Have you ever noticed how often you end up on the Mail Online, The Mirror or The Sun after Googling a completely random question?
“How old is Jeremy Clarkson?”
“Why did Oasis split up?”
“Who is the new Doctor Who?”
Love them or hate them, the digital tabloids are brilliant at one thing.
Getting found.
Now, before anyone starts panicking, I’m not suggesting you start filling your website with celebrity gossip.
But I do think there’s something businesses can learn from the way these websites create content.
Not because they’re writing clickbait.
Because they understand how people search.
And increasingly… how AI searches too.
Most people have heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
It’s all about helping Google understand your website so it can show it to the right people.
But there’s a new phrase you’ll probably start hearing more and more over the next few years.
GEO – Generative Engine Optimisation.
Instead of simply trying to rank in Google, you’re also creating content that helps AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini confidently recommend your business when someone asks a question.
And here’s where the tabloids have quietly been getting it right for years.
They don’t just write stories.
They answer questions.
Open almost any article and you’ll often see sections like:
Who is…?
Why did this happen?
What happens next?
They’re answering the questions people are most likely to ask.
As business owners, we should be doing exactly the same.
If you’re an accountant, answer the questions people ask before appointing one.
If you’re a wedding venue, explain what’s included in the price.
If you’re a builder, write about the things customers worry about before they even pick up the phone.
The other thing the tabloids do brilliantly is keep people moving around their website.
You’ll finish reading one article and immediately see another five that might interest you.
That’s not by accident.
They’re helping both readers and search engines understand how their content fits together.
Your website should do the same.
Every blog should link to another.
Every service page should point towards something relevant.
Every visitor should have somewhere sensible to go next.
Because here’s the really interesting bit.
AI isn’t looking for the website that mentions a keyword the most anymore.
It’s looking for the website that gives the best answer.
That’s a huge opportunity for businesses.
The companies that will win over the next few years won’t necessarily be the ones shouting the loudest.
They’ll be the ones that are the most helpful.
So next time you find yourself reading a tabloid article online, don’t just read the story.
Have a look at how it’s been written.
You might be surprised how much your own business can learn from it.
Thanks and best wishes
Matt