Put the direct answer and key facts near the top of a single-topic page
| Impact | Evidence | Applies to | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Official guidance | Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude | Oct 30, 2026 |
Why it matters
Bing's February 2026 guidelines say single-topic pages are more likely to be selected as grounding sources and recommend placing essential information near the top and stating facts directly so they can be verified. Retrieval systems lift passages, and a passage that answers cleanly on its own is easier to cite. Google says you do not need to chop content into tiny chunks, so this is about clarity, not fragmentation.
How to do it
- Open each page with one or two sentences that answer the main question plainly
- State numbers, prices, dates and names explicitly rather than implying them
- Keep each URL focused on one topic and link out to related pages
Sources
- Bing Webmaster Guidelines · Microsoft Bing
- Bing Adds GEO To Official Guidelines, Expands AI Abuse Definitions · Search Engine Journal, Feb 27, 2026
- Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search · Google Search Central, Jul 10, 2026
Change history
| Date | Change | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 2026 | Added | Added to the rulebook. |
Checked against its sources every Monday. Only content changes are listed.