Customer stories for two readers: people and AI

You now have two audiences for every customer story. People, and bots.

Buyers used to search, click, and read. Now a lot of them just ask an AI a specific question, like “which customer success tools work best for a small team with a tight budget?” And they get an answer before sales ever hears about it.

Leslie Barrett’s session at Obsession AI stuck with me. A polished, high level case study doesn’t give an AI much to work with. It needs a specific answer to a specific question.

This is called AEO, Answer Engine Optimization. SEO helps you show up in a list of links. AEO helps you show up inside the AI answer.

Here’s what I’d do:

• Put the question in the title, or answer it right at the top
• Add a short FAQ to every customer story
• Be specific: the role, the industry, the problem, and the result
• Make sure what your customers say about you matches what you say about yourself

Because AI looks for that match. When your website and your customers tell the same story, you’re far more likely to be the answer.

Your best customer stories can now help you close deals and help you get found.