How to Show Up in AI Overviews & AI Search Results? 11 To-Do’s for Small Businesses

11 To-Do's for Small Businesses to Rank in AI Overviews, AI Mode & LLMs

Our clients instinctively know that "there are a lot of changes going on at Google" because of AI. It's our role to help synthesize the new information around optimizing for AI search and translate it into actionable items. That's what we have attempted to do here in this next section.

Here are 11 strategies for small businesses to work on to enhance your chances ranking in AI search results and being cited in AI search results (with actionable steps):

1. Cultivate & Manage a Strong Online Reputation

(Time to Impact: Medium | Difficulty: Easy)

In my opinion, managing your reputation is even more important now -- because of AI's ability to pull in dozens of sources, synthesize that information and produce an overview for the searcher. Previously, you may not have worried too much about that low rating from a disgruntled employee on Glassdoor because the chances that someone searching would actually see that review were pretty low.

Now, in AI Mode and AI Overviews, AI might bring it up and point it out to the searcher (awkward!) -- Especially in the context of a personalized search where AI knows the searcher "cares about workplace fairness".

What to do to improve and manage online reputation:

• Encourage clients to leave reviews on Google, Clutch, etc. Depending on your industry, it can be hard to get clients to review you, but put this on your to-do list every week or month to ask a happy client for a review -- never buy fake reviews. Make it easier for clients by sending them links directly to where they can review you -- with the exception of Yelp. Yelp doesn't want you to ask people to review you, so if a client arrives to your Yelp profile via direct link, generally Yelp will ignore the review.
• Respond thoughtfully to reviews on platforms where you are able to do that. Definitely respond to all reviews on Google whether good or bad. (See how to respond to negative reviews »)
• Display reviews and testimonials on your site. Include testimonials in the case studies published on your website.
• If you have a problem with bad reviews, work to figure out why they are happening and fix the business issues that are triggering bad reviews.

Why it matters: AI favors businesses trusted by real people and it KNOWS EVERYTHING that has been published online about your business reputation -- good and bad.  You have to work on making sure the good really outweighs the bad.

2. Increase Brand Recognition & Visibility

(Time to Impact: Medium | Difficulty: Easy)

When people hear “brand recognition,” they often think of big companies with big ad budgets. But small and medium-sized businesses can boost their brand awareness too—often in simple, local, or niche-specific ways that make a big difference, such as:

• Getting featured in reputable lists (e.g., “Best WordPress web design agency in Atlanta”)
• Sponsoring local events, charities, or community initiatives -- Find local sponsorship opportunities that help tie your business to your community
• Earning mentions on highly cited sites: local news, professional associations, directories

Why it matters: When your business gets mentioned across reputable and relevant websites—especially in your niche or region—it sends strong signals that your brand is trustworthy and relevant. AI tools notice those signals and are more likely to include your business in responses.

How to Increase the "Brand Awareness" of a Small Business:

• Get a Google Business Profile: If you don't have one, you must get and optimize your Google Business Profile.
• Get Listed: Search for “Best [your industry] in [your city]” lists and submit your business to be included. Make sure you are listed on the websites of any relevant professional associations for your field. For best results, do this search in "AI Mode" and pay attention to the websites that AI is referencing.
• Sponsor Smart: Look for local events or causes to sponsor—especially those covered by local news or community blogs. There are also websites like Zipsprout that exist to help businesses and non-profits connect on local business sponsorship opportunities.
• Get Cited on Other Websites as an Expert:  If the opportunity presents itself, take advantage of chances to participate in interviews (podcasts, local news, etc.), give presentations at professional conferences, or be cited as an expert in another business' article. Most business owners know other business owners, so leverage those relationships to help each other out. For example, one of our clients is a managed service provider often covering cybersecurity topics in their content. We could work with them to publish an article about website security on their blog that links back to resources on our website. This is called "guest posting" which we typically do not recommend when the "guest" is some random person from a random website, but in cases where you have real-world relationships with the business, this is a completely legitimate practice.

