For years, businesses have chased Google's algorithm, optimising every inch of their websites for SEO in the hope of climbing to the top of search results. But while everyone's been laser-focused on traditional search engines, a quiet revolution has been happening in the background - and it’s increasingly changing how customers discover businesses online.
While SEO helps you rank, AI visibility helps you get recommended, with AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other generative AI tools, rapidly becoming the first stop for information. 90% of searches today now include AI-generated answers.
It raises the question that is AI can’t find you, how will your customers?
The Rise of AI as the Internet’s new front door
Unlike traditional search engines that return a list of links, AI tools synthesise content from across the web to generate direct answers. Instead of asking, ‘What’s the best marketing agency in Maidenhead?’ and sifting through ten blue links, users can now ask AI and instantly get recommendations - often without the need for any more clicks.
This ongoing shift means your website doesn’t just need to rank on Google. It needs to be understood, summarised, and recommended by AI models too.
So, why might your website not be visible?
AI doesn’t crawl and index the web the same way Google does. So, if your site has thin or generic content and poor structure or outdated metadata, this could be an issue. The same goes for walls of text with no context and not having clear ‘about,’ services, or contact information. Lack of backlinks might also be a limiting factor. At worse, failure to optimise could mean you get ignored or misunderstood by AI systems entirely, making you invisible to the growing number of users relying on AI for recommendations, research, and decision-making.
How to get your business seen by AI
In a world where AI is answering questions faster than people can type them, some argue that being invisible to AI is as bad as not being on the internet at all. Increasingly the thinking is that the time has come to treat AI visibility as seriously as SEO and that’s because for more and more customers, AI is the search engine now.
Create high-quality, structured content
AI thrives on clarity, so create content that answers real questions your audience has. Use structured headers, bullet points, and simple language. Think: ‘Would ChatGPT quote this as a source?’ AI tools prefer well-organised, factual information, so use formats that AI pulls from - FAQs, how-tos, listicles (articles that are structured as a list, so easy to read) and explainers. Basically, make your expertise as easy to extract and summarise as you can - AI tools process queries more like natural conversation.
Encourage consistent, positive reviews
Sites like Google, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor, and even Facebook are used to summarise business reputations. Regular, recent reviews help AI systems see you as current and credible.
Maintain a Consistent Online Presence
Ensure your name, address, phone number and business category are consistent across all platforms - AI tools flag conflicting information as unreliable.
Update your metadata and schema
Use proper schema markup to describe your business, products, and services. This is the structured data added to a website’s HTML code to help search engines understand the content of your pages better and it helps AI (and search engines) understand who you are and what you offer.
Stay active and credible
Regular updates, customer reviews, backlinks, and media mentions signal relevance. Try to get featured in UK-based news outlets, industry blogs, or local online publications. AI models rely on these for context and credibility.
Where AI Looks: UK directories and platforms
To boost your AI visibility, it helps to appear in sources AI models trust and reference regularly.
• Google Business Profile
AI tools cross-check details like location, services, and reviews from your Google listing. Keep it fully updated, including Q&As and service categories.
• Yell.com
One of the UK’s most well-established business directories. AI often pulls structured data from Yell, especially for local services.
• Trustpilot
AI uses review platforms to gauge trust and reputation. High scores, frequent reviews, and verified profiles on Trustpilot increase your chances of being referenced.
• Companies House
AI tools may reference Companies House to verify the legitimacy of a business. Ensure your registration info is up to date, especially for limited companies.
• Checkatrade / Rated People / Bark
For trades, home services, and local contractors, these platforms serve as a trust layer. AI often quotes star ratings and job histories from them.
• Local Council and Chamber of Commerce directories
Many councils host online business directories. While niche, these local citations help AI models confirm your regional relevance - particularly for town - or city-specific queries.
Especially for consultants, freelancers, and B2B businesses, a complete and active LinkedIn business page helps AI systems confirm your expertise, staff, and services.
Need help making your business AI-visible? Big business or small, Nobull can help you optimise your content and visibility for the AI-driven web. Contact the team for more information E: hello@nobullagency.co.uk
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