Optimizing CMS Content for AI & LLMs: Best Practices and Formats

As AI-powered applications, chatbots, and search engines evolve, businesses must ensure their Content Management System (CMS) provides data in formats that AI can easily process. Large Language Models (LLMs) and Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) rely on structured, machine-readable content to improve customer experiences through personalization, search accuracy, and automation.

In this post, we’ll explore the best output formats for AI training and how they help LLMs learn from CMS data efficiently.

Why Format Matters for AI & LLMs

AI models don’t just "read" content like humans—they analyze structured patterns, relationships, and metadata. The right format allows AI to:
✔️ Extract meaning from content more accurately
✔️ Deliver precise search results and recommendations
✔️ Generate better responses in chatbots and virtual assistants
✔️ Optimize SEO performance for improved discoverability

Now, let’s dive into the best content formats for AI-friendly CMS data.

Best Output Formats for AI & LLMs

1. JSON (Best for AI Processing & APIs)

JSON is the most AI-friendly format because it provides structured, hierarchical data that is easy to parse and analyze. It is widely used in APIs, chatbots, and AI-powered search functions.

Example JSON Structure for CMS Content:

{

  "title": "AI in Content Management",

  "summary": "Exploring how AI improves CMS capabilities.",

  "content": "AI-driven CMS solutions offer personalized experiences...",

  "tags": ["AI", "CMS", "Personalization"],

  "author": "Inna",

  "published_date": "2025-03-27"

}

✅ Why JSON?

• AI models quickly parse and analyze structured JSON data

• Ideal for content APIs, chatbots, and personalization engines

• Ensures data consistency across multiple digital channels

2. JSON-LD (Best for SEO & AI Discoverability)

JSON-LD (Linked Data) is an SEO-optimized format used by Google to improve search visibility. It helps AI understand content relationships by structuring metadata in a way that enhances search engine comprehension.

Example JSON-LD Structure for CMS Content:

{

  "@context": "https://schema.org",

  "@type": "Article",

  "headline": "AI in CMS",

  "author": {

    "@type": "Person",

    "name": "Inna"

  },

  "datePublished": "2025-03-27",

  "articleBody": "AI-driven CMS solutions offer personalized experiences...",

  "keywords": ["AI", "CMS", "Personalization"]

}

✅ Why JSON-LD?

• Boosts SEO rankings by making content more discoverable

• Helps AI-powered search engines like Google provide rich snippets

• Allows structured data relationships for better AI interpretation

3. Markdown (Best for Documentation & Knowledge Bases)

Markdown is a lightweight format ideal for technical blogs, knowledge bases, and developer documentation. AI models easily extract headings, lists, and structured information from Markdown files.

Example Markdown Structure:

# AI in CMS  

**Summary:** Exploring how AI enhances CMS capabilities.  

## Key Benefits  

- Personalization  

- Automated content generation  

- AI-powered search  

_Authored by Inna on March 27, 2025_ 

✅ Why Markdown?

• Human-readable while remaining AI-friendly

• Works well for developer-focused content and documentation

• Helps LLMs extract key takeaways, bullet points, and summaries

4. XML (Best for Hierarchical Content Storage)

XML provides a structured format suitable for complex CMS architectures. While JSON is more lightweight, XML is still useful for hierarchical relationships in content-heavy platforms.

Example XML Structure:

<article>

  <title>AI in CMS</title>

  <summary>Exploring how AI improves CMS capabilities.</summary>

  <content>AI-driven CMS solutions offer personalized experiences...</content>

  <tags>

    <tag>AI</tag>

    <tag>CMS</tag>

  </tags>

  <author>Inna</author>

  <date>2025-03-27</date>

</article>

✅ Why XML?

• Works well for content syndication and structured data repositories

• Supports nested relationships in complex data sets

5. HTML with Semantic Markup (Best for Web-Based Content)

For content stored directly on websites, clean, well-structured HTML with schema.org metadata helps both search engines and AI understand the content more effectively.

Example AI-Friendly HTML:

<article>

  <h1>AI in CMS</h1>

  <p><strong>Summary:</strong> Exploring how AI enhances CMS capabilities.</p>

  <p>AI-driven CMS solutions offer personalized experiences...</p>

  <meta name="author" content="Inna">

  <meta name="date" content="2025-03-27">

</article>

✅ Why HTML?

• Works natively for websites and CMS platforms

• Supports semantic SEO for better search engine visibility

Which Format Should You Use?

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right AI-friendly content format is essential for improving searchability, personalization, and automation in modern CMS platforms. Whether you're leveraging AI for chatbots, knowledge bases, or multimodal content, structuring your CMS data in JSON, JSON-LD, Markdown, XML, or HTML will make it easier for AI models to learn and deliver a better customer experience.

Ready to Optimize Your CMS for AI?

At dotCMS, we’re exploring cutting-edge ways to integrate AI and LLMs into content management. Want to learn more? Let’s connect!