3. Get Local Listing FOMO! (Get listed in places AI likes to Cite)

(Time to Impact: Fast | Difficulty: Easy)

FOMO is "The Fear of Missing Out"...Which Means Be Everywhere Your Competitors Are!

If your competitors are showing up in a 3rd-party directory or listing site, you should be there too. The quickest way to find opportunities is to research which websites the AI is referencing in your niche—either by running searches in AI Mode or testing prompts in a large language model (LLM).

When you spot a directory or listing site being cited, see if you can get your business added. If the AI is referencing a blog post or roundup on another business’s site, consider creating your own version—just like we did with our Best Atlanta WordPress Web Design Companies article.

You can also expand your footprint by contributing guest posts, joining industry roundups, or sharing your expertise with journalists and bloggers.

How To Do the "Local Listing FOMO" Technique:

• Do several local listing FOMO searches in both regular search and AI Mode. Choose 20 important keyword phrases that are important for your business and search for “Best [your industry] in [your city]” lists. Make a list of the websites being cited in AI Overviews or AI Mode and if possible, get your business listed there as well.

Why it matters: Being mentioned in the same places as your competitors builds credibility, creates more third-party citations (which matter more than they used to), and gives AI more signals to trust and recommend your business.

4. Target Very Specific Audience Segments & Geographic Areas with Website Content

Niche landing pages and City Pages make it easier for AI to connect your business to specific verticals, customer profiles, and geographic locations—helping you show up in personalized AI answers.

(Time to Impact: Medium | Difficulty: Easy)

Not all of your customers are the same—and your content shouldn’t treat them that way. Identify your key customer groups by industry, vertical, or persona, then create content that speaks directly to each one.

Start by building a dedicated landing page for each segment, then expand with supporting articles, case studies, or FAQs. Create dedicated local landing pages for your service area. In some cases, it might make sense to combine a vertical with a geographic area.

For example, instead of relying on one generic “Web Design” page to rank for every query (spoiler: it won’t), you might create pages like:

• Web Design & SEO for Therapists in Atlanta
• Custom Websites for Local Home Builders

Include real examples of projects in that niche and geographic area to make the content more relatable and trustworthy.

How to Target Audience Segments & Geographic Areas:

• Add dedicated pages on your website for each of your verticals.
• Create dedicated City Landing Pages for each city in your service area.
• Make sure to add these to your main navigation and link to them from other content on your site.

Why it matters: The more specific your content, the easier it is for AI and search engines to match you with niche, high-intent searches—bringing you the right visitors, not just more visitors.

5. Establish a Clear Unique Value Proposition & Explain Differentiators

Pages that clearly state and explain your differentiators “teach” AI what makes you the best match for certain search intents.

(Time to Impact: Medium | Difficulty: Easy)

• Go beyond “we’re fast and reliable”—say why in your website content
• Show and explain your process & differentiators on your website
• Highlight specializations, experience, niche expertise in your website content. Don't be afraid to target specific niches that you specialize in and create web pages that correspond to each of your specializations or niches.
• Use testimonials or case studies to back claims and demonstrate your expertise.

Why it matters: AI prefers recommending businesses that stand out for specific needs because it is trying to provide an uber-personalized answer for the searcher. So the more context you provide in your website content, the better.

Example: A private school explains their differentiators in great detail on their website in a page titled "The [School Name] Difference". This page explains all of the things that make them unique -- that they are a non-religious school, have a focus on hands-on learning, certified outdoor learning spaces, take field trips every month, focus on the whole child including being a good citizen. This explicit explanation of their Unique Value Proposition helps AI understand what they offer -- and when a parent searches for "secular private school near me", this clarity will help AI choose that school for inclusion in the AI overview.

