Don't Waste Time With Old SEO Tricks For AI

For years, businesses have focused on 'structured data' or 'schema' to help search engines understand their websites. This often meant adding special code to web pages to highlight things like business names, addresses, or product details. The idea was that this would make your website appear more prominently in search results, giving you an edge.

However, a recent study has thrown a spanner in the works, especially when it comes to the new world of AI-powered search. The study, which looked at nearly 2,000 web pages, found that all that effort put into structured data made almost no difference to how often these pages were cited by AI tools like ChatGPT or Google's AI search modes.

Put simply, AI doesn't seem to care much about the structured data we've been carefully adding. Instead, what really makes your business stand out to AI is what it always used to be for people: genuine mentions and recommendations from trusted sources. Think of it like a good old-fashioned referral — if reputable publications or websites mention your business positively, AI notices that.

This is good news for many small businesses. It means you don't need to get bogged down in complicated coding or technical SEO wizardry just for AI. Instead, focus on what you do best: providing excellent service, getting good reviews, and building a strong reputation. When other trusted sites talk about you, AI is more likely to highlight your business in its answers. So, keep doing great work, and the AI will follow.