AI Search Is Changing Everything

24 February 2026

For twenty years, the way people found local businesses was simple: they Googled it. But that's changing — fast.

AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's own AI Overviews are fundamentally reshaping how people search. And if your website isn't ready, you risk becoming invisible.

How AI search works differently

Traditional search shows you a list of links. You click through, browse, and decide. AI search is different — it reads websites for you and gives a direct answer.

When someone asks an AI chatbot "best Italian restaurant near me" or "affordable web designer in Manchester", the AI scans the web and assembles a response. It doesn't show ten blue links. It recommends specific businesses.

If your website doesn't have clear, well-structured content that an AI can understand, you simply won't be mentioned.

What AI looks for

AI search tools prioritise websites that:

Have clear, specific content about what you do and where you do it
Use proper headings and structure (not just walls of text)
Load quickly and work well on mobile
Have been recently updated with fresh content
Include genuine reviews, testimonials, and trust signals

Sound familiar? These are the same things that make a website good for humans. The difference is that AI is far less forgiving — it can't "figure out" a messy website the way a patient human might.

Traditional SEO isn't enough

Old-school SEO tricks — keyword stuffing, thin blog posts, link farms — don't work with AI. These tools are designed to understand meaning, not just match keywords.

What works is genuine, helpful content that clearly communicates what your business does, who it's for, and why someone should choose you. AI rewards clarity and substance.

Local businesses are most affected

For local businesses, this shift is especially significant. AI tools increasingly pull from Google Business Profiles, review platforms, and local directories to make recommendations.

If your Google Business Profile is incomplete, your reviews are thin, and your website is outdated, AI tools will recommend your competitors instead.

What to do now

You don't need to become an AI expert. You need a website that's clear, modern, and well-structured — and you need to keep it updated. That's it.

Make sure your site clearly states what you do and where
Keep your Google Business Profile complete and up to date
Add fresh content regularly (blog posts, updates, case studies)
Ensure your site is fast, mobile-friendly, and well-coded

Our Pro Plan includes ongoing AI search optimisation alongside traditional SEO — so you stay visible wherever your customers are searching.