AI is constantly in the news, and for good reason. It’s going to have a big impact on how we live and work. It already is.
One way in which AI is changing life as we know it is in how we search the internet. Twenty years ago, Google changed how the internet was used by delivering search results quickly and comprehensively. It made the internet more useful and impacted buying behavior. Buyers, both consumers and businesspeople, enjoyed the benefits of pulling in lots of information before they even contacted a seller. The sales process hasn’t been the same.
Now, people are leaving traditional search engines like Google and Bing in favor of AI platforms like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini. Or they’re using both search engines and AI platforms. That trend will accelerate as people become more comfortable using AI—and better at prompting it.
As AI continues to improve and be more consistent and useful, this will lead to even more searching with AI. The experience will become quicker and more interactive, with natural language processing and machines “learning” to improve discerning the meaning and intent behind queries.
What should a leader of a small-to-medium-sized business do about this shift? Here are a few things to consider:
- AI pulls content from existing sources. Ensure your website is solid, that it is clean and continually managed with fresh content. This is especially important since attention spans are short. Testimonials, case stories and proof of success will be rewarded by AI platforms.
- Ask customers to provide positive reviews on Google and other review sites. AI, programmed to help consumers find what they seek, will honor companies whose customers seem satisfied.
- The same principle applies to social media, where organizations should commit to providing thoughtful, consistent messaging on a regular basis.
- Seek consistency across all aspects of your organization’s digital footprint. For instance, does your website contact information match what you post on your Google or Apple profiles—or listings in Indeed or the chamber of commerce?
We will see how exactly AI transforms our world. For now, tangible changes are already happening in how people search for information. Companies need to stay alert.
