Part 9 - AI-Friends... where do we start if we are going to build an AI-friendly website?
A good website doesn't happen by chance. It's built step by step – with people as the starting point and artificial intelligence as a new recipient of knowledge. But where do we start? Is it with the technology, the design or the content? In this article, we start from the very beginning and build the foundation for a website that will work well both today and in the future.
Magne & the Friend
Magne
Friend...
Now we have talked a lot about how artificial intelligence works.
But if I were to start all over again today...
What would be the very first thing you asked me to do?
The buddy
Do not open a publishing system.
Do not select a font.
Don't think about keywords.
I would like to ask you just one question.
Magne
Which?
The buddy
What do you want people to learn when they visit your website?
Magne
Not:
What should I sell?
The buddy
No.
Because sales are often a result.
Not a starting point.
The best websites start by helping.
Not with selling.
Magne
So...
What is the foundation wall?
The buddy
Knowledge.
Then structure.
Then trust.
And only after that comes the technology.
Magne
It's almost the opposite of how many people start.
The buddy
Yes.
Many people start with design.
CMS
Logo
Painter
Keywords
I would start with the questions customers ask.
Because if you can answer better than others...
You have already come a long way.
Magne
So...
The first thing we build isn't really a website.
There is a knowledge base?
The buddy
Yes.
And now you start using a word that will follow us through the rest of the series.
Academic specialization
The four foundations
We introduce a model that can become a common thread throughout the website:
Knowledge
What can we do?
What can we teach?
People
Who do we want to help?
Structure
How do we organize knowledge?
Technology
How do we make it available?
Note the order.
Technology comes last.
Many start with | We start with |
Design | Knowledge |
CMS | People |
Keywords | Question |
Advertisements | Trust |
Traffic | Value |
Technology | Structure |
New terms in this article
English technical term | Short explanation |
Information Need | The knowledge a user actively seeks to solve a problem or make a decision. |
Content Plan | A structured plan for which topics and articles will be developed over time. |
Knowledge Structure | How knowledge is organized so that it is easy to understand and build on. |
Topic Cluster | A group of articles that highlight different aspects of the same topic and are connected by internal links. |
Cornerstone Content | The most important and comprehensive articles that form the basis for a subject area on the website. |
Knowledge Base | A structured collection of scholarly content that helps users find answers and learn more about a topic. |
Content Model | A plan for how different types of content should be organized and connected. |
Content Strategy | The long-term plan for content development, publishing, and maintenance. |
User Needs | The questions, challenges and tasks the user wants help with. |
Customer Journey | The entire process from a need arising until the customer has found a solution. |
We have only just begun.
Magne
Friend...
Now I know where to start.
But how do we actually find out what questions our customers are asking?
The buddy
Hehe...
Now we come to perhaps the most practical part of the entire series.
Because the best websites don't start with answers.
They start with questions.
Academic background and further reading
This series also builds on my own professional journey through the Web Design study , the eMarketing study , Innovation and Commercialization and professional seminars in San Francisco and Oxford . Here you will find the background, professional environments and experiences that have followed the development from the early years of the web to today's digitalization.
Recommended books from our library
Content Strategy for the Web (2nd Edition)
Author/authors: Kristina Halvorson and Melissa Rach
Short review
How do you create content that actually helps people – and at the same time supports your business goals? Content Strategy for the Web is considered one of the most influential books in the field of content strategy and digital communications. The book shows how good content does not arise by chance, but through a deliberate strategy where user needs, the organization's goals, structure, work processes and management are closely linked.
The authors take the reader through the entire process – from planning and organizing to publishing, managing and continuously improving content on websites and digital services. Although technology has evolved since the book was published, the principles of quality, relevance, management and long-term content work are at least as relevant in an era where search engines and artificial intelligence assess the credibility and usefulness of content.
Why we recommend the book
At The Invisible Capital, we believe that good content is one of the most important forms of invisible value creation. A website is far more than design and technology – it is the content that builds trust, creates great customer experiences and helps people find the answers they are looking for.
