For years, businesses trying to attract new customers online have concentrated on a familiar question: How do we show up when someone searches on Google?
That question is changing.
Consumers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Claude to research products, compare businesses and ask for recommendations. Even traditional Google searches are changing as AI-generated answers become a more prominent part of the search experience.
For businesses in Cache Valley, Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, that means digital visibility is no longer just about appearing on a search results page. Increasingly, businesses also need to consider whether AI tools can find, understand and trust the information available about them online.
Jenny Sutton, head of Digital Marketing Solutions at Audacy, recently examined this shift in an article titled “Why AI Search Belongs in Your Digital Playbook.” Her central message for businesses is straightforward: AI should be added to a strong digital marketing strategy, not treated as a replacement for everything that came before it.
Consumers Are Asking AI Where to Spend Their Money
According to research cited by Sutton, half of Americans are now using AI chatbots, up nearly 50% in just two years.
More important for marketers is what people are doing with them.
“Here’s the seismic shift: four in ten users are asking AI chatbots for information, creating a new source for business leads,” Sutton writes.
Think about what that could mean for a local business.
Instead of searching “HVAC repair Logan Utah,” a homeowner might ask an AI assistant, “Who are some reputable HVAC companies in Cache Valley?”
Someone could ask for the best place in Logan to buy tires, a recommended plumber nearby, a restaurant for an anniversary dinner or a contractor for a home remodeling project.
That changes the search experience from entering keywords and scrolling through links to having a conversation and receiving recommendations.
For marketers, Sutton argues this creates another discipline to consider: artificial intelligence optimization, or AIO.
“AIO isn’t replacing SEO and paid search, but it’s quickly becoming an essential addition to the digital marketing toolkit,” she writes.
That distinction is important.
Don’t Abandon SEO and Paid Search
The rise of AI doesn’t mean businesses should suddenly stop investing in search engine optimization or paid search.
Quite the opposite.
SEO, search engine marketing and a well-designed website help establish the digital foundation that both traditional search engines and emerging AI tools use to understand a business.
As Sutton puts it, “Adding AI to your strategy means just that — add it.”
That is especially relevant for local businesses that cannot afford to chase every new marketing trend at the expense of strategies already generating leads.
A better approach is to build a comprehensive digital presence.
Cache Valley Media Group can help local businesses do exactly that through a suite of digital products designed to reach consumers throughout their decision-making process. That can include website development, SEO, paid search, social media marketing, targeted digital advertising, streaming and connected TV, and other digital solutions.
The objective isn’t to pick one channel and hope it works. It is to make sure customers can discover your business wherever they happen to be looking.
Your Website Matters More, Not Less
One of the more interesting consequences of AI search is that quality website content could become even more valuable.
AI systems need information before they can recommend a business. Sutton notes that both search engines and AI tools prioritize credible sources, making accurate and useful online content an important part of visibility.
“Your website is your digital front door, so check your curb appeal through a customer’s eyes,” Sutton writes.
That’s good advice regardless of how someone discovers your business.
Does your website clearly explain what you do? Does it identify the communities you serve? Can customers easily find your hours, location and contact information? Does the site answer common questions customers have before making a purchase? Is the information current?
For a Northern Utah business, useful content might also explain its expertise in Logan, Cache Valley or surrounding communities. For a company serving Southern Idaho, it should make that service area clear as well.
Original content that answers real customer questions can strengthen traditional SEO while also giving AI systems better information to work with.
Don’t Overlook Your Online Reputation
Reviews are another increasingly important piece of the puzzle.
When someone asks an AI system to recommend a “reputable” company, the system needs signals that help establish that reputation. Customer reviews, accurate business listings, authoritative website content and a consistent digital presence can all contribute to the information available about a business.
That makes reputation management more than a customer-service exercise.
Businesses should actively encourage satisfied customers to leave legitimate reviews and should respond professionally to feedback — positive or negative.
The goal isn’t simply to accumulate stars. It is to create a credible digital footprint that helps prospective customers — and increasingly the technology assisting those customers — understand why your business deserves consideration.
AI Doesn’t Eliminate the Marketing Funnel
There is another important lesson in Audacy’s analysis: Search is usually only one part of the customer journey.
Someone asking AI for a recommendation may already recognize several of the businesses it suggests.
That’s where a broader marketing strategy becomes important.
Social media marketing, targeted display advertising, connected TV, video, search marketing and other digital products can build awareness before a customer actively starts shopping. SEO, paid search and AI optimization can then help a business appear when that consumer moves closer to making a decision.
In other words, being found matters. But being known before the search begins can be even more powerful.
AI may change how consumers research their options, but it doesn’t eliminate the need to build awareness, familiarity and trust.
Build a Digital Strategy for How Customers Search Today
AI search is developing quickly, and no business should expect the rules to remain static.
That doesn’t mean local businesses need to become AI experts themselves. It does mean they should be asking whether their marketing strategy is keeping pace with changes in consumer behavior.
Sutton offers particularly useful advice for companies working with outside marketing partners: “You probably trust that they’re staying on top of the latest AI trends. But don’t assume. Ask.”
Cache Valley Media Group’s marketing consultants can help businesses evaluate the entire digital picture — from their website, SEO and paid search presence to social media, targeting marketing, connected TV and other digital products — and develop a strategy designed around their customers.
The technology consumers use to find businesses will continue to evolve. The fundamental marketing challenge remains remarkably consistent: Be visible, be credible and give customers a reason to choose you.
If you’re wondering whether your current digital marketing strategy is prepared for AI-driven search, contact a Cache Valley Media Group marketing consultant. We can help evaluate where your business stands today and identify opportunities to improve how customers throughout Cache Valley, Logan, Northern Utah and Southern Idaho discover you online.
Source: Jenny Sutton, Head of Digital Marketing Solutions at Audacy, “Why AI Search Belongs in Your Digital Playbook.” Consumer AI usage statistics cited in Sutton’s article include research from Pew Research Center.
