Being Findable Online Just Changed a Little. Here's Your Checklist.
Have you paid attention to search results recently? Not yours, but the results you receive when you search for something. If so, you’ve probably noticed Google summarizes sources to give a quick, general answer before listing any page results. And it doesn’t stop there. People are turning to their AI of choice to get immediate answers without having to sort through all the noise that a general search sometimes provides.
That means artificial intelligence is now deciding what’s valuable and what isn’t.
Whether someone asks ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, or another AI assistant for the best accountant, florist, restaurant, or marketing consultant in town, those tools don’t simply pull answers from one website. They compare information from dozens of sources, looking for consistency, authority, and clarity before deciding what to recommend.
Before you start lamenting you’ll never be found, know that many of the most effective strategies are things you can do for yourself.
1.Make Sure AI Can Find Your Website
It sounds obvious, but many businesses assume if their website can be found by Google, AI tools can easily access it too.That’s not always the case.
Search tools rely on discovering and understanding your website before they can reference it. If your site has technical issues, pages that aren’t being indexed, or settings that prevent automated systems from accessing your content, you could be invisible without realizing it.
You don’t need to become a web developer, but it’s worth using free website auditing tools to identify obvious problems.
If your website platform offers an SEO dashboard, spend a few minutes reviewing any warnings. (Watch a YouTube video if you’re unsure on how to use it.)
Also make sure you’ve submitted your sitemap through the major search engine webmaster tools so new pages are discovered quicker.
Before your business can be recommended, it must be invited into the conversation.
2.Keep Business Information Consistent
Imagine asking five people for directions and getting five different addresses. You wouldn’t know where to go or which directions to follow. That’s essentially what happens when AI encounters conflicting information about your business.If your website lists one phone number, a business directory lists another, and an old social media profile still has last year’s address, AI must decide which information is correct. Your website doesn’t automatically win the argument.
Take time to review your business listings across the web. Check your:
- Google Business Profile
- Bing Places listing
- Chamber directory
- Industry directories
- Social media profiles
- Local business listings
It also helps to search for your business name online occasionally. You may discover outdated articles, old directory listings, or mentions with incorrect information that you can request to have updated.
3.Make Your Best Information Easy to Find
You know your products and services so well that you may be accidentally hiding the answers customers are looking for.If someone lands on your website, can they immediately understand:
- What you do and where?
- Who you help?
- What makes you different?
- How to contact you?
You can do this by adhering to the following:
Instead of burying important details in long paragraphs, organize your pages with clear headings and short sections.
Answer common customer questions directly. Include pricing ranges when appropriate. Explain your services in plain language rather than relying on industry jargon. This is why so many sites use FAQs.
A well-organized page isn’t just easier for visitors to read. It’s also easier for AI to understand and reference.
4.Become Known for Something
Stop trying to appeal to everyone. The riches are in the niches.The internet already has millions of articles about general business topics (partly due to the increase in AI-generated content). Competing with them is nearly impossible, nor do you want to.
Instead, lean into your expertise whatever that may be. For example:
If you’re a landscaping company, become the local authority on drought-tolerant yards. If you’re a CPA, maybe you can specialize in helping first-time business owners understand taxes. If you’re a wealth advisor, you might become the expert in helping families set up trusts for their medically dependent adult children. Or your bakery might become the place for custom gluten-free cakes.
The more specific your expertise, the easier it becomes for search engines, AI tools, and potential customers to recognize when you’re the right answer.
Specific beats generic almost every time.
5.Keep Your Website Fresh
An outdated website sends the wrong message. If your newest blog post is from three years ago, your last event on the calendar happened in 2022, or you’re still advertising products you no longer offer, AI may question your validity.If you can, publish new content on a consistent basis. But if you’re short on time make small changes such as updating service pages, adding recent projects, refreshing staff photos, or answering new customer questions. These updates can demonstrate that your business is active and engaged.
Fresh, accurate information gives both customers and AI greater confidence in recommending your business.
Small Website Improvements Add Up
Many business owners assume improving their online visibility requires hiring an SEO agency. While professional help certainly has its place, the fundamentals remain surprisingly achievable.A website that’s easy to understand, consistent business information across the web, clear organization, focused expertise, and regularly updated content all help build credibility with both people and AI.
These days you’re writing for the “Bobs” as well as the bots. Both are critical to your ability to get found. So stop blindly throwing money at search and start getting clear on who you help, where, why, and how. Everyone will appreciate the new-found simplicity.
