It’s true. The digital landscape is changing. And with the rise of AI, many business owners—and their marketing agencies—are wondering what this means for their online presence.

Will traditional SEO services remain relevant? How can I continue to win leads with my current website? Do I need to rebuild my digital marketing strategy from scratch?

Questions like these can certainly feel overwhelming. But here’s the good news. The rise of AI won’t be apocalyptic for your business. In fact, as a new research tool, AI-driven results can actually position your business as a trusted authority… so long as you mind a few guidelines for presenting your online content.

So if you’re ready to stand out in the AI age, keep reading. It’s probably easier than you think.

What is Search Engine Optimization (and Why Should I Care)?

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to the strategies writers, marketers, and web developers use to get your website to the top of Google search results. With a higher search ranking, users are more likely to click through to your site and, in doing so, learn about your products, services, and unique offerings.

How is AI Changing SEO Services for Small Businesses?

The goal of traditional SEO services was directing users away from Google and onto your site. However, AI overviews are changing the game, and through something called zero-click searches, online website clicks are down across the board.

That’s because AI overviews answer questions right on the results page—preventing a growing number of users from exploring top-ranking sites. What this means is for your business is that even with a high-ranked site, you can expect to see fewer click-throughs in the coming years.

However, all is not lost. And while website clicks are down, traditional SEO practices still work. The key to leveraging those tactics with the rising popularity of AI is structuring your content in a way that AI tools can easily quote and cite your website when generating answers.

Here’s how.

Four Steps for Creating Quotable Content AI Tools Love

With click-through rates declining, the ticket to more online leads is no longer ranking for keywords, but rather becoming a trusted source AI tools draw from and quote.

This practice is called answer engine optimization (AEO). Fortunately, AEO is not black magic or witchcraft—and structuring your content in an AI-friendly way is simple. Simply follow the steps below, and then let the robots handle the rest.

1. Answer Real Questions from Real Customers

AI tools are often used to answer user questions. To give your content the best chance of being cited as a source for those queries, break up your content using questions as subheadings, and then answer those questions directly in the paragraphs that follow.

Organizing your content into bite-sized chunks like this makes your writing skimmable, quotable for AI tools, and—more importantly—helpful to readers on your site. 

2. Keep Your Answers Short, Sweet, and to the Point

If you want your content pulled for AI search results, digestibility is key. 

So skip the fluff, keyword bloat, and fancy language. Instead, focus on answering subheading questions directly using short sentences, short paragraphs (2-4 sentences), and bullet points.

3. Establish (and Share) Your Business’s Authority

As with selling to real-life customers, AI needs to know your business can be used as a trusted resource.

Here are a few ways to establish your business’s authority:

• Publish lots of helpful content on your website
• Quote unique case studies and original data
• Include your title, credentials, or years of experience
• Tell stories and share customer testimonials
• Include quotations from reputable experts
• Build glossary, definition, and FAQ pages

It’s best practice to include a bit of authority on every piece of communication you put out. That being said, don’t flood the page with your credentials. Just let the reader know you’re legit, and keep the focus on developing helpful content.

4. Focus on Creating Content for People 

While tips 1-3 will make your content more AI-friendly, what’s even more important is this: 

It makes your content more helpful for people.

Have you noticed how the use of subheadings (many are questions), short answers, and bullet points makes this article easy to skim and find what you’re looking for? That’s what you want. Readability. So forget about the robots…

Do it for the people.

How to Write Content Customers Are Interested In

The above formatting guidelines won’t make a lick of difference to your pipeline if your articles aren’t interesting and relevant to your clients.

Here’s how to write articles your customers are happy to read:

1. Write down questions real-life customers ask about your service—then answer them in an article or online FAQ
2. Explore online tools like alsoasked.com for additional questions online users ask related to your subject matter
3. Employ SEO keyword research to come up with content ideas tailored to your local customers and marketplace

Following these steps will keep your content useful, down-to-earth, and in line with what your clients actually want to know.

And finally, there’s one more thing to consider…

Does Human-Written Content Still Matter?

It can be tempting to rely on tools like ChatGPT for filling your site with written content. And why not? These generative AI programs can pump out thousands of words in seconds that include relevant keywords to your industry. And, at first glance, the results can look pretty good.

However, after monkeying around with these AI writing tools since early 2023, I (the author of this article) can say with full assurance that real humans write better.

So while the machines and robots may one day take over our civilizations, they still aren’t able to replicate the intuition, humor, brand voice, and warmth of an experienced writer. Plus, in my most humble opinion, the writing stinks. And even if you don’t fancy yourself a capable author, know this…

You can still relate your tried-and-true experience in simple language that customers appreciate. And if you still don’t want to write it yourself, finding a capable professional is easy.

A Gameplan for Winning Leads in the AI Era

Even with the rise of zero-click search, your site can still win leads through organic search traffic. 

The key is shifting your focus from keyword rankings to becoming a trusted source for AI tools to draw from. This shift not only makes your content more discoverable but also more digestible and helpful to human readers.

So if you’re ready to win more leads—and enjoy a stable business—reach out to Integro Marketing today. Our team is ready to help you with marketing services in Lancaster County (i.e., branding, digital ads, website development), SEO and AEO services, small business marketing consulting, and more. 

Because here’s the deal: great marketing isn’t voodoo or rocket science. You just need a teammate who’s knowledgeable and ready to take your company to the next level. So don’t let the opportunities in our changing digital landscape pass you by.

Join the rest of our happy clients gaining traction with their online presence every day.