Will AI Make It Harder for People to Find My Business in Search Results?

Will AI Make It Harder for People to Find My Business Online?

AI is changing the way search engines deliver results, and businesses are asking – “Will AI Make It Harder for People to Find My Business Online?” The short answer is: It could—if you don’t adapt.

Google’s new AI Overviews, for example, often give users full answers without requiring them to click a link. That means some traditional SEO tactics may become less effective at driving traffic over time—especially if your site relies on basic or generic content.

But that doesn’t mean SEO is dead or that visibility is out of reach. It just means the goalposts are moving. These AI tools and features are changing how your business may be chosen to appear in AI-generated search results, with more preference given to authority, clarity and usefulness.

In this article, we’ll break down:

• How search is changing with AI
• Why businesses should care about how AI is affecting SEO
• What Google says about succeeding in this new environment
• What your business can do to stay competitive and visible—even if clicks are declining

A Quiet Revolution in Search

Search engines are undergoing a significant transformation. AI technologies are increasingly influencing how platforms like Google, Bing, and others deliver search results. For small business owners, this shift might seem distant or overly technical. However, AI is already impacting how potential customers find local businesses online. This article breaks down these changes in simple terms—highlighting what’s evolving, why it matters, and actionable steps to maintain and enhance your online visibility.

What’s Changing in Search Because of AI?

AI in SEO is reshaping how people discover businesses online. Here’s what’s changing in search—and what it means for your visibility going forward.

1. AI-Powered Summaries Are Altering Search Results

Traditionally, search engines showed a list of links when someone searched for a topic. Now, with AI-powered features like Google’s AI Overviews, users often see a short summary answering their question at the top of the results—without needing to click on any website.

What This Means for SEO:

Your content may not get as many clicks from search results unless it’s high-quality enough to be cited or referenced in these summaries….(even if it IS referenced in the AI Overview). To compete, your website needs to contain clear, helpful, well-organized information that AI can easily pull from.

2. Conversational AI Tools Are Becoming Information Gateways

AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, and Claude are already answering users’ questions directly—without sending people to websites. These tools act like digital assistants, pulling from a mix of sources to deliver quick, summarized responses. And now, Google is officially shifting search in this direction.

At Google I/O 2025, Google introduced “AI Mode”—a new search experience feature in Google Search that uses AI to provide more interactive and personalized search results, similar to a chatbot experience. It leverages Google’s Gemini model to answer complex questions, generate summarized responses, and offer follow-up question capabilities. Google’s own announcement confirmed that AI Mode is the future of how we’ll search.

AI Mode is opt-in now, but likely not for long….it’s obviously the future of Google Search. Google is investing heavily in this vision of search—fast, AI-curated answers at the top, with less emphasis on links to individual websites.

What that means for SEO

You may not get the click—even if you’re the source. The search journey might end before someone ever visits your site, especially for straightforward, informational queries.

Why you should care

If you’re not producing helpful, trustworthy, expert content, you likely won’t appear in these AI summaries. And if you’re only targeting simple “what is…” style keywords, your visibility could shrink dramatically.

3. Fewer Clicks on Traditional Search Results

As AI-generated answers become more common, many users are getting what they need without ever clicking through to a website—especially for common questions or simple tasks.

What This Means for SEO:

It’s more important than ever to create content that goes deeper or adds unique value, so people still have a reason to visit your site. You should also focus on owning your brand presence (like reviews and local listings) so your business still shows up where it matters.

You can see this trend clearly in Google Search Console: many website owners are reporting that Impressions keep rising while Clicks are falling. This means your site is still being shown in search results, but fewer people are actually visiting. It’s a strong signal that Google is surfacing your content in AI Overviews or other formats—but users are getting their answers without needing to click through.

