As someone who has spent over 20,000 hours immersed in building and ranking websites, I can tell you that there's never been a more exciting time to be in digital marketing, especially if you're a small business. The rise of AI-powered search engines is transforming how people find products and services, creating massive opportunities for those who are prepared.
The Evolution of Search: It's Happening Fast
Every day, I hear the same question from small business owners: "What's happening with all this AI stuff? I'm overwhelmed." And it's understandable. It's moving quickly. We're seeing platforms like Chatgpt, Perplexity, Claude, Notebooklm, and more reshaping how people interact with information online. But here's the truth—these tools aren't replacing traditional search engines. They're overlaying them.
Chatgpt is dipping into Bing. Gemini and Claude crawl Google. These AI systems still depend on standard search engines to pull their data. What this means for us is simple: the fundamentals of SEO still matter. If your website ranks high on Google or Bing, AI overviews are far more likely to pick you up. They're not inventing new rules but building on the old ones.
SEO Isn't Just About Google Anymore
One misconception I encounter is that SEO equals Google. It doesn't. SEO means optimising for any search engine—and now that includes AI engines. When optimising a site, I think about how all platforms interpret and display content. The core strategies remain the same: relevant keywords, fast loading times, user experience, and, above all, valuable content.
The shift we're seeing is in how AI prioritises results. It doesn't want to show users a page that lists more pages. It wants to serve up the final solution. So, if you're a drop-shipper, affiliate, or intermediary site, your days are numbered unless you bring real value. I've already seen affiliate-heavy pages and even big-name publishers like Forbes dive. AI wants to show the actual service provider—the dentist, the builder, the accountant. That's great news for small businesses.
Why Small Businesses Should Be Excited
For local Aussie businesses, this shift is a blessing. The AI revolution is weeding out the fluff and elevating authenticity. Real businesses with real services are now front and centre. If you're visible in standard search, chances are you'll also be visible in AI-generated results.
But you need to hit the basic criteria. Your site has to signal that you're trustworthy and competent. That means an aged domain, strong reviews, relevant backlinks, and content clearly showing expertise. This is classic SEO, but it's now more critical than ever. AI uses these same trust signals to decide whether you're worth showing.
How to Win in This New Era
The way forward is clear: embrace the same strategies that worked in SEO before, but with a greater focus on user intent and authenticity.
Your content needs to answer real questions in a conversational, human tone. Avoid fluff, repetition, and be useful. AI models are tuned to surface helpful content that feels genuine and well-written. Structured data on your site also helps AI interpret your content better, so using schema markup is a smart move.
Also, think about how people talk, not just how they type. Optimising your content for conversational search—questions, natural phrases, and voice searches—can boost your visibility across AI and voice-based platforms.
Authenticity Is the New SEO Currency
Stock images and AI avatars won't cut it anymore. Sites using bland, generic content and imagery are sinking. Real photos, real people, and genuine storytelling make a difference. AI tools are improving at identifying what's real and synthetic. That's why I always tell clients to get in front of the camera, use their voice, and showcase their team. People want to do business with you, not a faceless brand.
Even with the best backlinks in the world, you'll lose rankings if visitors come to your site and don't engage. Google—and by extension AI—monitors how users behave once they land on your site. If you're not meeting their expectations, you'll be pushed down.
Your Voice Deserves to Be Multiplied
This is a golden era for multiplying your brand voice. Social media, content creation, video—all of it adds to your presence. But it has to be done consistently and with purpose. Investing in content creators, video producers, or social media managers can make a real difference. It's about showing up, again and again, with value and personality.
Final Thoughts
AI hasn't changed the rules—it's magnified them. It rewards businesses that are visible, authoritative, and authentic. So instead of being overwhelmed, I'm excited. I'm seeing traffic come in from more sources than ever. Yes, Google is still dominant, and Google Ads are killing it now. But visibility is now multiplying across new platforms—if you're ready.
Let's not panic. Let's pivot. The businesses that understand this shift and lean into it will win.
