{"id":232,"date":"2026-10-22T16:28:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T16:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/ai-seo\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T16:28:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T16:28:09","slug":"ai-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/ai-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"AI SEO: What Works for Small Businesses in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<p>AI SEO means two different things, and mixing them up wastes money. The first is using AI tools to do SEO work faster: research, outlines, audits. The second is optimizing so that AI search products, such as Google\u2019s AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT and Perplexity, find your business and cite it. For the second, Google\u2019s own documentation says the <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/appearance\/ai-features\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">best practices for SEO still apply to its AI features<\/a>. There is no secret trick. What changes is how much weight you put on clear, original, crawlable content, and how you measure results.<\/p>\n<p>This guide is written for owners of small and local businesses. It covers what AI is changing, what to do about it this quarter, and which claims to ignore.<\/p>\n<div data-blg-cta=\"after_tldr\" data-blg-cta-layout=\"banner\" style=\"margin:28px 0;font-family:-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;box-sizing:border-box;\">\n<div style=\"border-radius:26px;padding:min(22px,3.2vw);background:radial-gradient(circle at 100% 0%,#fadfda 0 150px,rgba(255,255,255,0) 151px),radial-gradient(circle at 0% 100%,#fadfda 0 130px,rgba(255,255,255,0) 131px),linear-gradient(180deg,#fce9e6 0%,#fdf4f3 100%);\">\n<div style=\"background:#ffffff;border-radius:18px;box-shadow:0 12px 34px rgba(0,0,0,0.13);overflow:hidden;\">\n<div style=\"padding:34px 30px;text-align:center;\">\n<div style=\"margin:0 0 18px;\"><span style=\"display:inline-block;max-width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;border-radius:999px;padding:6px 13px;font-size:12px;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:0.1em;text-transform:uppercase;line-height:1.3;background:#E34B32;color:#ffffff;\">Redrockwebscapes<\/span><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:26px;font-weight:800;line-height:1.2;letter-spacing:-0.01em;color:#1f2937;margin:0;\">Build a Site Ready for Search<\/div>\n<div style=\"width:56px;height:6px;border-radius:3px;background:#E34B32;margin:12px 0 14px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:15px;line-height:1.55;color:#64748b;margin:0 0 24px;max-width:44em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;\">Red Rock Webscapes builds custom websites with advanced SEO and responsive design to help small businesses improve online visibility.<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:9px;border-radius:10px;font-weight:700;font-size:15px;text-decoration:none;padding:13px 22px 13px 26px;background:#E34B32;color:#ffffff;\">Explore Red Rock Webscapes<svg width=\"17\" height=\"17\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#ffffff\" stroke-width=\"2.6\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" style=\"display:block;flex:0 0 auto;\"><path d=\"M5 12h14\"\/><path d=\"m12 5 7 7-7 7\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"key-takeaways\" tabindex=\"-1\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>AI SEO is mostly good SEO with sharper priorities: original first-hand content, a site AI bots can crawl, accurate structured data and a complete Google Business Profile.<\/li>\n<li>Clicks are shrinking where AI summaries appear. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2025\/07\/22\/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research found<\/a> users click a traditional result in 8% of visits with an AI summary, versus 15% without one.<\/li>\n<li>Referrals from AI engines are small but growing, so it pays to be present there without abandoning Google.<\/li>\n<li>Treat any vendor promising guaranteed AI rankings with suspicion. Nobody controls these answers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"table-of-contents\" tabindex=\"-1\">Table of Contents<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what-people-mean-by-ai-seo-geo-and-llm-seo\">What people mean by AI SEO, GEO and LLM SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-ai-is-changing-small-business-traffic\">How AI is changing small business traffic<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#what-to-do-a-practical-ai-seo-plan\">What to do: a practical AI SEO plan<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#using-ai-as-an-seo-work-tool\">Using AI as an SEO work tool<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#our-perspective\">Our perspective<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#where-this-fits-if-you-run-a-store-or-a-local-shop\">Where this fits if you run a store or a local shop<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#build-the-site-ai-search-can-read\">Build the site AI search can read<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sources\">Sources<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"what-people-mean-by-ai-seo-geo-and-llm-seo\" tabindex=\"-1\">What people mean by AI SEO, GEO and LLM SEO<\/h2>\n<p>You will see several labels for the same territory. \u201cGenerative engine optimization\u201d (GEO), \u201canswer engine optimization\u201d and \u201cLLM SEO\u201d all describe getting your brand mentioned or linked in answers written by AI systems. \u201cAI SEO\u201d is the umbrella term, and it also covers using AI as a work tool.<\/p>\n<p>Google Search Relations has been blunt about it: there is no special AI optimization layer. Its <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/fundamentals\/ai-optimization-guide\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">guide to optimizing for generative AI features<\/a> says SEO fundamentals remain relevant. Its AI systems rely on the same basics as classic search: people-first content, technical crawlability and accurate structured data. The <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2025\/05\/succeeding-in-ai-search\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Search Central blog<\/a> makes the same point about AI Overviews and AI Mode.