For a long time, finding a local business online has usually started in the same place: Google. Whether you needed a plumber, accountant, solicitor or web designer, you'd type a few words into the search box, look through the results and decide who to contact.
Google is still hugely important, particularly for local businesses, but the way we search online is starting to change. AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT can now search the web, answer questions and point people towards relevant sources. Google is also bringing more AI into its own search experience.
It means people can search in a much more conversational way. Instead of simply typing “web designer Exeter”, someone might ask, “Can you recommend a web designer in Exeter who works with small businesses?” They might then ask what they should expect to pay, what to look for when choosing one, or how long a new website normally takes.
So, does every small business suddenly need an ‘AI search strategy’? I don't think so. But it does make it worth thinking about whether your website gives people, search engines and newer AI-powered search tools a clear picture of who you are and what you do.
Good SEO still matters
With so much being said about AI, you'd be forgiven for thinking traditional search is about to disappear. That's certainly not the case.
Google remains an incredibly important way for people to find local businesses, and the fundamentals of good SEO haven't suddenly stopped mattering. In fact, Google's own guidance says that its existing SEO best practices remain relevant to its generative AI search features.
I'd therefore look at AI search as another way someone might discover or research your business, rather than a replacement for Google.
The reassuring part is that you don't need to completely rethink your website. Many of the things that make a website useful for customers and search engines – clear information, helpful content, good structure and accurate details – also put you in a sensible position as AI-powered search continues to develop.
Make it clear what you actually do
This sounds incredibly obvious, but it's something I see quite regularly when looking at business websites.
You land on the homepage and you're greeted with a lovely image and a headline such as “Helping you achieve your goals” or “Quality you can trust”. It might sound good, but you're still left wondering what the company actually does.
Compare that with something like “Independent mortgage advice for homebuyers across Exeter and East Devon”. Within a few seconds you understand the service, the customer and the location.
Your website should make it easy to establish what you do, who you help, where you're based and the areas you cover. Your individual service pages can then go into more detail about what you offer and what someone can expect if they choose to work with you.
This isn't about squeezing keywords or the names of every town you cover into every paragraph. It's simply about being clear. That's better for someone visiting your website and gives search platforms more useful context about your business too.
Answer the questions your customers genuinely ask
One of the best places to find ideas for website content isn't a keyword tool. It's the conversations you're already having with your customers.
Think about the questions you answer regularly. How much does something cost? How long will it take? Do you cover my area? What's included? What's the difference between two services? What happens after I make an enquiry?
If you're being asked the same question again and again, there's a good chance it's worth answering somewhere on your website.
Some answers might belong on a service page or in an FAQ section. Others might deserve a full blog article of their own. You're not creating content simply to fill space or please an algorithm; you're answering questions that genuine potential customers want answered.
This has always been useful for SEO, but conversational and AI-powered search makes it even more relevant. People can now ask much more specific questions rather than relying on two or three keywords, so having useful, detailed information on your website gives them more to discover.
That doesn't mean producing hundreds of articles for the sake of it. I'd much rather see a smaller number of genuinely useful pages than lots of thin content written purely because somebody said you needed to publish more.
Give people a reason to trust what they find
Getting somebody onto your website is only part of the job. They still need to decide whether they want to contact you.
That's where the human side of a website becomes really important.
Reviews, testimonials, case studies, examples of previous work, relevant accreditations and real photographs can all help someone build a picture of your business. If you've been doing what you do for 20 years, say so. If you've helped a customer solve an interesting problem, turn it into a case study. If your customers regularly praise a particular part of your service, show those reviews.
Anyone can write “we provide excellent customer service” on a website. Genuine evidence is much more convincing.
It's also worth making sure this information is current. Businesses evolve, services change, teams grow and the type of customer you want to attract can change too. A website written four or five years ago may no longer properly represent the business you're running today.
I normally suggest looking through your main website pages every few months. You don't necessarily need to change anything, but it's worth checking that the information is still accurate and that you'd be happy for a potential customer to make a decision based on it.
There's a technical side to AI search too
There is one slightly more technical point that's worth knowing about.
Search engines and AI search services use automated crawlers to discover and access website content. OpenAI, for example, uses a crawler called OAI-SearchBot for ChatGPT Search. For website content to be eligible for inclusion in ChatGPT search summaries and snippets, OpenAI says that OAI-SearchBot shouldn't be blocked.
For most small business owners, this isn't something I'd suggest losing sleep over. It's the sort of technical detail your website provider should be aware of.
It's also important to understand what it doesn't mean. Allowing a search crawler to access your website doesn't guarantee that your business will appear when someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation. OpenAI makes it clear that placement in ChatGPT Search isn't guaranteed.
I'd therefore be wary of anyone promising to get your business to “number one on ChatGPT” or guaranteeing that you'll appear whenever someone asks for a particular service. There isn't a magic switch that makes that happen.
Do you need to optimise your website for AI search?
You may already have come across terms such as AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) or GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation). As AI search develops, we're likely to hear much more about them.
There are useful ideas behind some of this, but I wouldn't let the terminology distract you from the fundamentals.
Your website should primarily be written for people. Explain what you do in plain English. Answer the questions customers genuinely have. Make your services easy to understand. Keep your information accurate. Show evidence of your experience and make it obvious how somebody can contact you.
The technical basics matter too. Your website should work properly on mobile, load reasonably quickly, be easy to navigate and be accessible to the search platforms you want to be discovered through.
None of that is particularly revolutionary, and that's really the point.
Whenever something changes in digital marketing, there's a temptation to think we need to throw away everything we've been doing and start again. Usually, we don't. Good websites have always been about making it easy for people to find the information they need and giving them enough confidence to take the next step.
AI search doesn't change that.
What does this mean for a small business in Devon?
If you run a local business in Devon, I wouldn't be panicking about AI search. I would, however, use it as another reason to make sure your online presence properly represents your business.
Have a look at your website from the perspective of somebody who has never heard of you. Is it obvious what you do and where you work? Can they understand your main services without having to hunt around? Do you answer the questions they're likely to have? Is there evidence that you're a genuine, experienced business? And when they're ready, is it obvious how to get in touch?
Ultimately, the questions potential customers have haven't really changed. They want to know whether you can help them, whether you work in their area, whether they can trust you, what's involved and what they need to do next.
The technology they use to find those answers will continue to evolve. Google will change, AI search will develop and there will undoubtedly be something else for businesses to think about further down the line.
But if your website is genuinely useful, clear, trustworthy and up to date, you're starting from a strong position.
At it’seeze Web Design Exeter, I work with businesses across Exeter and Devon to create professional websites that make it easy for potential customers to understand what the business does and why they should get in touch.
If you're wondering whether your current website is doing that effectively, I'm always happy to take a look and share a few straightforward thoughts.
No jargon and no hard sell. Just a fresh pair of eyes.
Share this post: