How do you get your business found on Google and in AI search?
Search has changed faster in the last two years than in the decade before. Google now answers many questions with AI Overviews and AI Mode, and more people ask assistants like ChatGPT and Claude for recommendations. The good news for a small business is that the fundamentals have not changed. They matter more.
What Google says, in its own words
Google's documentation on AI features is unusually direct. It says there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and no special optimizations necessary. You do not need new machine-readable files or special markup. What it asks for is what it has always asked for: helpful, reliable content written for people, on a site it can crawl, with structured data that matches what is on the page.
One page for each thing you sell
Each service deserves its own page with its own clear title, a plain description of who it is for, what it costs or where pricing starts, and what happens next. A single "Services" page listing everything gives search engines and AI nothing specific to point to.
Answer the questions clients really ask
Every enquiry you have ever answered by email is a search someone else typed. Write those answers down, in plain language, one question per article. Lead with the answer, then explain. That is exactly the shape AI answers are built from.
Be fast, clear and crawlable
A hand-built site that loads quickly on a phone, with real text rather than text baked into images, is easy for people and crawlers to read. Keep your structured data honest: your business name, location, services and prices should match the page.
Keep your Google Business Profile complete
For local clients, your Google Business Profile often appears before your website does. Complete every field, add real photos, and ask happy clients for reviews.
Keep going
The businesses that win in search publish useful answers steadily. We set our clients up with a simple routine: one new, genuinely useful answer at a time, published on a schedule.
Common questions
Do I need special files or markup for AI search?
Not for Google. Its guidance says you do not need new machine-readable files, AI text files or special markup to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Normal SEO best practices still apply.
Does FAQ markup still get rich results?
No. Google's documentation notes that FAQ rich results are no longer shown in Google Search. Answering common questions on the page is still useful for readers.
How long does SEO take?
Months, not days. New pages need to be crawled, indexed and trusted. Steady, useful publishing beats a burst of activity followed by silence.
