Feeling Behind on AI Search?

Our Strategic Roadmap to Catching Up

The gap between traditional search and AI-driven discovery is widening, leaving many businesses wondering if they’ve already missed the boat. AI search has fundamentally changed the customer journey, moving from short keywords to complex, conversational dialogues. For web-aviso clients, catching up isn’t just about 'optimising' anymore, it’s about ensuring your expertise is readable, citeable, and authoritative enough for AI models to recommend. Here is how to reclaim your digital footprint in the age of the LLM (and there's a free bonus included below too!)

What Is AI Search (and Why It Feels Different)?

AI search uses large language models (LLMs), tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google Gemini, to generate conversational answers rather than a list of blue links. Instead of traditional search > click > skim > compare, people now ask a questions and get a single, synthesised answer, often with source citations.

Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode work in a similar way.They summarise content from multiple sites into an AI‑written answer box, which means many users never leave the results page at all. For brands, this shifts the game from “ranking in SERPs” to“being mentioned, cited and trusted inside AI‑generated answers”.

How Fast Is AI Search Adoption Growing?

According to mean ceo - ChatGPT became the fastest‑growing app in history in 2025, reaching 100 million users in around two months, far quicker than Instagram or TikTok. New AI‑powered search tools and assistants are launching constantly, and mainstream users are learning that a single conversational query often beats multiple traditional searches.

Crucially, AI search has not replaced Google; it has expanded the search landscape. Users now split their questions between classic search, AI assistants and hybrid tools such as AI Overviews, which means your brand presence needs to stretch across both.

Why AI Search Is Taking Off Now

People are overwhelmed by content. AI search offers:

• Direct, 'zero‑click' solution : answers in one place, without ten tabs.[semrush]​
• Conversational refinement : follow‑up questions, clarifications and 'what if?' scenarios that feel natural.
• Actionable output : content drafts, plans, checklists and summaries that slot straight into workflows.

For web‑aviso’s typical clients; growth‑focused SMEs, AI‑curious enterprises and brand‑driven organisations, this is very close to how decision‑makers already think: fast, conversational and outcome‑focused.

How Search Behaviour Is Changing in the AI Era

Search behaviour is shifting from short keywords to longer, conversational prompts. Where the average Google query is only a few words, typical ChatGPT prompts are several times longer and include more context and intent.​

Traditional search relies on users to click, read and synthesise. AI search reads pages (and training data), compares key facts and gives one cohesive answer, with the option to drill further. A prompt like: [I run a small accountancy firm in Liverpool. I need adigital marketing plan that focuses on local SEO, AI search visibility and thought‑leadership, but I only have 6 hours a week. What should I prioritise?] would have been too complex for most 'keyword‑first' SEO. For LLMs, it is normal.

Can AI Search Be Trusted?

AI search results are powerful but not perfect. Models can still hallucinate or misinterpret data, especially for niche topics or rapidly changing information. To improve reliability, platforms are:

• Adding citations and linked sources (Perplexity, AI Overviews, some ChatGPT modes)
• Retraining models frequently to correct reasoning and reduce bias
• Building feedback loops so users can flag inaccuracies​

For your brand, this means being present as a clear, consistent source. That increases the odds that AI gets your story right, and that users can verify it.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO): SEO for AI Answers

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is about optimising for AI‑generated answers, not just classic rankings. While traditional SEO focuses on positions in search results, GEO focuses on:

• How often your brand is mentioned in AI answers
• How prominently it appears when compared to competitors
• How those mentions are framed (expert, affordable, local specialist, etc.)

At web‑aviso, GEO and AI SEO are baked into our AI digital marketing and SEO strategies, helping you grow brand authority in AI, not just in organic search.

What You Can Do to Appear in AI Search?

The good news: you do not need to start again. You need to make your existing footprint more machine‑readable, consistent and authoritative.

Key moves include:

• Tidy your digital footprint for AI
• Use consistent brand, product and service names across your website, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn and key directories.
• Fix conflicting NAP details and keep categories aligned.
• Make content easy for LLMs to cite
• Write human‑first, but use clear headings, semantic HTML and FAQ blocks so models can extract answers cleanly.
• Add FAQ schema to key service and insight pages where appropriate.
• Build trusted signals around your brand
• Earn mentions and backlinks from relevant, high‑trust sites (industry press, partners, communities).
• Publish expert insights that clearly demonstrate experience and judgment, not just recaps.
• Highlight what makes you different
• Emphasise things LLMs can latch onto as reasons to recommend you: local expertise, specialist services, price point, sustainability (for web‑aviso, our solar‑powered office and mix of AI/GEO and publishing is distinctive).
• Keep content crawlable and technically sound.
• Follow technical SEO best practice so your pages are easily parsed and indexed.
• Avoid unnecessary blocks on bots that power AI platforms.

