The new way of being found (in ChatGPT and beyond)

Imagine this: a potential customer is sitting on the sofa at night with a question you have the answer to. Instead of going 'Googling' and scrolling through a list of ads, this customer opens an AI assistant like ChatGPT or uses the new voice feature on a phone.

The question is simple: "Who can help me with [your service] near [your city]?"

The assistant immediately replies, "Based on reviews and recent information, [Your Company] is an excellent choice. They are known for their expertise in..."

The big question for you as an entrepreneur is: Is your company in that answer, or will you be skipped?

<>The shift: From 'finding' to 'being recommended'

For years, the formula for success online was simple: you put the right keywords in your website and Google would hopefully put you on the first page. We called this SEO. But the world has changed. We are moving from a time when people search themselves, to a time when AI systems select on behalf of the customer.

AI models behave like a critical, digital advisor. They scan the entire internet, filtering out the noise and giving the user only the most relevant suggestions. This means that being 'somewhere online' is no longer enough. You have to be recognised by the AI as the trusted authority.

<>Why most websites are still 'invisible' to AI now

Whether you have a WordPress or Joomla website, chances are your site is built for human eyes. That makes sense, but AI systems look at things differently. They have to dig through mountains of technical code to find the core of your message.

Imagine you need a mechanic for an urgent job. You call a company, but you first get a menu of 10 questions, then you are transferred three times and finally you get someone on the line who just talks in technical jargon without answering your question. What do you do? You hang up and call the next person who does answer immediately and says: "I understand, I'll be there in an hour".

An AI assistant is that customer in a hurry. If your website is a technical menu that the AI has to wrestle through to get to the heart of the matter, it loses patience. Instead of looking further, it simply advises the user to go to the competitor who already has his answers ready 'at the front door'. The AI chooses the path of least resistance, every time.

<>How do you make sure you join again?

The good news is that you don't have to be a techie to solve this. It's about a smart combination of strategy and the right settings. Here are three pillars that will determine whether you will soon be found:

1. Speak your customer's language (literally)

People ask AI complete questions. Make sure your website consists not just of loose slogans, but of clear answers. Think about the top 10 questions your customers ask you every day and make sure the answers to them are prominent on your site.

2. Your brand is bigger than your website alone

AI models don't just get their wisdom from your site. They also look at what others are saying about you on social media, in Google reviews and on key industry websites. A consistent web presence ensures that the AI recognises "patterns": "Hey, this company is mentioned everywhere as the expert, this is a safe recommendation."

3. Make it easy for the digital assistant

Technology plays a role in the background. There are ways to set up your website (be it Joomla or WordPress) so that AI models instantly see the gist of your text, without the technical ballast. This ensures that your information is included faster and more often in the answers people get every day.

<>The fear of missing the boat

I speak to many entrepreneurs who feel that the old way of marketing is becoming less effective. They sometimes see their visitor numbers from Google slowly declining. This is not because there are fewer customers, but because the route to your business has changed.

If you don't invest in your "AI visibility" now, you run the risk that in a year's time, you will simply no longer exist in your client's digital world. Not because your work is not good, but because the technology that makes the choices simply does not "see" you.

<>Ready for the next step?

The new way of searching offers huge opportunities for SMEs in particular. You don't have to have the biggest budget to win; you have to be the smartest source of information.

Whether you have a WordPress or Joomla website, I am happy to help you translate from the 'old' search engine to the new world of AI assistants. Together, we look at your content, your online reputation and the technical basis of your site. No complicated jargon, just a down-to-earth plan that ensures your business gets mentioned when the customer asks for it.