Your customers are starting to ask AI assistants the questions they used to type into Google, and the AI often answers without sending anyone to a website. If you rely on search to be found, this changes the game.
What is actually changing
AI Overviews summarize answers at the top of results, and tools like ChatGPT search answer directly. Fewer people click through to the ten blue links, because the answer is right there.
What still gets you found
- Clear, factual content that answers real questions a customer would ask
- Strong structured data so AI can understand who you are and what you do
- An accurate, complete Google Business Profile
- Genuine reviews and consistent business information across the web
The ethical line
There is a temptation to game AI with keyword-stuffed, machine-written filler. It backfires. AI systems increasingly favor trustworthy, specific, human-useful content, which is also what earns real customers.
The businesses that win here are the ones that were already being genuinely helpful. The technology is just changing how that helpfulness gets discovered.
Humphrey MwangiFounder, Drive Technologies
Founder of Drive Technologies and a Director of Technology overseeing IT, fleet, and facilities for a multi-site nonprofit. He writes about managed IT, cybersecurity, healthcare technology, and running technology like a business. His work spans US and Kenya markets.
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