It’s 9:40 on a Tuesday night. The managing partner of a 25-person accounting firm has just lost another afternoon to a server that refuses to cooperate. She’s done. So she picks up her phone and, instead of typing “IT support New Jersey” the way she might have a few years ago, she asks a full question:
“How do I choose an IT company for a 25-person accounting firm in northern New Jersey?”
Within seconds, she has an answer. A summary of what to look for. A few smart questions to ask. And a handful of links to the companies whose websites helped shape that answer.
Is yours one of them?
That scenario is behind a question we hear from small business owners all the time: With AI changing how people search, does SEO even matter anymore?
It does. And here’s the good news: the work that helps customers find you in traditional search is the same work that gives you a shot at showing up in AI answers. You don’t need two strategies. You need one good one.
AI didn’t change the rules. It raised the bar.
When someone asks an AI tool a real question, they aren’t looking for ten blue links. They want an explanation, a comparison, something that helps them make a decision. Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode pull information from multiple web pages and link to the sources behind it.
So how do you become one of those sources? According to Google, there’s no secret handshake and no special AI code. The same SEO fundamentals apply. Your pages need to be indexed and eligible to appear in search with a snippet before they can be considered as a supporting link.
In other words, the basics aren’t “basic” anymore. They’re your ticket in.
At MarketShare we’re revisiting our clients’ websites and SEO strategies, page by page, to make sure they’re ready for the way people search today. We don’t believe in “set it and forget it” marketing. When search changes, our clients shouldn’t have to wonder whether they’re keeping up. That’s our job.
A word of honesty: every AI platform works a little differently, and no one (including us) can guarantee your business will be mentioned or recommended. Be wary of anyone who promises otherwise. What clear, useful, well-organized information does give you is the strongest possible foundation, however search continues to evolve.
Stop trying to be found by everyone
Quick test. Which of these makes you stop and pay attention?
“Business consultant.”
“Succession planning consultant for family-owned manufacturers.”
The first describes thousands of companies. The second sounds like it was written for one particular person, and if you’re that person, you’re already reaching for the phone.
Getting specific can feel like turning business away. It isn’t. It’s making it easy for the right people to recognize you. That’s true whether you design kitchens, prepare taxes, or keep computer networks running. Get clear on three things: your most valuable services, the customers who need them most, and the areas you serve. Then make sure your website says so, plainly.
Before you write another blog, fix the pages you already have
It’s tempting to believe the answer is more content. Usually, it’s better content, starting with the pages already on your site.
Pull up your main service pages and read them the way a stranger would. Do they explain what you do, who you help, and why someone should choose you over the next name in the results? Do they answer the questions people ask before they buy? Is it obvious what to do next?
If you hesitated on any of those, that’s your starting point. Choose your homepage and your two or three most important products or services, and give each one:
- A descriptive page title and a clear headline
- Genuinely helpful information, not just a list of what you offer
- An easy, obvious way to contact you
- An accurate meta description that gives searchers a reason to click
Then ask your developer for a quick technical check-up. Can search engines access the pages? Does important information appear as real, readable text rather than being locked inside images? Does the site work just as comfortably on a phone as on a desktop? Are related pages linked, so a visitor can move naturally from “What is this?” to “I need this”?
None of this is glamorous. All of it matters.
Your best blog topic is sitting in your inbox
You already know what your next article should be about. It’s the question you answered twice last week.
What does this cost? How long will it take? When should I call a professional instead of doing it myself? What mistakes should I avoid? Can you actually solve my problem?
Your customers are asking those questions. So are their colleagues and neighbors, and now AI tools are asking them on their behalf. Every one you answer well on your website is another chance to be the business that shows up with the answer.
The format is simple. Use the question as your heading. Give a straight answer right away, then the details that matter. Share a real example or walk through how you handle it. Put a name and a face behind the advice, and keep it up to date. That’s good writing for people, and it happens to be exactly the kind of organization search engines appreciate.
Don’t let an old phone number cost you a customer
It sounds minor. It isn’t. If your business qualifies for a Google Business Profile, keep your services, hours, contact information, and website link accurate. Then make sure those same details match across your website and other business listings. An old address here and a second phone number there can confuse search engines, and customers, too.
And ask for reviews. Honest ones, from real customers. Add genuine testimonials and case studies so prospects can see your work through someone else’s eyes. Nothing you say about yourself is as convincing as what a happy client says about you.
Make every good idea work overtime
You put real thought into that article. Don’t let it sit quietly on your website. Turn it into an email. Pull out a few social posts. Record a short video. Send it to a prospect when the topic comes up in conversation. A manageable, consistent approach gives your best thinking more chances to reach someone who needs it.
Then pay attention to what actually brings in business. Ask new prospects how they found you. Track inquiries and appointments, including referrals from AI tools when your analytics can identify them. Notice which topics attract the people who need what you sell. That becomes your roadmap for what to do next.
The bottom line
Focused SEO still takes effort, and in a competitive market it may call for a bigger investment. But you don’t have to do everything at once. Start with your most important pages and your customers’ most pressing questions. That alone puts you ahead of a lot of your competition.
Wondering about your own site? Send us your web address (url), and we’ll tell you the first three things we’d change: info@marketsharecomm.com.
At MarketShare, we help businesses connect their website, content, email, and social activity to a practical growth plan—including how they can be found as search changes.
Ready to stop being the best-kept secret? Let’s talk about where your next customers could come from.
Source
Google Search Central — AI features and your website