI bots, on the other hand, don’t always keep that same giant index. Many of them:

Crawl content in real time, only when a query requires it.
Pull information from multiple sources to build an answer.
Supplement live crawling with external APIs, structured data, and third-party datasets.

Instead of a library, think of AI as a personal researcher. Ask a question, and it goes out to find the most relevant sources at that moment.

Why Does This Matter for SEO?

This change in behaviour means the old “get crawled, get indexed, get ranked” formula isn’t the whole story anymore - we’re moving into a world where Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is just as important as SEO. Today, a few new things matter:

Accessibility matters more than ever. If AI bots can’t reach your page (because of robots.txt blocks, login walls, or slow speeds), you won’t appear in answers.
Real-time freshness is key. Because content is often pulled live, outdated pages and stats are less likely to feature. Keeping content updated can pay off quickly.
Answerability counts. AI needs clean, digestible answers it can serve to users. If your content rambles without giving direct takeaways, it might be skipped.
Authority still rules. Even though AI can fetch live content, it still leans on trusted, authoritative sources. Good backlinks, citations, and brand presence all help.

Bottom line? SEO isn’t dead (promise) - but you need to think about being useful right now, not just ranking in an index.

What AI Bots Actually Look At

When an AI bot lands on your page, what is it looking at? Pretty much the same core elements as Google - but with a stronger emphasis on clarity and structure.

On-page copy. Your headings, text, and body content are the main ingredients.
Metadata. Titles, meta descriptions, schema markup, alt text - all help AI parse context.
Page speed and performance. If your site loads slowly or breaks, the bot will move on.
Accessibility signals. If robots.txt or meta tags block crawling, AI won’t see it.
Structured data. Schema and markup give AI clear instructions on what your content means.

The clearer and more accessible your content is, the easier it is for AI to use it in an answer.

Real Examples: Perplexity, ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

Not all AI bots crawl the same way. Here’s a quick comparison:

Perplexity AI - Often pulls directly from live sources, showing citations and links. It behaves a bit like a real-time search engine combined with AI summarisation.
ChatGPT with browsing - Fetches content on demand. If your content is well-structured and clear, it may quote or summarise it directly in answers.
Google AI Overviews - Uses Google’s existing index but supplements it with AI-generated summaries. Here, traditional SEO signals like rankings and schema still matter, but presentation changes.

The common thread? If your site isn’t accessible, fast, and clear, you’ll miss out - no matter the bot. Want to learn more about optimising for AI? Read our full Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) guide here.

How to Optimise for AI Crawling

Here’s where things get practical. If AI is fetching content on demand, you need to think about both SEO and GEO - optimising so your site shows up whether Google is indexing it or an AI tool is pulling it live.

1. Answer Questions Directly

AI search is query-driven. If someone asks, “How long does a bathroom installation take?” and your page clearly states:

“On average, a bathroom installation takes 7–10 days.”

…you’re much more likely to appear in the AI’s output.

2. Use Structured Data

Schema markup makes your content machine-readable. If you’re publishing FAQs, how-to guides, or product information, structured data helps AI bots quickly understand and extract the right details.

3. Keep Your Site Fast and Accessible

AI bots won’t wait around for a 10-second load. Compress images, clean up code, and make sure nothing critical is blocked by robots.txt.

4. Write in a Natural, Human Style

AI is designed to replicate human conversation. If your content sounds overly corporate or keyword-stuffed, it’s less likely to be chosen. Keep it conversational, helpful, and direct.

5. Update Content Regularly

Because AI often pulls live, fresh content, updating old blogs or refreshing statistics can give you a quick win in AI-driven visibility.

The New SEO Mindset: Be Useful in Real Time

This isn’t about throwing out your current SEO playbook. Google is still the biggest driver of organic traffic, and traditional indexing still matters.

But AI-driven search adds a new layer: usefulness in the moment.

That means:

Writing with clarity and directness.
Structuring your content so answers are easy to extract.
Ensuring your site is fast, accessible, and bot-friendly.

It’s not about chasing rankings - it’s about making sure your content is the best possible source when an AI bot comes looking.

The Future of Crawling

Will AI eventually index the web like Google? Probably. Some hybrid models are already forming - Google’s AI Overviews are powered by its index, while Perplexity leans heavily on live crawling.

But right now, the best strategy is to prepare for both worlds:

Keep optimising for Google’s index.
Make your content accessible, clear, and real-time friendly for AI.

That way, whether the future is traditional search, AI-driven answers, or a mix of the two, you’re covered.

Before You Go…

AI bots may not crawl like Google, but the core lesson is the same: make your content useful, accessible, easily understandable and trustworthy.

At Monday Clicks, we work with brands to adapt their content for both Google and AI-driven search - so they’re not just waiting for rankings, but actively appearing in the answers their customers are asking for right now.

Want to make sure your site’s ready for AI search? Let’s chat.

FAQs About How AI Bots Craw Websites

Q: Do AI bots replace Google crawlers?

Not yet. Google’s crawlers still operate in the same way, building its index. AI bots are an additional layer, fetching content live.

Q: Can I block AI bots from crawling my site?

Yes. Many AI crawlers identify themselves in user agents, so you can block them in robots.txt if you don’t want your content used.

Q: Will AI crawling hurt my SEO?

No - but it changes how your content might appear. Instead of just ranking as a link, your content may be summarised or quoted directly in an AI-generated response.