Optimizing UGA Extension Publications for modern search

UGA Extension publications are a critical gateway for delivering unbiased, research-based information to the public. Today, however, the way people access that information is changing dramatically. The success of these publications depends not only on scientific accuracy but on how well the content aligns with how people search for information today, as well as how search engines interpret and rank content.

This guide is designed to help you structure your publications so that they remain trusted sources of actionable, research-backed information for both users and machines alike by providing practical tips on best practices, explaining how modern users search and outlining how search engines and generative engines select content.

BEST PRACTICES

Small adjustments can drastically impact the findability, usability and performance of your publication. While optimizing content for modern search and modern users is a rapidly-evolving topic, below are our top tips for improving discoverability without compromising scientific rigor.

• First and foremost, write for the everyday individual — not for experts: Avoid technical jargon and internal terminology, especially in titles and headings.
  • Ask yourself, “How would I explain this idea or process to someone without any prior knowledge of the topic?”
• Provide context for why this publication is important: In a world where there is so much information at our fingertips, your publication is competing against every other bit of information out there. Explain clearly and early why this publication is important and will add value to your reader’s life.
  • Ask yourself, “Why should my reader care? Am I providing that information clearly in the introduction?”
  • For example, is this pest a major problem in Georgia? Is growing pomegranates at home particularly easy? Should Georgians change a common behavior to help protect an endangered pollinator?
• Provide a clear, user-friendly structure: Structure your publication in a way that users will actually want to read. Avoid large blocks of text. Use high-quality images. Use clear on-page navigation with clear, descriptive section headings and subheadings that actually answer user queries.
  • Ask yourself, “Is this publication easy to read and understand for someone not at all familiar with the topic at hand? Can I easily find what I am looking for?”
• Include Q&A-style section titles: Modern users expect quick, clear and actionable information. Using question-and-answer sections to answer common queries is a great way to answer questions concisely.
• Present concise answers and summaries: Emphasize problem–solution clarity. Clarity in structure, syntax and word choice help both users and machines understand the publication’s content.
• Add Georgia-specific context early and often: Search engines increasingly customize results based on location, climate, season and audience type. Adding Georgia-specific framing (such as “In Georgia’s warm, humid summers…”) helps both users and search systems understand when and for whom your content is most relevant. These context cues significantly improve whether an AI assistant chooses your publication over other content for users in your region.

HOW MODERN USERS SEARCH FOR INFORMATION

Modern users ask questions instead of searching by keywords.

Your publication should reflect the phrases, questions and problems users are actually typing — or speaking — into search engines. Today, people rarely search using standalone words (“tomatoes” or “pests”). Instead, users ask questions like:

• “How do I prevent blossom-end rot in tomatoes?”
• “Best turfgrass for Georgia shade conditions”
• “When should I fertilize pecan trees in North Georgia?”

Attention spans are short. Users skim before they commit.

Readers typically spend seconds deciding whether content is relevant to them. Making the content scannable and easily digestible is a great way to show users that publications from UGA Extension are actionable pieces of research that will actually benefit them. In short, we have to convince them to stick around. To help users skim:

• Provide a clear, scannable structure with clear headings and section titles that echo user questions.
• Supply a strong introduction that displays the importance of the resource and concise answers near the top of the page.
• Provide direct problem–solution statements to help your publication connect immediately with the user’s need.

HOW SEARCH ENGINES CHOOSE WHAT TO DISPLAY

Google ranks content based on intent matching.

The first step search engines take after a user searches for something is determining the intent behind the user’s query. Then, they select pages whose structure and language most closely match that intent. Publications that succeed:

• Have titles and headers that directly answer a specific user need.
• Use clear, descriptive language rather than internal or academic jargon.
• Present accurate information supported by experience and authority.

Structuring content improves scanability and ranking.

When your structure mirrors what users are searching for, Google is more likely to feature your publication prominently. Google “reads” a document through its:

• Title
• Headings and subheadings (H1, H2, H3…)
• Opening paragraphs
• Lists, tables, and summaries

HOW AI IS AFFECTING SEARCH DISPLAYS

Generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews, now play an increasingly central role in how people discover, consume and trust information. As a result, the way publication content is displayed — and whether it is displayed at all — depends on how well it can be understood by both search engines and generative engines.

Unlike traditional search engines, generative engines do not simply highlight a webpage; they pull information directly from documents and restate it in natural language — extracting and rewriting your content to answer user queries. If your content is clearly structured, written to match user questions and includes concise explanations, AI is more likely to represent your publication accurately and recommend it as a trusted source. Poor structure, unclear headings or overly technical language make misinterpretation and invisibility far more likely.

AI-generated search displays compete with traditional search results.

Even when users begin with a search engine like Google, the first thing they see may be an AI-generated summary positioned above the standard results. This means your content must be optimized to appear inside the AI summary, not only in the link list below it.

Modern search engines don’t just provide users with a list of relevant web content like they used to. Instead, they interpret, summarize and sometimes even replace traditional search results with conversational answers. This allows publications to be pulled into high-visibility search elements if they are properly structured and provide actionable value to the reader. To qualify:

• Start sections with crisp, direct answers.
• Include short definitions, bullet points and brief summaries.
• Break up complex topics with question-based headings (e.g., “What causes X?” “How do I treat Y?”).
• Prioritize adding real-world, actionable value to your reader.

AI-driven displays favor direct answers and well-labeled sections.

Generative engines look for explicit signals in your document to identify what the content is about and which parts provide definitive answers. Content is more likely to be surfaced when it includes:

• Headings that reflect a user’s phrasing (“How do I control fire ants in Georgia lawns?”)
• Short, clearly written answer paragraphs following those headings
• Lists, tables and step-by-step instructions
• Question and answer sections answering common user queries associated with the topic at hand
• Clear definitions and explanations of terms

AI tools tend to select content that appears “answer-ready.” If an AI system can quickly identify the problem, the recommended action or answer and the context (such as Georgia-specific conditions), your publication becomes a more attractive source.