Bonus Download : 12 Step AI Search Optimisation Checklist

This document download features a practical framework for updating your content to win at both traditional SEO and AI Search, including common pitfalls we assist our clients with.

New Metrics That Matter in AI Search

Classic SEO KPIs still matter, but AI search introduces new signals you should watch:

• AI mentions : how often AI tools mention your brand in responses.
• AI visibility / 'share of voice' : how visible you are versus competitors in AI answers for your key topics.
• Sentiment : whether those mentions are positive, neutral or negative and the intent behind them.
• AI‑driven traffic engagement : how users arriving via AI referrals behave (time on site, enquiries, sign‑ups, etc).

These sit alongside your usual rankings, organic traffic and conversion metrics.

How web‑aviso Helps You Catch Up (and Stay Ahead)

web‑aviso, based in Formby near Liverpool, has been helping small and medium sized businesses, individuals and brands navigate search changes since 2004. Today, that includes AI search optimisation, GEO and answer engine optimisation (AEO) alongside SEO, content, design and publishing.

We are NOT simply an SEO agency that has adapted. web-aviso have developed with, and listened to the creative, marketing and communications industries, their technologies and best practice.

For growth‑focused SMEs, AI‑curious enterprises and brand & identity seekers, we can help you:

• Audit how AI tools currently describe and position your brand
• Fix structural issues that limit machine readability and AI access
• Develop content and schema that support zero‑click search strategy and answer‑ready content
• Track AI visibility, mentions and sentiment over time
  

If you are worried that AI search is leaving you behind, now is the time to act. Get in touch with web‑aviso to request an AI Search & GEO Audit and find out how AI currently sees your brand, and where to improve next.

TL;DR : The Quick-Start Guide: 5 Steps to Master AI Search

If you are looking to close the gap between traditional SEO and the new era of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), start here:

• Prioritise Citability: AI models favour verified facts. Structure your data with clear headings, FAQ schemas, and authoritative citations to increase the likelihood of being "quoted" by LLMs like Perplexity and ChatGPT.
• Optimise for 'Conversational' Intent: Shift your keyword strategy from short, 3-word phrases to complex, natural-language queries. Think about the follow-up questions a customer might ask after their initial search.
• Strengthen Your Digital Footprint: AI builds trust through consistency. Ensure your brand’s value proposition, pricing, and expertise are consistent across LinkedIn, industry forums, and your Google Business Profile.
• Target Informational Queries: Since AI Overviews trigger most often for "How-to" and "What is" searches, create high-value educational content that solves a problem in a single, concise paragraph.
• Track New Success Metrics: Don’t just watch your organic traffic. Start measuring your AI Share of Voice and Sentiment, how often (and how favourably) AI search engines are mentioning your brand to users.

AI Search & GEO FAQs

What is AI search, in simple terms?
AI search uses tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to generate conversational answers instead of just listing websites. You ask a question, and the system synthesises information into one response, often with website citations.

Is traditional SEO still worth investing in?
Yes. Studies show Google usage has not fallen since ChatGPT appeared, if anything, it has grown slightly. The goal now is SEO plus AI, making your site visible in both classic SERPs and AI‑generated answers.

How do I know if AI tools already mention my brand?
You can test manually by asking tools like Perplexity or ChatGPT about your brand and services, or use emerging AI visibility tools that scan LLM responses at scale. web‑aviso can do this as part of an AI search audit.

What is the difference between SEO and GEO?
SEO (search engine optimisation) focuses on how you rank in search result pages; GEO (generative engine optimisation) focuses on how often, and how well, you appear inside AI answers. Both rely on quality content, authority and technical soundness.

Does AI search reduce website traffic?
For some informational queries, zero‑click AI answers do mean fewer visits. But brands that feature prominently in AI responses can gain awareness and traffic from LLM referrals, over and above traditional search.

How can I make my content more AI‑friendly withoutruining UX?
Use clear headings, semantic HTML, structured FAQs and schema so LLMs can extract answers, while keeping copy natural and helpful for humans. Good machine‑readablecontent and good UX are compatible.

What tools can I use to measure AI visibility?
New AI visibility and GEO tools can estimate mentions, share of voiceand sentiment across LLMs and AI Overviews. They sit alongside analytics, Google Search Console and your usual SEO stack.

How do I get started if I’m already busy?
You do not need a huge transformation. Start with a focused audit of your key service pages, brand citations and entity consistency, then make a short, prioritised plan. web‑aviso specialises in helping busy teams make practical, staged improvements rather than chasing every shiny AI tool.