Episode Transcript
Daniel:
Welcome, everybody. I’m very excited to have Amy with me today.
For those of you who may not know me, my name is Daniel Borba. I’m the CEO and founder of SparkPortal. Today, we’re going to have a big discussion on creating content and resource libraries that LLMs love.
At SparkPortal, we work with B2B and SaaS companies, and one of the biggest questions we hear is: how do we restructure our content libraries so LLMs can actually use them?
We’re already seeing behavior shifts. Traffic may be slightly down, but the people who do come to your website are more prepared—they’ve already done research through LLMs.
That’s why we’re here today.
I’m very happy to have Amy with me. She’s going to lead this discussion. She’s prepared a lot of great information, so I hope you come ready with questions—we’ll have a Q&A session at the end.
A quick introduction on my end: I’ve been in video marketing since 2012, and I started SparkPortal in 2017. We operate on a video-as-a-service model for B2B and SaaS companies.
Amy, I’ll pass it to you.
Speaker Introduction
Amy:
Thanks, Daniel.
Hi, everybody. I’m Amy Tarkington. I’ve been in marketing for about 12 years, and my work has always centered around content marketing and optimizing it for search.
Through that work, we build resource hubs, which are the main tool for capturing search demand. In the past, we focused on SEO, but now we’re moving toward AI optimization—AEO and GEO—so LLMs can find and cite content.
Before we dive in, I want to define what a resource hub is.
A lot of people think it’s just a blog—and that’s partially true—but the key difference is that a resource hub focuses on actionable content formatted as tools, such as:
- Guides
- Blueprints
- Checklists
These are tactical resources people can apply immediately, rather than just thought leadership.
Agenda
Amy:
Here’s what we’ll cover today:
- Content structure that signals authority to both AI and human prospects
- Page-level tactics you can implement right away
- AEO and GEO checklists for optimizing your content
And finally, we’ll wrap up with a Q&A session.
Market Context
Amy:
Let’s look at a few important stats:
- 80% of Google searches now end in zero clicks
- 40% of B2B buyers use AI to research solutions
- AI referral traffic converts at three times the rate of other channels
- 67% of SaaS buyers rely on AI-generated answers for decisions
This means buyers are getting answers without visiting your site, and when they do arrive, they’re already more informed.
Poll Discussion
Amy:
It looks like many of you already have a resource hub, which is great.
If you do, ask yourself:
- Is it being cited by LLMs?
- Is it structured in a way AI can easily use?
If you don’t have one yet, that’s not a disadvantage—you get to start fresh without restructuring existing content.
Daniel:
I’ll add to that—starting from scratch isn’t as difficult as it seems. You can actually see results faster now because the rules have changed.
GEO vs AEO
Amy:
Quick definitions:
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): your entire content ecosystem
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): individual pieces of content
You need both. GEO builds authority, while AEO helps you get cited for specific queries.
Core GEO Principles
Amy:
To make your content work for AI, there are four key principles:
- Expertise – Show how things work, not just claims
- Depth – Build clusters of content around topics
- Easy answers – Structure content so AI can extract information quickly
- Usefulness – Avoid generic content; provide real value
Daniel:
You don’t need proprietary data to demonstrate expertise. You can reference other sources, contextualize insights, and use customer experiences.
Content Structure Framework
Amy:
Each company should define:
- 3–5 pillars (core topics)
- Cluster topics (subtopics)
- Core content (main assets)
- Supporting content (follow-up questions)
This structure helps both users and AI navigate your content more effectively.
AEO Content Principles
Amy:
For individual pieces of content:
- Use clear, question-based titles
- Include real authorship
- Make content scannable
- Match content length to the topic
Daniel:
We’re shifting from a volume game to a substance game. You can now go deeper and more specific rather than broader.
GEO Checklist
Amy:
- Build structured content ecosystems
- Choose 3–5 pillars
- Remove duplicate content
- Organize by problems, not formats
- Answer real customer questions
- Provide deep, useful insights
AEO Checklist
Amy:
- Answer the main question immediately
- Use question-based headings
- Add bullet points and lists
- Include comparison tables when relevant
- Use credible statistics
- Ensure human authorship
- Get backlinks from trusted sources
- Update content regularly
Daniel:
Content freshness is now critical. What used to last 18 months may now need updates every few months.
Q&A Session
SEO vs LLM Optimization
Christopher:
Is this just an evolution of SEO?
Amy:
Yes, but with a key difference—context. AI focuses on clear, structured answers rather than just keywords.
Daniel:
AI agents are also consuming content now, which accelerates this shift.
Resource Hub Implementation
Jonathan:
We rebuilt our resource hub using WordPress and improved filtering and tagging.
Amy:
That’s great. Also consider adding FAQ sections and surfacing key insights at the top of your content.
Schema and LLM.txt
Jonathan:
Are schema and llms.txt important?
Amy:
They can help, but focus first on structure and content quality before experimenting with newer tactics.
Video and LLMs
Aaron:
How does video help with LLM visibility?
Amy:
Videos should be relevant, authoritative, and tied directly to the topic.
Daniel:
Video works differently. We recommend creating a dedicated video resource library and linking it to your written content. This helps deepen engagement after discovery.
Closing
Daniel:
Thank you all so much for joining. We’ll follow up with additional resources and answers to remaining questions.
Have a great day, everyone.