<\/p>\n<p>So why bother with a new label? Because the environment has changed even if the rules haven\u2019t. Answers appear above the links, other platforms answer questions without sending you to Google at all, and the way you prove value has to change with it.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-ai-is-changing-small-business-traffic\" tabindex=\"-1\">How AI is changing small business traffic<\/h2>\n<p>The honest picture is mixed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fewer clicks on informational queries.<\/strong> Pew\u2019s analysis of 900 U.S. adults\u2019 browsing found that when an AI summary appeared, people clicked a source link inside the summary in only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2025\/07\/22\/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">1% of those searches<\/a>. Seer Interactive reports a 70% drop in organic click-through rates when AI Overviews appear, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brandonkochkodin\/2025\/07\/31\/small-business-survive-google-search-traffic-crash\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">summarized by Forbes<\/a>. Other studies show smaller drops, so treat any single number as a range, not a law.<\/p>\n<p><strong>New referral sources.<\/strong> An analysis of 391 small and midsize business websites by <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/smb-websites-rising-traffic-chatgpt-ai-engines-453201\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Search Engine Land<\/a> found generative AI referrals grew 123% between September 2024 and February 2025. They still made up only 1.24% of organic traffic. ChatGPT was the largest source, though ecommerce sites saw more engagement from Perplexity and Gemini.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792505008215_Reported-click-and-AI-referral-traffic-statistics.jpeg\" alt=\"Reported click and AI referral traffic statistics\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Local searches may be less exposed.<\/strong> One local marketing agency\u2019s roundup, <a href=\"https:\/\/thevalleymarketinggroup.com\/blog\/google-ai-mode-local-seo-service-businesses-2026\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">published on its blog<\/a>, cites research suggesting AI Overviews show up in only a small share of local searches. That is a secondary source, so verify against your own Search Console data. If your customers search \u201cplumber near me\u201d rather than \u201chow does a water heater work,\u201d the Map Pack still matters a lot.<\/p>\n<p>The takeaway: informational content is most at risk, transactional and local queries least. Plan accordingly.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-to-do-a-practical-ai-seo-plan\" tabindex=\"-1\">What to do: a practical AI SEO plan<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"1-let-the-bots-in\" tabindex=\"-1\">1. Let the bots in<\/h3>\n<p>Experts quoted by Forbes advise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brandonkochkodin\/2025\/07\/31\/small-business-survive-google-search-traffic-crash\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">against blocking AI crawlers<\/a>, since blocking can keep you out of AI summaries entirely. Check your robots.txt, your firewall and your CDN settings. Many security plugins block unfamiliar bots by default, and owners never notice.<\/p>\n<p>Also make sure the content that matters is in plain HTML. If key facts such as prices, hours or service areas load only through scripts, assume some crawlers will miss them.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"2-publish-what-only-you-can-say\" tabindex=\"-1\">2. Publish what only you can say<\/h3>\n<p>This is the part most generic AI SEO advice skips. Google\u2019s guidance points to being the authoritative source of unique information people find satisfying. A 700-word \u201c5 tips for choosing a contractor\u201d post can be written by any chatbot in seconds, so an answer engine has no reason to cite yours.<\/p>\n<p>What can\u2019t be scraped is your own experience:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Real project photos with notes on what went wrong and how you fixed it.<\/li>\n<li>Your actual price ranges and what drives them.<\/li>\n<li>Local specifics: permit quirks, climate issues, neighborhood knowledge.<\/li>\n<li>Customer questions you answer every week, answered the way you would at the counter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If a competitor could swap their logo onto the page and publish it, rewrite it.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"3-keep-structured-data-accurate\" tabindex=\"-1\">3. Keep structured data accurate<\/h3>\n<p>Schema markup doesn\u2019t unlock AI visibility by itself, but it removes ambiguity. Make sure your business name, address, phone, hours, and for stores, product details, match what is visible on the page. If you sell online, our walkthrough on <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/product-schema-markup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">adding product schema markup<\/a> has a copy-ready example. Stores also depend on clean feeds, covered in our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/product-feeds-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">product feeds management<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"4-own-your-google-business-profile\" tabindex=\"-1\">4. Own your Google Business Profile<\/h3>\n<p>For local businesses this is the highest-leverage item. Complete every field, keep hours current, add real photos, answer reviews and post updates. We lay out a <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/google-business-profile-optimization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">30\/60\/90 day Google Business Profile plan<\/a> for local owners. Consistent business facts across directories also give AI systems fewer conflicting answers to choose from.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"5-build-mentions-beyond-your-own-site\" tabindex=\"-1\">5. Build mentions beyond your own site<\/h3>\n<p>AI systems form a picture of a business from many places: reviews, directories, news, industry sites and encyclopedic sources. Third-party entities such as Wikipedia and Wikidata feed some of those pictures, and a <a href=\"https:\/\/wikirepublic.net\/blog\/why-your-business-needs-a-grokipedia-page-in-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikipedia agency\u2019s explainer on why those pages matter for AI search<\/a> is a useful read if your company or founder might meet the notability bar. Most local shops won\u2019t, and for them reviews, local press, chamber of commerce listings and supplier pages do the same job.