Formatting Best Practices for AI Visibility

Beyond structure, the way you format specific elements affects AI comprehension and citability. This lesson covers formatting best practices that maximize your GEO effectiveness.

Writing Style for AI

Be Direct

AI systems favor clear, direct communication:

Indirect (harder for AI):

"It could be argued that, in many cases, the implementation of customer relationship management systems tends to have what some might consider a positive impact on sales outcomes."

Direct (better for AI):

"CRM systems increase sales by an average of 29% according to Nucleus Research."

Use Active Voice

Active voice is clearer and more citable:

Passive:

"Sales increases of 29% were reported by companies using CRM."

Active:

"Companies using CRM report 29% higher sales."

Avoid Hedging (When You're Certain)

Excessive hedging reduces citability:

Over-hedged:

"It's possible that CRM might potentially help some businesses improve their sales to some degree."

Appropriately confident:

"CRM systems consistently improve sales for businesses that achieve user adoption."

When to hedge:

• Genuinely uncertain claims
• Predictions about the future
• Opinions vs. facts

Formatting Specific Elements

Statistics and Data

Format for citability:

**Key statistic:** 29% average sales increase with CRM adoption
(Nucleus Research, 2024)

Include:

• The specific number
• Context (what it measures)
• Source with date
• Bold or callout formatting for visibility

Definitions

Clear definition format:

**CRM (Customer Relationship Management):** Software that helps
businesses manage customer interactions, track sales pipelines,
and automate marketing communications.

Include:

• The term being defined
• A complete, standalone definition
• Any necessary context

Lists

Numbered for sequences:

## How to Set Up HubSpot CRM

1. Create a free account at hubspot.com
2. Import your existing contacts via CSV
3. Connect your email for automatic logging
4. Set up your sales pipeline stages
5. Invite team members

Bulleted for non-sequential items:

## Key CRM Features

- Contact management
- Email integration
- Sales pipeline tracking
- Reporting and analytics
- Mobile access

Include descriptions when helpful:

## CRM Selection Criteria

- **Integration:** Must connect with your existing tech stack
- **Usability:** Team should be able to learn within a week
- **Scalability:** Should accommodate 3x growth
- **Support:** 24/7 support for critical issues

Comparisons

Table format for multi-attribute comparisons:

| Feature | HubSpot Free | Zoho CRM | Salesforce |
|---------|--------------|----------|------------|
| Price/user/mo | $0 | $14 | $25 |
| Contact limit | 1,000,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Email tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom fields | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |

Prose format for nuanced comparisons:

## HubSpot vs. Zoho: Which is Better?

**Choose HubSpot if:** You're a startup or small team needing
a free solution with excellent ease of use.

**Choose Zoho if:** You need more customization options and
don't mind a steeper learning curve.

Quotes and Expert Opinions

Format for attribution:

"The most important factor in CRM success isn't the software—it's
user adoption," says Jane Smith, CRM consultant with 15 years
of experience.

Include:

• Exact quote in quotation marks
• Full name of the person
• Credentials or context for their expertise

Process Steps

Clear step format:

### Step 1: Audit Your Current Customer Data

Before implementing CRM, document where your customer data
currently lives. This includes spreadsheets, email contacts,
and any existing databases.

**Time required:** 2-4 hours
**Who's involved:** Sales manager, marketing lead

### Step 2: Choose Your CRM Platform

Based on your needs assessment, select from the top options...

Visual Formatting

Bold and Emphasis

Use strategically for key information:

CRM implementation has a **67% failure rate** when user adoption
isn't prioritized from the start.

Use bold for:

• Key statistics
• Important terms
• Critical warnings
• Main takeaways

Don't overuse: If everything is bold, nothing stands out.

Callout Boxes

For important information that should stand out:

> **Important:** Always export your data before migrating CRM
> systems. Most vendors don't guarantee data transfer accuracy.

Or:

**Pro tip:** Schedule CRM training during slow business periods
to maximize team engagement and retention.

Blockquotes

For citations and extended quotes:

According to Salesforce's State of Sales report:

> "High-performing sales teams are 2.3x more likely to use
> guided selling capabilities in their CRM compared to
> underperformers."

Metadata Formatting

Publication Dates

Always include and format consistently:

*Published: January 15, 2024*
*Last updated: June 20, 2024*

Or in structured format:

| Published | January 15, 2024 |
| Last Updated | June 20, 2024 |
| Author | Jane Smith |

Author Attribution

Include prominently:

**Author:** Jane Smith, CRM Consultant
MBA, Northwestern Kellogg | 15 years in CRM implementation
[LinkedIn](link) | [Twitter](link)

Sources

List clearly at the end:

---

## Sources

1. Nucleus Research. "CRM ROI Study 2024."
2. Salesforce. "State of Sales, 6th Edition." 2024.
3. Gartner. "CRM Implementation Success Factors." 2023.

Common Formatting Mistakes

Mistake 1: Wall of Text

Bad:

Long paragraphs without breaks, headings, or formatting make content hard for both humans and AI to parse and extract specific information from because there are no visual cues to indicate what's important and where key facts are located.

Better:

Break content into:

• Short paragraphs (3-4 sentences max)
• Bulleted lists for multiple items
• Headings for each topic
• Bold for key facts

Mistake 2: Ambiguous References

Bad:

"It's about 30% higher than before." (What is? Higher than what?)

Better:

"Sales increased by 30% after CRM implementation."

Mistake 3: Unsourced Statistics

Bad:

"Studies show CRM improves sales."

Better:

"A 2024 Nucleus Research study found CRM adoption increases sales by an average of 29%."

Formatting Checklist

• Key statistics are bold and sourced
• Definitions are clear and complete
• Lists are used for multiple items
• Tables are used for comparisons
• Steps are numbered and described
• Quotes are properly attributed
• Publication date is visible
• Author information is included
• Sources are listed

Summary

In this lesson, you learned:

• Direct, active writing is more citable than hedged, passive text
• Statistics should be formatted with source and date
• Lists and tables make content extractable
• Quotes need full attribution with credentials
• Visual formatting (bold, callouts) highlights key information
• Metadata (dates, authors, sources) should be clearly formatted
• Common mistakes include walls of text, ambiguous references, and unsourced statistics

In the next module, we'll explore practical strategies for getting cited by specific AI platforms.