Why Small Businesses Should Care About AI in Search

Visibility Depends on AI Recognition

AI doesn’t inherently know your business’s reputation or customer satisfaction levels. It relies on the information available online. Therefore, more than ever, it’s crucial to:

• Maintain consistent and accurate business listings across platforms.
• Encourage and manage customer reviews on Google and other review sites.
• Create clear, informative content that showcases your expertise.
• Implement structured data to help AI understand your website’s content.

Competition for Attention Is Increasing

With AI providing direct answers, fewer users may click on traditional search results. To ensure your business remains visible:

• Aim to be cited as a source in AI-generated summaries.
• Establish your business as an authority in your specific niche or locality.

What Does Google Recommend?

In recent guidance on AI Overviews and succeeding in AI Search, Google emphasizes that many of the fundamentals of SEO still apply—but with a stronger focus on authority, clarity, and usefulness.

Let’s break it down:

1. Create Content That’s People-First, Not AI-First

Google reminds businesses that helpful, original, human-centered content continues to perform well—regardless of how search evolves.

How this compares to traditional SEO:

This is consistent with traditional SEO advice (especially since the Helpful Content Update), but it’s even more critical now because AI features are selecting only a few trusted sources to summarize.

Bottom Line:

Write clear, helpful content that’s designed to genuinely answer real questions your customers have—not just to chase keywords.

2. Be Known for Your Areas of Expertise

Google stresses the importance of topical authority—meaning, your business should be seen as a trusted source on the topics you cover.

How this compares to traditional SEO:

SEO has always focused on page-level optimization, link building, content targeting keywords, etc. Now, there’s more emphasis on site-wide authority and reputation, especially for businesses in “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) industries (health, finance, legal, etc.).

Bottom Line:

Focus your content on a specific area of expertise, that is made to be helpful to your target audience, and publish consistently to become known for it. The more you prove your credibility, the more likely AI is to feature you.

3. Follow Long-Standing E-E-A-T Guidelines

That’s Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These aren’t new, but they matter more than ever for inclusion in AI answers.

How this compares to traditional SEO:

Same guidance—just more critical now. E-E-A-T signals help Google and AI tools decide whose content is worth quoting.

Bottom Line:

Showcase credentials, use real author bios, include case studies or results, and earn mentions or backlinks from respected sources.

4. Use Structured Data to Help Search Engines Understand Your Content

Google encourages using schema markup to help AI understand what your content is about, what your business does, and who you are.

How this compares to traditional SEO:

Structured data has always helped with rich snippets and knowledge panels—but now it may also play a role in how AI summarizes and cites content.

Bottom Line:

Add schema markup for articles, local business info, FAQs, products, and reviews to help AI interpret your content accurately.

5. Ensure Your Content Is Easy to Read and Well-Structured

Clear formatting, headings, bullet points, and mobile-friendly design make your content easier for both users and AI to digest.

How this compares to traditional SEO:

Still the same—but now impacts whether your content gets pulled into summaries. If your site is cluttered or hard to scan, it’s less likely to be used.

Bottom Line:

Use plain language, clear headings, and clean formatting to increase the chances of your content being selected by AI.

Actionable Steps for Small Businesses

Even without overhauling your entire website, you can take steps to adapt to AI-driven search:

• Update Your Website: Ensure it’s mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and secure.
• Clarify Your Offerings: Clearly state what services you provide and who your target audience is. Your website is the best place to ‘train’ AI on what your company offers and prove you are a reliable expert in your field.
• Create Relevant Content: Develop blog posts or FAQs addressing common customer questions.
• Encourage Reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews and respond to them promptly.
• Utilize Structured Data: Implement schema markup to highlight key information about your business.
• See our detailed guide on strategies for ranking in AI Overviews and AI Mode.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Evolution

The integration of AI into search is not a passing trend—it’s the future. By understanding these changes and proactively adapting, your business can continue to thrive online.

At SangFroid Web, we’re committed to helping you navigate this evolving landscape. If you need assistance optimizing your website for AI-driven search, we’re here to help.

Need help making your site AI-ready?

Let’s chat. We’ll meet you where you are—and help you move forward with confidence.

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