<\/p>\n<p>Experts also suggest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brandonkochkodin\/2025\/07\/31\/small-business-survive-google-search-traffic-crash\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">diversifying traffic<\/a> with video-first platforms like YouTube and TikTok, and with content that works on direct AI platforms such as ChatGPT.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"6-monitor-what-ai-says-about-you\" tabindex=\"-1\">6. Monitor what AI says about you<\/h3>\n<p>Once a month, ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity the questions your customers ask. Note whether you appear, whether the details are right and which sources are cited. If Google shows an inaccurate AI Overview about your business, you can use the thumbs-down button and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brandonkochkodin\/2025\/07\/31\/small-business-survive-google-search-traffic-crash\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">report the issue to Google<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"using-ai-as-an-seo-work-tool\" tabindex=\"-1\">Using AI as an SEO work tool<\/h2>\n<p>The other meaning of AI SEO is using AI to work faster. It is genuinely useful for:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Task<\/th>\n<th>AI helps with<\/th>\n<th>Human still needed for<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Keyword research<\/td>\n<td>Clustering queries, spotting gaps<\/td>\n<td>Judging buyer intent and local relevance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Content<\/td>\n<td>Outlines, first-draft structure, FAQ ideas<\/td>\n<td>Facts, experience, voice, final edit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Technical audits<\/td>\n<td>Summarizing crawl exports, drafting redirect maps<\/td>\n<td>Deciding what to fix first<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Reporting<\/td>\n<td>Turning data into plain-language summaries<\/td>\n<td>Tying results to revenue<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The risk is volume. Publishing hundreds of lightly edited AI pages is the opposite of the unique-information approach above. Use AI to speed up the thinking, not to replace the experience that makes a page worth citing.<\/p>\n<p>If you are moving a site while doing this, protect what you already rank for with a <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/seo-migration-checklist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1:1 URL map and no redirect chains<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"our-perspective\" tabindex=\"-1\">Our perspective<\/h2>\n<p>We build websites for small businesses, and we use AI in our own development process, so we see both sides of this topic. Our view is simple: the owners who do well with AI search are the ones who already had a solid site, a clean Google Business Profile and something real to say.<\/p>\n<p>Here is what we tell clients:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fix the foundation first.<\/strong> A slow, confusing or poorly structured site loses in classic search and in AI answers. Good design, responsive layouts and clear page structure are the base of everything else.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Be skeptical of promises.<\/strong> The FTC says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/business-guidance\/blog\/2023\/02\/keep-your-ai-claims-check\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">AI claims need adequate proof<\/a> and that there is no AI exception to consumer protection law, as its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/business-guidance\/blog\/2024\/04\/business-blogs-clear-eye-ai\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">business blog on AI<\/a> puts it. If an SEO vendor guarantees you a spot in ChatGPT answers, ask for the testing behind the claim. We don\u2019t promise placements, because nobody can.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Measure revenue, not rankings.<\/strong> Impressions will fall in some places. Calls, form fills and orders are what count. Our piece on an <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/seo-timeline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO timeline<\/a> shows which early signals to track before revenue moves.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use AI where it is safe.<\/strong> Drafting, summarizing and automating routine chores are good fits, with a person checking the output. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/ai-workflow-automation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI workflow automation steps<\/a> for how we think about guardrails.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As one of our owners\u2019 stores proved to us, a well-built site can start generating sales within weeks of going live, but that comes from the basics, not from a tool. Treat AI search as another channel that rewards the same discipline.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>\u2014 George<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"where-this-fits-if-you-run-a-store-or-a-local-shop\" tabindex=\"-1\">Where this fits if you run a store or a local shop<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Local service and retail.<\/strong> Prioritize the Business Profile, reviews, location pages with real detail and consistent contact information. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/seo.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Las Vegas local SEO page<\/a> explains how we handle GMB local SEO for businesses in the valley.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Online stores.<\/strong> Product pages are where AI shopping answers and Google Shopping pull from. Write original descriptions, keep schema and feeds accurate, and put revenue-first fixes ahead of vanity metrics. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/ecommerce-seo-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ecommerce SEO strategy<\/a> outlines three moves we start with.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brand-new sites.<\/strong> Launching with clean structure is cheaper than retrofitting it. If budget is the worry, our <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/small-business-website-cost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">small business website cost breakdown<\/a> has three budget levels and a vendor checklist.