6. Use Visual Content to Increase Relevance

(Time to Impact: Fast | Difficulty: Easy)

While starting a YouTube channel and producing regular videos can feel overwhelming for many small businesses, there are still plenty of ways to use visuals to strengthen your content. High-quality photos of your work—paired with descriptive alt text and captions—can showcase your expertise in a way words alone can’t. Build these images into portfolio pages or case studies that walk visitors (and AI) through the problem, your process, and the results.

If you do have the resources for video, even short clips explaining a service or showing your process can boost engagement and understanding with the added benefit of being completely unique to your website.

How to Add Visual Content:

• Review existing website content looking for 'walls of text' and uninspired stock photos. Replace stock images with unique images of your work when possible. Use AI image generators to help you create completely unique images for concepts you are explaining. Add visuals to articles and pages that have none.
• Create a Case Study or Portfolio section of your website that showcases unique original work or ideas.

Why it matters: AI tools evaluate the value of each section (“passage”) of your content, and unique visuals make those sections richer, more relevant, and more likely to be cited.

7. Optimize Content at the Passage Level

(Time to Impact: Fast | Difficulty: Easy)

AI doesn’t just scan your whole page—it often pulls information from smaller “passages” or sections of your content. If each section is clear, focused, and self-contained, it’s more likely to be cited in AI Overviews or other AI-powered answers.

How to Optimize Content at the Passage Level:

• Use clear, descriptive headings so each section is easy to identify and understand.
• Keep paragraphs self-contained—each one should cover a single idea or answer a single question.
• Include bullet lists for steps, features, or takeaways.
• Use bold text to call attention to the most important terms or details.
• Create FAQ-style sections to directly answer specific questions your customers (and AI) are asking.

Why it matters: AI extracts and ranks answers in chunks. Well-structured, clearly labeled passages give your content the best chance of being pulled directly into AI search results. This technique also works well for humans who skim content.

8. "Train" AI on Your Business with Deep, Original Website Content That Showcases Your Expertise, Experience, and Authority

(Time to Impact: Slow–Medium | Difficulty: Medium)

Before you launch into an ongoing content campaign, get your website’s foundational SEO in place. AI Overviews and AI search results pull from what’s already published about your business—if your services aren’t clearly explained on your site, you’re invisible to both AI and search engines.

A. Build Strong Service Page Foundations

Each service you offer needs its own dedicated page—not just a single “Services” page that lists everything. A short paragraph won’t cut it. Give people (and AI) enough context to understand your expertise:

• Explain the service in detail, including your process and benefits.
• Add relevant photos, examples, and FAQs.
• Use schema markup so search engines understand your content’s structure.

B. Strengthen Your Trust Signals (E-E-A-T)

Google and AI systems look for E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Local service businesses can demonstrate this in the following ways:

• Build robust About and Team pages with real author bios, credentials, and photos.
• Feature testimonials, reviews, and case studies.
• Include author boxes on blog or advice articles so content is clearly tied to a qualified source.
• Add schema markup for Person, Organization, and LocalBusiness entities.

C. Create Content Artificial Intelligence Loves to Cite

RankBee did a study (detailed in this SEOClarity webinar) on IT service provider prompts and analyzed what types of pages AI favored as sources in its answers. Based on the study, list articles (55.9%) and service pages (26.5%) dominate citations.

Use that insight to your advantage, and in addition to thorough, detailed service pages:

• Write listicles like “10 Signs You Need X Service.”
• Publish case studies that show your results.
• Build a knowledge center or FAQ hub that answers common and niche questions.
• Create local landing pages for every service area you serve.

D. Keep It Fresh & Relevant

You don’t need to post weekly just to post—but you do need to keep your content current:

• Update older posts and service pages with new info or recent examples.
• Add FAQs based on actual customer questions.
• Use tools like Qforia (you need a Gemini API key to use QFOria) to find AI-related subqueries for your services, then answer them directly in your content.
• Fill content gaps with your own expertise—not generic, AI-generated filler.

