By Ryan Berry

For more than 15 years, my team and I have been building websites for businesses throughout our community. During that time, we've watched websites evolve dramatically— not just in how they look, but in how people use them.

There was a time when the biggest challenge was simply making sure a website worked on a desktop computer. Then smartphones changed everything, and businesses rushed to rebuild their websites so they displayed properly on mobile devices.

After that came the era of flashy websites. Pages were filled with animations, moving graphics, pop-ups and fancy widgets. Before long, the trend shifted again.

Businesses realized people didn't want to hunt for information—they wanted answers quickly. Simplicity became the goal. Clean layouts, fast loading pages and clear navigation became the new standard.

Today, we're entering what may be the biggest shift yet.

Ironically, much of this change won't be visible to the people visiting your website.

For years, we've told our clients one simple rule: "Google is king." If you built your website the way Google wanted, people could find your business.

That advice still matters — but the rules are changing.

Consumers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to answer their questions. They aren't using AI just to write emails or generate funny pictures. They're using it the same way previous generations used the Google search bar.

Need a plumber? Ask AI.

Looking for the best local accountant? Ask AI.

Trying to compare roofing companies? Ask AI.

Even Google has embraced this change. Most searches now begin with an AI-generated summary before users ever see the traditional list of search results.

That means your website isn't just competing for a spot on Google's first page anymore. It's competing to become the information AI trusts enough to include in its answers.

This changes everything.

Your website can no longer be treated like an online brochure that gets updated every few years. It needs to become a living, accurate source of information about your business.

If your hours are outdated, your services have changed, or your content no longer reflects what you actually do, AI may begin relying on someone else's information instead.

Once that happens, your visibility online can decline quickly, and rebuilding that authority isn't something that happens overnight.

Businesses also need to start thinking about whether their websites are "AI ready." Search engines and AI platforms don't simply read what humans see—they analyze how information is organized behind the scenes.

Proper page structure, clear headings, accurate business information, updated service descriptions and well-written content all help AI understand your business and recommend it with confidence.

Google is already integrating Gemini throughout its products, including Google Search, and continues adding AI-powered features that help people interact with businesses

online. As these tools become more common, they'll increasingly rely on information pulled directly from your website and your Google Business Profile.

Think about that for a moment.

When someone asks AI where they should eat dinner tonight, which attorney they should call, or which local business they should trust, the answer may come from the information you've published online — or from your competitor.

The businesses that keep their websites current, accurate and structured for this new generation of search will have a significant advantage. Those who ignore these changes risk becoming invisible to the very customers they're trying to reach.

We've spent years optimizing websites for Google. Now it's time to optimize them for the way people actually search.

Because in the age of artificial intelligence, your website isn't just speaking to your customers anymore — it's speaking to the technology that's answering their questions. ■