Since the dawn of the internet, businesses have battled for the top spots on search engines like Google and Bing. These search giants have built their empires by offering paid search to businesses that want to have prime position in results and boast outstanding SEO.
In today’s search environment, average users are rarely clicking past the first page of results when seeking information online. When it comes to high-traffic keywords, being stuck on page two can often be a revenue death sentence for businesses and services. The search game has increasingly become pay-to-play for prime visibility, though exceptional organic SEO can still compete for traffic.
However, AI is quickly changing the way people are finding the information they need. Search giants are racing into a new arena, AI-powered search, but not without new competition. Tools like ChatGPT Search, Microsoft Copilot (Bing), Google Gemini, Grok, and many more are all vying to become the next dominant search platform.
Users are beginning to transition from the traditional browser search to using these AI Large Language Models. After all, AI offers users what we can never get back: time. Asking a question and receiving an answer in seconds from AI reduces the time spent navigating results and researching websites.
A Shift in SEO?
So if users are moving away from conventional search engines and beginning to find their answers from AI, then how will they get to your website?
The good news is that most SEO tactics, like focusing on keywords, website load speed, and mobile friendliness, will still apply. AI Large Language Models still prefer to pull their information from reputable sources, which include highly ranked sites. Google’s system follows a set of guidelines called E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to assess a site’s credibility. Continuing to follow these standards will help set the foundation that makes your site a go-to for both human users and AI.
But along with following the more well-established SEO strategies, businesses must also consider: what questions will my potential consumers ask AI and how can I provide them with the best answer online?
Users are not looking for long drawn-out answers that are hard to understand. They want simple, straight-to-the-point, easy-to-digest, truthful information to fit into their fast-paced lifestyles. By anticipating your potential visitors’ questions and having clear and concise copy to address them, AI will be more likely to use your website as a source and potential customers will continue to find your business.
The Future of Search
For the foreseeable future, we expect web searches to involve a combination of both search engines and AI. When a user wants a quick summary, then AI will likely be the top choice. But for deep research or transactional service, users will continue to use traditional search engines.
How will your business’s digital strategy evolve to include AI? Finding the right digital strategy that fits your business needs is exactly what The Jakes Group excels at, and we are standing by to take your business to the next level. Contact us today to get started.