Looking for ways to stay ahead? Here's what we're focused on for our clients right now, and how we're helping them use this season to get ahead instead of fading into the background of those Google and AI searches!
Helping Clients Show Up Better in AI Search
AI search is showing up more and more in how people find local businesses, and the question we keep getting asked is: "Do I need to be doing anything differently to show up well?" For our clients, we make sure a lot is already happening behind the scenes.
Every website we manage includes something called an
llms.txt file - This is a simple, structured description of the business that AI tools can read and understand easily. This covers the bulk of your website including regular pages, blog posts, and e-commerce pages alike, and it updates automatically every time the site is republished. Meta titles, descriptions, and alt text for every photo are already built in too.
Schema markup is another piece of this puzzle. Think of schema as a set of labels attached to your website's content that tags things like your location, phone number, business description, and blog posts. This enables search engines and AI tools to pull accurate information instead of just guessing based on your website content. It's invisible to website visitors, but it's one of the clearest signals you can give a machine trying to understand what your business actually offers.
Keeping a Google Business Profile current plays a huge role here too! The more complete and accurate it stays, the more AI tools are able to confidently answer questions on a business's behalf.
Beyond the technical SEO groundwork, creating real, authentic content makes a big difference:
- Make sure you're updating FAQs with relevant, current questions and thoughtful, specific answers.
- Consider framing your website content as answers to real questions - Instead of a page simply titled "Our Services," something like "What Services Does [Business] Offer in [City]?" gives AI and Google a much clearer, more direct match to what someone actually typed in
- Write blog posts that genuinely answer questions that your potential clients may ask - Rather than generic posts pulled right out of a simple ChatGPT prompt, writing detailed, human-written answers can set a business apart in a way that can be tough for competitors to duplicate.
Why Staying Active Matters Most When Things Slow Down
A website that hasn't been updated in months or a year tells Google and AI tools that there's nothing fun and new worth showing to anyone searching. Businesses that keep making small, consistent updates continue building a picture of being active, current, and worth recommending. In essence, the tortoise so-to-speak always winds the race when it comes to websites.
We always encourage keeping pace with a handful of simple, high-impact habits with our clients during slower seasons. Make sure you are actually scheduling website tuneup time! Consider finally launching a blog that's been sitting on the to-do list, add that new service page, and think about refreshing your branding to match what has actually changed with your business. Keep those FAQs current! The possibilities are endless, and none of these are massive undertakings on their own... But together, they add up to a business that looks alive and ready to be found, while others quietly fall to the second page of search results.
Google's Latest Move: Business Profiles Inside the Gemini App
Google just announced it's adding direct Google Business Profile tools, including something called "Business notebooks", right into the Gemini app. In plain terms, Google's AI assistant can now pull straight from your business's Google profile to answer customer questions directly, rather than just surfacing it in a map listing. It's a strong reminder that profile completeness isn't just a "nice to have" anymore... It's becoming one of the main sources AI tools are leaning on to represent a business accurately. So, if a profile verification has been sitting unfinished on a to-do list somewhere for you, now's the time to persevere! An unverified profile can't take full advantage of any of this.
Feeling Overwhelmed By All of This? That's What We're Here For.
If DIY website editing has started to feel like more of a chore than a win, or if the edits have stopped altogether because you just haven't gotten around to it, you're our people and we totally get it. If the constantly shifting world of SEO and AI search feels like it makes no sense whatsoever, you're just human! We'd love to grab a (metaphorical or literal) hot cup of coffee and talk through what's actually worth prioritizing for your business. The last thing we want to see dying off this season is your marketing!
Keep it Simple,
Allison