This book is perfect for leaders, communications consultants, content producers, web editors, UX designers, and anyone working with digital services. It shows why a clear content strategy leads to better user experiences, more effective interactions, and stronger digital results over time.
In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly important in how information is discovered, understood, and communicated, this book is more relevant than ever. It reminds us that technology alone never creates value – it is good, structured, and relevant content that makes the difference.
Don't Make Me ThinkAuthor: Steve Krug
Short review
Don't Make Me Think is one of the world's most influential books on usability and web design. Since its first edition in 2000, the book has helped designers, developers, content producers, and managers understand a simple but powerful principle: Good digital services should be intuitive. The user should be able to complete their task without having to stop and think about how the website works.
Why we recommend the book
This is one of the books that has had the greatest impact on my own work with digital services. Over the years – from SAS and the Norwegian Opera & Ballet to working on Bærum Municipality’s website – the principles in this book have been an important reminder that technology is never an end in itself. The goal is to make everyday life easier for the people who use the services. Despite the fact that the book was published many years ago, the message is just as relevant today.
Internet Marketing & eCommerce
Authors: Ward Hanson and Kirthi Kalyanam
Short review
Internet Marketing & eCommerce provides a thorough introduction to how the internet has changed marketing, commerce, and business development. The book combines theory and practical examples in digital marketing, e-commerce, customer behavior, value creation, and digital business models. Although written at a time when the internet was still in its infancy, many of the fundamental principles are still highly relevant.
Why we recommend the book
This book was an important part of my own learning journey in digital marketing and e-commerce. It helped build my understanding of how technology, customer experience and business strategy are interconnected – an insight that later became very important in my work with SAS, the Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Bærum Municipality and eventually the project The Invisible Capital. Many of the ideas about customer value, digitalisation and innovation presented on the website have their roots in the knowledge this book conveys.
The Innovator's Dilemma: When New
Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
Author: Clayton M. Christensen
Short review
The Innovator's Dilemma is one of the most influential books on innovation and technological change. Clayton Christensen introduces the concept of "disruptive innovation" and shows how even the most successful businesses can fail when new technologies and business models change the market. Through a series of examples, he explains why established companies often have difficulty adapting to radical change - even when they do "everything right."
Why we recommend the book
This book has had a major impact on how I view innovation, digitalization, and change management. It provided a new perspective on why established businesses are challenged by new players, and why the ability to think differently is crucial in a world characterized by continuous technological development. Many of the reflections in The Invisible Capital on innovation, digital transformation, and value creation are based on the insights Clayton Christensen conveys in this classic.
Mastering AI: A Survival Guide to Our Superpowered Future
Authors: Jeremy Kahn
Short review
Mastering AI takes the reader behind the scenes of the companies and researchers shaping the modern AI revolution. Jeremy Kahn explains how artificial intelligence is developed, the technological breakthroughs that have made today's language models possible, and how AI is impacting business, politics, and society.
Why we recommend the book
A highly relevant book that combines technology, business, and societal development. Perfect for leaders, decision-makers, and anyone who wants to understand where artificial intelligence is headed.
AI Needs You
Author: Verity Harding
Short review
AI Needs You is about why artificial intelligence is not just a technological issue, but also a question of democracy, ethics and social development. Verity Harding argues that the AI of the future must be developed in collaboration with people, governments and business.
Why we recommend the book
An important book for anyone who wants to understand how artificial intelligence affects society and why responsible development will be crucial in the years to come.
The Worlds I See
Author: Fei-Fei Li
Short review
The Worlds I See is the personal story of Fei-Fei Li, one of the world's most influential AI researchers. The book combines autobiography with the history of the development of modern artificial intelligence, showing how research, technology, and human values are closely intertwined.
Why we recommend the book
An inspiring book that provides a unique insight into the development of artificial intelligence through the eyes of one of the field's most central researchers.
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