The way people search for information online is changing fast, and AI search optimization is leading the way.
As a small business owner, you might not have thought about optimizing for AI search just yet, but now is the perfect time to make sure your website is set up to get noticed. With AI search visibility becoming more important than ever, small tweaks to your site can help you stand out in the crowd.
AI search engines are powered by technologies like machine learning and natural language processing, allowing them to understand and serve more relevant search results. Don’t worry if all this sounds a little complex — AI search optimization doesn’t need to be overwhelming.
In this blog, we’ll break down exactly what you need to do to optimize your website for AI search results, show you why it matters, and share simple, actionable tips that you can use to improve your site’s visibility and drive growth for your business.
Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
Why AI Search Optimization Matters
Traditional SEO — which, at its core, is about creating content based on specific keywords related to your business — doesn’t work the way it used to.
AI search engines like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Siri are becoming smarter, focusing more on understanding what users are truly looking for. These AI-driven systems don’t just match keywords; they analyze how visitors interact with your website — how long they stay, what they click on, and what they search for.
As a result, AI search prioritizes content that feels helpful and answers real, specific questions.
"This is great news for small business owners," says Elana Ostrega, Head of Marketing at Durable. "As AI search engines continue to evolve, business owners no longer need to worry about mastering complex technical SEO or intricate strategies to get their website discovered. Instead, by focusing on content that answers key questions for their audiences, they’ll build trust and provide real value to their customers."
And we have data to back this up. According to Accenture, businesses that optimized for AI search saw a 30% increase in customer engagement and conversion rates.
“This shift shows that AI search optimization isn’t just about improving your search rankings — it’s about building meaningful connections with your customers. And small business owners already have the insight to do this,” shares Elana.
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: Start by thinking about your customers’ needs. When creating content, ask yourself: “What questions are my customers asking, and how can I provide clear, helpful answers?”
By focusing on user intent — what people are actually searching for — you’ll help your website rank higher in AI search results, making it easier for potential customers to find and engage with your business.
Did you know that all Durable websites are automatically optimized for AI search? From the page layout and content to speed and functionality, websites built with Durable are designed to turn up in AI search results.
If you’re thinking about launching a business or getting your existing business online, a Durable website can help you get seen by more people.
How To Optimize Your Website for AI Search Results
Optimizing your website for AI search may sound like a big task, but it’s very manageable once you break it down into clear steps.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert to make a real difference in how your website ranks. In fact, with a few simple changes, you can boost your site’s AI search visibility and start seeing results right away.
Let’s walk through some straightforward steps you can start implementing today to help your website shine in AI-powered search results.
#1. Focus On What Your Customers Are Really Looking For
One of the biggest changes with AI search engines is that they now focus on understanding what people are really looking for, not just matching the words they type. AI search is no longer just about finding the exact keywords you use — it’s about understanding the intent behind the search.
For example, when someone searches for “best plants for beginners,” they’re likely not just looking for a list of plants — they want advice on what’s easy to grow and perfect for someone just starting out in gardening.
To stand out in AI search results, you need to think about what your customers really need and provide content that answers their questions and solves their problems. Instead of just listing your products, think about how you can help them make informed decisions.
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: When creating content, put yourself in your customers' shoes. Ask yourself: “What questions are they asking, and how can I provide clear, helpful answers?”
For example, if you run a dog grooming business, rather than just listing your grooming services, you could write a blog post titled “How to Choose the Right Grooming Package for Your Dog’s Needs.” This not only answers a common question but it also helps potential customers make a more informed decision.
This type of content doesn’t just list products — it provides value and answers specific questions, helping AI search engines understand the relevance of your content.
#2. Write In a Natural, Easy-To-Understand Way
AI search engines now use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand the meaning behind a search query, rather than just matching specific keywords.
This is a big change from traditional SEO, where it was enough to use the right keywords to get noticed. Now, AI is looking for content that sounds natural and conversational, just like how people talk in everyday life.
For example, if someone types “affordable leather jackets,” NLP helps the search engine understand that the person is likely looking for jackets that are both stylish and budget-friendly. By using this understanding, AI can find and rank content that is more relevant and helpful to the user.
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: Write content that’s clear, approachable, and easy to read. Avoid using complicated language or jargon that might confuse your readers and AI.
For instance, instead of saying “luxurious, high-quality leather jackets for cost-conscious shoppers,” say “How to Find Stylish and Affordable Leather Jackets.” This makes your content more user-friendly and helps AI better understand what you're offering.
By using simple, conversational language, your content will not only be easier for people to understand but also easier for AI to analyze and rank. The goal is to make sure your website speaks the same language as your customers — and the AI search engines they use.
Not a wordsmith? Not a problem!
With Durable’s AI-powered Blog Builder, you can tell us exactly what you’d like your blog to be about, or we can suggest ideas for your audience. Within just a couple of minutes, our AI can automatically write and optimize a blog post ready to go live on your site.
Want to give it a try? Generate your first blog post with Durable now →
#3. Add Schema Markup To Help AI Understand Your Content
Schema markup is a special type of code you can add to your website to help AI search engines better understand what your content is about. While this might sound a bit technical, don’t worry — schema markup is actually simple to add, and it can make a big difference in your AI search visibility.
