Two AI SEO Tricks to Find Better Keywords

Brian Dean (Backlinko)
Brian Dean (Backlinko)Apr 18, 2026

Why It Matters

Adapting SEO to conversational, AI‑generated queries lets businesses rank for higher‑intent searches, driving more qualified traffic and revenue.

Key Takeaways

  • Use sales and support teams to uncover real customer phrasing.
  • Leverage AI tools like Perplexity for People‑Also‑Ask style queries.
  • Capture conversational questions in a spreadsheet for content planning.
  • Align SEO content with full, natural‑language user intent.
  • Answer specific queries to rank higher in AI‑driven search.

Summary

The video explains two practical AI‑driven SEO tactics for uncovering richer, conversational keywords that modern search engines and chat assistants prioritize.

First, tap the sales and support teams, who hear the exact phrasing customers use. Second, feed the product category into Perplexity (or similar AI) to generate follow‑up questions that mimic Google’s People Also Ask feature, revealing intent‑focused queries.

The presenter illustrates with a winter‑jacket example, showing how a simple “winter jacket” query expands to “warmest jacket for Chicago winters under $300 for women over 40.” He advises logging these questions in a spreadsheet and crafting content that directly answers them.

By targeting full‑sentence queries, marketers can produce content that satisfies AI‑driven SERPs, improve visibility, and capture higher‑intent traffic that traditional keyword lists miss.

Original Description

Most brands are still writing content for how people search on Google. But AI search is different — buyers ask full conversational questions, and if your content doesn't answer them, AI skips you.
These two tricks will help you find exactly what your buyers are asking AI — so you can create content that gets cited and recommended.
💡 If you're into:
▶︎ AI SEO strategy
▶︎ Keyword research for AI search
▶︎ Content optimization for ChatGPT and Perplexity
▶︎ B2B and SaaS content strategy
...this one's for you.
💬 Drop a comment: Are you using your sales team for content ideas yet?
Topics covered: AI SEO, AI search keywords, keyword research for AI, content optimization AI search, ChatGPT content strategy, Perplexity keyword research, AI search optimization, Backlinko SEO tips, Matt Kenyon.

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