How to get your business found on Google and AI search
First things first: getting found on Google takes time. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) isn't something you do today and see results from tomorrow. And now, there's another acronym worth knowing: AEO (Answer Engine Optimization).
SEO helps people find your website through traditional search results. AEO focuses on helping your content get discovered and used by answer engines, including AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Claude.
The good news? Many of the same strategies help with both. The goal is to make it easy for people to find your business, understand what you do, and recognize why you're the right choice.
Here are five things you can start doing today to improve your online visibility.
STEP 1
Set up your Google Business Profile
If your business serves a local area, this is a must. Your Google Business Profile helps your business appear in Google Search and Maps when people look for relevant services nearby. Add your business category, website, contact information, hours, services, and photos. Keep everything accurate and up to date, and encourage happy clients to leave honest reviews. Respond to reviews, too. A complete profile helps potential customers learn about your business and builds trust before they even visit your website.
STEP 2
Use the words your customers are searching for
Think about what someone would actually type into Google when looking for a business like yours. These are your keywords. For example, a branding studio in South Florida might target phrases like “branding agency Fort Lauderdale,” “brand identity design,” or “website design for professional services.” Use relevant phrases naturally in your page titles, main headings, website copy, and blog posts. Make sure your service pages clearly explain what you do, who you help, and where you work if location is relevant. This also helps with AEO. When your website clearly describes your services and expertise, AI-powered tools can more easily understand what your business offers and determine whether it's relevant to someone's question. You don't need to repeat keywords endlessly. Write clearly and naturally for your audience.
STEP 3
Create helpful content that answers real questions
Your website shouldn't just tell people what you sell. It should answer the questions they have before deciding to work with you. What does your process look like? How much does your service cost? How do people know when they need what you offer? What should they consider before hiring someone in your industry? Create blog posts, FAQs, case studies, and service pages that answer these questions with useful, specific information. Include your own experience, examples, and perspective rather than repeating the same generic advice found everywhere else. This is especially important for AEO because people increasingly use AI tools to ask detailed questions, research businesses, and compare options. Clear answers and genuinely useful expertise make your content more relevant to these searches, although there's no guarantee that an AI tool will reference your website.
STEP 4
Make your website easy to navigate and understand
A beautiful website is great, but people and search engines need to understand what's on it. Make sure your website works well on mobile, loads efficiently, has clear navigation, and uses descriptive page titles and headings. Link related pages together so visitors can explore your services and search engines can discover your content. Use clear, descriptive language instead of relying on clever headlines alone. For example, “Your Next Chapter Starts Here” might look great, but pairing it with “Branding and Website Design for Established Businesses” immediately explains what you do. You should also set up Google Search Console. It's a free tool that helps you monitor your search performance, see which queries bring people to your website, and identify potential indexing issues.
STEP 5
Build credibility beyond your website
Your website is important, but it's not the only place people discover and evaluate businesses. Keep your business information consistent across relevant directories and professional profiles. Share useful expertise, publish case studies, participate in your industry, and build genuine relationships that may lead to mentions and links from reputable websites. This broader online presence can also support AEO. AI-powered tools may draw on information from multiple sources when answering questions about businesses, services, and industries. Make sure your expertise, services, and business details are represented accurately wherever you have a legitimate presence. Don't chase random backlinks, buy fake reviews, or try to manufacture mentions just to appear in AI answers. Focus on building a credible business with useful information that people genuinely want to reference.
A FINAL NOTE ABOUT PAID ADS
Don't rush into paying for digital ads as soon as you launch
When you're first launching, you may not yet know exactly who your ideal customers are, which offers resonate with them, or how to communicate your value effectively. Give yourself time to test your messaging, understand your audience, and establish consistent sales before investing in paid advertising. Ideally, spend 6–12 months learning what works before bringing in a digital marketing agency to help you develop a paid advertising strategy. The goal is to invest in ads when you have a clear understanding of your audience, a proven offer, and a message that converts, rather than paying to figure those things out.
in summary
Getting found online means thinking beyond traditional Google rankings. SEO and AEO work toward the same bigger goal: helping the right people discover your business and understand why you're worth considering. Start with the fundamentals, create content that demonstrates your expertise, and keep improving your website over time.