For example, if you have a product page, schema markup tells search engines important details like the price, availability, and customer reviews of your product.
This extra information can help your content show up in rich snippets, which are those highlighted boxes that appear at the top of some search results. Being featured in a rich snippet is a great way to get noticed.
With a Durable website, we automatically generate your site with schema markups that help make your website more discoverable. So you don’t need to worry about anything.
If your website is hosted elsewhere, tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper make it really easy to get started. You can add schema markup to key pages like product descriptions, customer reviews, or blog posts. This small change can make a big impact on your website’s visibility in AI search results.
#4. Create High-Quality, Helpful Content
AI search engines tend to favor content that’s not only high-quality but also detailed — content that answers questions thoroughly and provides real value to the reader.
But don’t worry — this doesn’t mean you need to write thousands of words for every page. The goal is to cover a topic in-depth, making sure you address your audience’s questions and offer useful insights.
For example, instead of writing a short paragraph on “how to care for succulents,” create a detailed guide that explains different types of succulents, their ideal light conditions, and the common mistakes people make when caring for them. This way, you’re providing your audience with all the information they need in one place.
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: Aim for in-depth, long-form content (at least 1,500 words) that fully addresses the questions your customers are asking.
Break up the content with subheadings, bullet points, and images to make it easier to read. A well-structured guide or blog post will not only be much more helpful to your readers, but it will also be more likely to rank well in AI search results.
Don’t forget: With Durable's AI Blog Builder, you can easily create optimized articles that include all the essential information and are structured to help your audience (and AI search engines!) understand the topic — without the stress of having to research and write it yourself.
#5. Use AI Content and SEO Tools To Optimize Your Site
AI content and SEO tools aren’t just for big companies — they can be a game-changer for small businesses too.
Tools like Durable’s SEO Agent analyze top-ranking content and provide simple, actionable tips to improve your pages. They can suggest keyword placements, content structure, and readability improvements, all designed to help boost your AI search visibility.
Or if you use Durable, all this is done for you behind the scenes once you activate the SEO Agent!
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: If you don’t have time to dive into SEO (and who does as a busy small business owner?), choose a website hosting platform that includes built-in SEO tools, like Durable.
With these tools, your site will automatically be optimized for AI search results — saving you time and helping your website get found without the hassle.
By using AI content tools, you ensure that your website is optimized for both AI search engines and your readers, making it easier for potential customers to find your site.
#6. Make Sure Your Website Is Mobile-Friendly
As AI search engines get smarter, they’ve started giving preference to websites that are mobile-friendly. This is especially important for small businesses, as more and more people are browsing the web on their mobile devices.
More than 60% of global web traffic comes from mobile devices, so if your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you could be missing out on valuable traffic.
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: Check your website on mobile devices to make sure it looks good and functions properly.
If you’re not sure where to start, all of Durable’s website templates are already optimized for mobile and tablet viewers. So you’ll never need to worry about what your site looks like on different devices — we’ll handle that for you!
Explore our website templates →
#7. Improve Your Website’s Loading Speed
AI search engines love websites that load quickly. When your site takes too long to load, it can frustrate visitors and increase the chances of them leaving before they even see your content.
In fact, Google reports that 53% of mobile visitors will leave a page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. With this in mind, it’s clear that site speed plays a huge role in both user experience and your AI search rankings.
However, managing your site’s performance, particularly things that affect speed, like large images, slow-loading scripts, and unnecessary plugins, can be complex. Many businesses will need a dedicated web developer to make improvements in this area.
The good news is that you don’t have to go it alone — choose a website builder that prioritizes performance alongside design. Tools like Durable automatically check and improve your site’s performance, ensuring your site stays fast without you needing to worry about the technical details.
#8. Use Internal Linking To Help AI Understand Your Site
Internal linking means linking to other pages on your own website. This simple tactic helps AI search engines understand how your content is connected and makes it easier for both search engines and users to navigate your site.
Internal linking also improves your overall SEO by spreading link value across different pages, helping your site rank better in search results.
Takeaway Tip for Small Business Owners: Start linking to related pages within your site. For example, if you write a blog post about “how to care for indoor plants,” link to your product page where customers can buy plant care supplies.
Not only does this help with SEO, but it also guides your visitors to more helpful information.
The Future of AI Search and Your Business
Optimizing for AI search isn’t just a passing trend — it’s a critical step for businesses looking to thrive online. By focusing on user intent, using natural language, and applying techniques like schema markup, you can significantly improve your site’s visibility and help users find what they need more easily.
Small businesses can take advantage of AI search optimization without needing a tech team or a big budget. Start with the tips in this post, and you’ll be ahead of the game as AI search continues to grow and evolve.
Want to optimize your site for AI search without the hassle? Durable’s Website Builder takes care of the heavy lifting for you. Our AI-powered tools automatically optimize your content so your website ranks higher and your customers can find you more easily.
Get started today and see how easy it is to grow your small business with AI-powered tools.