E. Remember: Your Website Is the AI’s Textbook

Everything AI knows about your business comes from what’s already out there—your website being the most direct source. If it’s not on your site, AI can’t recommend it. Rich, detailed, and trustworthy content is how you train AI to understand (and recommend) your business.

• Every page is a chance to “train” AI on what you do.
• If it’s not on your site, AI can’t learn it.
• Make your services clear, detailed, and backed by proof.

9. Make Your Content Easy for AI to Read, Understand, and Attribute

(Time to Impact: Medium | Difficulty: Medium)

Just like people, AI systems need clear, well-organized information to process it effectively. The easier it is for large language models (LLMs) to interpret your site, the more likely your business will be accurately represented—and cited—in AI-driven results.

How to Make Your Content AI-Friendly:

• Use structured data schema (LocalBusiness, FAQ, HowTo, etc.) to give AI clear context about your business and content.
• Add entity-based schema to connect your business to related concepts, people, and locations.
• Keep your site fast and easy to navigate so AI (and humans) can quickly access all key pages.
• Avoid unnecessarily blocking AI crawlers (like GPTBot) unless there’s a specific reason.

Why it matters: Structured, accessible content helps AI quickly scan, interpret, and attribute your business information—improving your chances of showing up in AI Overviews and other AI-powered search results.

10. Use Structured Data to Help Google Understand Your Site

(Time to Impact: Medium | Difficulty: Advanced)

Structured data—also called schema markup—is code you add to your website to give search engines extra context about your content. Think of it as labeling the “parts” of your site so Google and AI systems know exactly what they’re looking at.

For example, you can mark up:

• LocalBusiness schema to define your business name, address, phone number, and service area.
• FAQ schema to highlight common questions and answers on your site.
• Review markup to showcase customer ratings.
• HowTo schema to describe step-by-step processes.
• Article schema to provide details about a blog post or news update.
• Use entity-based schema to link your business to related people, places, and concepts—strengthening the connections Google makes about your expertise.

These signals not only help your site qualify for rich results in Google Search (like FAQs and star ratings), but they also make your content easier for AI to interpret, connect to related entities, and potentially cite.

A note for small business owners: Implementing schema markup can be a bit technical, so you may need to work with your webmaster or developer to get it right. My goal here is to introduce you to the idea—not to walk through the full how-to within this article.

Helpful tools:

• Google’s Rich Results Test – Check if your schema is implemented correctly.
• Schema.org – Browse the full library of schema types and properties and also use their validator to check proper implementation.

11. Monitor, Test, and Iterate

Getting into AI Overviews or AI Mode isn’t a one-and-done effort—you need to keep checking whether your content is showing up and adjust over time.

Right now, there aren’t many tools (especially low-cost ones) that can fully track AI citations for you. The most practical approach for small businesses is a manual check on a short list of priority queries:

How to Monitor & Test AI Mentions:

• Make a list of 10–20 high-value searches you’d love to appear for in AI results.
• Once a month, search for each one in Google’s AI Mode and in a couple of LLMs like ChatGPT (with browsing) or Perplexity.
• Note whether your site appears, which competitors are listed, and which external sources are cited.
• Look for patterns—are certain competitors showing up everywhere? Are certain types of content always being referenced? Use those insights to refine your own content.

Why it matters: Even without fancy tools, consistent, focused monitoring gives you the data you need to adapt and increase your chances of landing in more AI-driven responses.

Wrap-Up: You Can’t Game This—But You Can Train for It

In the AI era, the businesses that win aren’t the ones looking for shortcuts—they’re the ones consistently providing the most trustworthy, useful, and clearly presented answers.

Think long-term:

• Foundational, in-depth content is still your best SEO investment.
• Authority is built over time through expertise, proof, and clarity.
• The goal isn’t just to “rank,” but to become the source AI trusts enough to recommend.

AI Overviews and AI Mode reward depth, accuracy, and transparency. When your website becomes the resource that teaches AI about your services, you’re more likely to appear—often above traditional search results.