By Dave Yonkman
How do you vet companies with which you might do business?
If you’re anything like 90% of buyers, you turn to an online search engine like Google.
For the past 20 years you wanted to place the right words on your website and in your marketing so search engines find and feature your company. Commonly called Search Engine Optimization (SEO), it gets you found by people looking for your solutions to their specific problems.
The process of getting noticed by customers is undergoing a seismic shift as consumers start using artificial intelligence (AI). They leverage ChatGPT, Claude and Llama for text and data these days.
AI influences their purchasing decisions, with 12% of buyers now asking it to suggest the best products and services in their category.
You need to get your company on that list to stay in the game.
The number of users on AI platforms will continue to grow quickly. It only took 5 days for ChatGPT to reach 100 million users (currently 180 million users). It took TikTok 9 months to get there.
Usage will increase as the technology improves and its information becomes more recent and reliable.
Not all content created by AI is helpful. Too many people ask it to write finished copy for marketing material like blog posts, website descriptions and press releases that they pass off as their own.
It often contains little valuable information or original thought. It’s like serving your customers a hot dog when they ordered steak, and claiming it’s the same.
Google recognized the problem, and in 2024 it went into overdrive on delisting websites from its search results that publish unhelpful and unoriginal content.
As a result, demand for original and authentic information has never been greater. It gives you new opportunities to define your business and get in front of the customers you want.
How do you create content that search engines will find when AI requests it?
Glad you asked.
Here are 5 proven strategies to strengthen your online presence.
1. Optimize your website for search engines.
You want customers on your website. It’s where your Calls to Action and order forms for your products and services lie.
Is your website optimized for mobile devices? How quickly does it load? Did you structure the data correctly? These things matter to search engines.
Place your keywords – the words most commonly used by your business and industry – throughout all of your content to improve your SEO.
Research Google Trends or Moz to find trending keywords that work for you.
Describe photos with your keywords, in product information and in Frequently Asked Questions.
Publish high-quality and original articles related to your industry regularly on your company blog. 250 words or less often works fine.
Buyers want informative websites they can navigate easily. They will quickly bounce to a competitor if yours falls short.
2. Earn news media coverage.
Research news media that cover your industry. Send reporters, producers and editors the latest information about your company. They want to know about your products, changes in leadership and milestones.
They won’t write about everything you send them but they want to know what’s happening. Become a trusted resource. Send helpful news tips to them even when they’re not about your business. Be accessible and responsive when they’re on a tight deadline.
You can even earn yourself the benefit of the doubt should any malcontent attempt to publicly harm your reputation.
Use your keywords in all of your communications with members of the news media. They will naturally adopt your language when they write about you, which results in more traffic to your website.
Nothing builds trust with search engines and your customers more than reputable, disinterested third-party news coverage of your company.
3. AIs will scan reviews.
How many stars have you earned on Google? Are clients leaving satisfied reviews?
Buyers want to know about the experiences others have had with your products and services.
To get testimonials, you only need to ask for them. Send your clients an email with a link to the site where you would like them to post a brief comment on their experience. Provide a link to testimonials on your website to inspire them. You can even write a sample for them.
Also, search for online journals that publish “Top 10” and “Best of” type lists. Submit your offerings. You never know if they will include you in their next list.
AI and search engines want to know how others perceive you. Not only what you tell them.
4. Don’t forget social media.
Has anyone mentioned you on LinkedIn or X lately? How many followers do you have on the platforms? Do you update your accounts regularly?
Social media matters. Consumers want to hear directly from you. They also want to know about the authentic experiences of others with your company. They know you wouldn’t post a negative testimonial on your own website if one even existed.
Social media provides platforms for direct interaction with your customers and influencers who talk about your industry.
Give people something to talk about. Start conversations on how you’re adapting to industry trends that will make their lives easier. How does your product or service solve their problems?
MoonPie launched its #MoonPieToTheMoon2024 social media petition asking NASA to send one of its treats to outer space on the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The humor resonated well with consumers and revived a dormant convenience store pastry.
You never know what will go viral.
Popeyes got its chicken sandwich into the public consciousness simply by posting a photo of it on Twitter. Chick-fil-A responded directly with a Tweet about the superiority of its “original” chicken sandwich, even drawing Wendy’s into the debate.
5. Show up in real life too!
Woody Allen famously said that 80% of success in life is just showing up. That’s true of your social media and blog content as well.
Take photos at networking and awards events. Shoot videos of product demonstrations at trade shows. Interview an employee to give them recognition. Find speaking opportunities that allow company leaders to share their expertise.
Tag people in your posts on social media and say something kind about their work.
It all influences how AI learns about you.
Large corporations are already integrating AI into their operations.
Chinese company Alibaba uses AI to predict products their consumers might order next. Amazon uses predictive analytics to send customers products before they even buy them.
Leverage every tool available to you to get recognized by AI so you become recognized as a leader in your field.
Create authentic content, engage your audience and leverage the latest SEO strategies. You’ll prepare your company to succeed in the era of AI and beyond.