Why AI search doesn’t use Review sites like Trust Pilot for info?
TL;DR: AI search wants real talk, not polished fluff. Show up where people ask questions and fix problems. Write answers that an AI can quote. Stop chasing rank. Start being the answer.
Quick Summary:
- Forums beat blogs because they show real problems and real fixes.
- Google highlights discussions and can read forum-style structure.
- Your goal is to be cite-worthy with short, scannable answers.
- Build authority in existing communities and create a niche hub you own.
- Turn forum wins into guides, FAQs, and internal links on your site.
Fast Answers
Why does AI want “dirty” data?
Because it shows lived experience. Complaints, fixes, and edge cases help AIs build trustworthy answers. Glossy copy hides the friction that users need.
What changed in Google’s results?
Google shows more discussion content and supports forum-style markup. That makes conversations easier to find and easier for machines to parse.
Is Reddit really a big deal now?
Yes. Reddit threads often get cited in AI answers. It is where people go to describe problems in plain language.
What should you do next?
Earn authority on forums. Then build a niche space you control. Write answers in a liftable format so humans and AIs can use them.
The polished, keyword-stuffed blog era is done. AI search is not just listing pages. It is building answers. The best raw material comes from places where people talk like people. That is forums, niche communities, and Q&A threads.
If you want visibility, show real problem solving. Share the problem. Share the fix. Share the trade-offs. That is what gets quoted. That is what users save. That is what AIs trust.
Forum content wins because it proves expertise in public and in detail.
The Shift: Search Outsources Trust to Communities
Spam is everywhere. It looks good. It reads fine. It is still spam. Communities fight this better than algorithms. Mods enforce rules. Members downvote junk. The result is a baseline of quality that search can use.
Why forums work:
- Real people filter noise.
- Threads capture nuance and alternatives.
- Language is natural and buyer-ready.
- Rules and moderation keep standards high.
Community governance is a spam filter that search engines can rely on.
What AI Eats: Problems, Fixes, and Receipts
AI systems look for three things:
- The problem. What broke or confused the user.
- The fix. Steps, tools, and proof it worked.
- The nuance. Caveats, trade-offs, and edge cases.
Also, show experience. Do not claim authority. Demonstrate it. One public solution beats ten bios.
E-E-A-T is earned when you solve a real problem in public and document it clearly.
The Playbook
1) Become useful on existing platforms.
Do not drop links. Help first. Learn the culture. Post answers that someone would save. Use a simple format: WHY, WHAT, HOW, TL;DR. Add numbers and timelines when you can.
2) Build a niche forum or knowledge hub you own.
Pick a tight niche. Seed it with the top questions from support and sales. Have real practitioners answer like enthusiasts, not marketers. Incentivize contributors. Feature them. Share wins.
3) Package answers for extraction.
Break up text. Use plain subheads. Use short sentences. Add one or two quotable lines per section. Kind of like this…lol.
4) Ship the right schema.
Use FAQ and HowTo on relevant pages. Keep it accurate and matched to the on-page text.
5) Measure what matters.
Track saves, citations in AI answers, time on page, and repeat visits. Rank is a lagging indicator. Being quoted is the goal.
If you want help with the build and the packaging, start with On-Site Optimization, Technical SEO Audit, and Blog Management Service. For outreach and repurposing, use Content Marketing & Outreach and Content Syndication.
So what to do?
Stop trying to look perfect. Be useful. Show your work. Turn those fixes into short, scannable answers on your site. Make it easy for people and AIs to quote you. That is how you win the new search.
Being the answer means proving it in public and packaging it for extraction.
Being “the answer” is a system: show up in forums, prove solutions in public, and package those solutions into liftable, structured assets on your site.
Helpful External Reads (Tim’s picks)
- Amsive: Reddit’s 1,328% SEO visibility surge analysis (SISTRIX). Amsive
- eMarketer: Why Reddit is topping Google results (and what that means). EMARKETER
- Google Developers: Discussion forum & profile structured data. Google for Developers
- Search Engine Land: Reddit dominating Google’s “Discussions & forums.” Search Engine Land
- SEMrush & coverage of AI citations: domain citation studies and 40% Reddit share reports. Semrush+2DesignRush News+2
Recap (for skimmers & snippets)
- Forums feed AI with real problems, fixes, and trade-offs.
- Google now features discussions and recognizes forum markup. Google for Developers
- Reddit’s visibility exploded; AI frequently cites Reddit threads. Amsive+1
- Tim’s play: earn authority on existing forums + own a niche forum on your site—then ship liftable content with exact-match schema.