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"build-the-site-ai-search-can-read\" tabindex=\"-1\">Build the site AI search can read<\/h2>\n<p>If your current site is the bottleneck, we can help. Red Rock Webscapes designs and develops custom small business and e-commerce sites with SEO and responsive design built in. Our Website Launchpad program is meant to make launching possible with a low upfront cost: the standard business build setup fee is 99 USD one-off, and the e-commerce store build setup fee is 150 USD one-off, with managed care plans from 79 USD per month (Managed Core). See the details on the <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/website-launchpad.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Website Launchpad page<\/a>, or look at our <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/web-design.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Las Vegas web design services<\/a>. For stores, the <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/ecommerce.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">e-commerce packages<\/a> start at 2500 USD one-off for Brick &amp; Mortar. If you want a second opinion on where AI fits in your workflow, there is also our <a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/ai-consulting.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI consulting<\/a> service.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"faq\" tabindex=\"-1\">FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"can-seo-be-done-by-ai\" tabindex=\"-1\">Can SEO be done by AI?<\/h3>\n<p>Parts of it can: research, outlines, audits and reporting. The judgment calls cannot. AI cannot supply first-hand experience, verify facts about your business or decide what matters to your revenue. The best results come from a person directing the tools and editing the output.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"is-generative-engine-optimization-different-from-seo\" tabindex=\"-1\">Is generative engine optimization different from SEO?<\/h3>\n<p>The tactics overlap heavily. Google says its AI features rely on the <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/fundamentals\/ai-optimization-guide\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">same fundamentals as traditional search<\/a>. The practical differences are monitoring AI answers, getting mentioned on other sites and writing content that gives a direct, quotable answer. Don\u2019t buy a separate service just for the label.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"can-chatgpt-do-seo-for-me\" tabindex=\"-1\">Can ChatGPT do SEO for me?<\/h3>\n<p>It can help with brainstorming topics, drafting meta descriptions and summarizing data. It cannot publish, test or fix your site, and it can state wrong facts confidently. Use it as an assistant, then check everything against real data like Search Console.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"should-i-block-ai-crawlers-to-protect-my-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Should I block AI crawlers to protect my content?<\/h3>\n<p>For most small businesses, no. Blocking can remove you from AI summaries and answers, where more customers are looking for recommendations. If you have specific licensed or paid content, talk with a web professional about a targeted rule instead of a blanket block.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sources\" tabindex=\"-1\">Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/appearance\/ai-features\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Google Search Central: AI features and your website<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/fundamentals\/ai-optimization-guide\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Google Search Central: Guide to optimizing for generative AI features<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2025\/05\/succeeding-in-ai-search\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Google Search Central Blog: Succeeding in AI search<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2025\/07\/22\/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Center: Do people click on links in Google AI summaries?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/brandonkochkodin\/2025\/07\/31\/small-business-survive-google-search-traffic-crash\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Forbes: Google\u2019s AI Kills Traffic: Here\u2019s How Small Businesses Can Survive<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/smb-websites-rising-traffic-chatgpt-ai-engines-453201\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Search Engine Land: SMB websites see rising traffic from ChatGPT and other AI engines<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/thevalleymarketinggroup.com\/blog\/google-ai-mode-local-seo-service-businesses-2026\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Valley Marketing Group: Google AI Mode and local SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/business-guidance\/blog\/2023\/02\/keep-your-ai-claims-check\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">FTC: Keep your AI claims in check<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/business-guidance\/blog\/2024\/04\/business-blogs-clear-eye-ai\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">FTC: Business Blog\u2019s Clear Eye on AI<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"recommended\" tabindex=\"-1\">Recommended<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/ecommerce-seo-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ecommerce SEO for Small Stores: Three Moves That Put Revenue First<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/increase-ecommerce-conversion-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Raise Small Ecommerce Conversion Rate Fast: Fix Checkout, Speed, Trust<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/redrockwebscapes.com\/blog\/google-business-profile-optimization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Local Owners: 30\/60\/90 Google Business Profile Plan with Gemini<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AI SEO explained for small business owners: what is real, what is hype, and a practical plan to stay visible in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and local search.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.2 - 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