Is Your Website Invisible to AI?
Lately I’ve been getting the same question in different forms.
Why does my competitor show up in AI search and I don’t.
Someone said they found me through ChatGPT and I have no idea how that happened.
Is SEO even a thing anymore.
And honestly, I’ve been asking some of these questions myself.
AI search is already here. People are using ChatGPT, Google’s AI summaries, and tools like Perplexity to find services, compare options, and make decisions. Not in the future. Right now. And what I’ve learned through working on my own website, and inside client websites, is that AI search doesn’t reward the flashiest site.
It rewards the clearest one.
How AI actually reads your website
AI does not experience your website the way a human does. It doesn’t scroll slowly or admire the design. It doesn’t read between the lines.
It looks for answers.
Clear explanations of what you do. Specific services and who they are for. Language that mirrors real questions people ask. Context that helps it understand your business and where you operate.
If your website is vague, overly poetic, or trying too hard to sound clever, AI struggles to understand it. Even if the site looks beautiful.
This is where a lot of service based businesses are getting quietly skipped.
What I noticed on my own website
When AI search really started gaining traction, I realized my own website needed some attention.
Not because it was broken. But because it assumed too much.
I knew what I meant when I wrote certain things. My clients probably did too. But AI didn’t. I hadn’t clearly answered enough of the questions someone might actually be asking. What I do. Who I help. How my services work. When someone should work with me and when they shouldn’t.
Once I started tightening that up, simplifying the language, and being more direct, things shifted. Not overnight, but noticeably.
That was my lightbulb moment.
What I’m seeing on client websites too
This comes up even more clearly in client work.
I’ll open a website that looks great on the surface. Strong visuals. Thoughtful design. But when you really read it, the answers aren’t there. Or they’re buried. Or they’re implied instead of stated.
AI doesn’t do implied.
When we clarify services, clean up structure, and make the information easier to understand, those websites start performing better across the board. Not just for AI search, but for real people too.
Because clarity helps everyone.
Why this matters more than ever
Search is changing, but the foundation hasn’t.
AI isn’t replacing strategy. It’s demanding it.
Websites that are clear, well structured, and written with real questions in mind are the ones being surfaced. The ones that rely on vague language or assumed understanding are easier to overlook.
This doesn’t mean you need to panic or rebuild everything. It means you need to look at your website a little differently.
Less as a brand statement. More as a set of answers.
Where Designer Days fit into this
This is exactly the kind of work I focus on during a Designer Day.
During a Designer Day, we look at how your website is structured, what questions it clearly answers, and where clarity is missing. We make updates directly inside your site so it supports how people are actually searching and deciding today.
It’s not about chasing AI trends or gaming the system. It’s about making sure your website makes sense.
You’re probably closer than you think
If AI search feels overwhelming, that’s understandable. It’s new and it’s changing quickly. But most of the time, the solution isn’t complicated.
It’s clarity.
If your website clearly explains what you do, who you help, and how to work with you, you are already doing most of the work AI needs.
And if it doesn’t, that’s fixable.
Closing thoughts
If you’re wondering whether your website is answering the right questions for both humans and AI, you don’t need to guess. A Designer Day is a simple way to take a clear look at what’s working, what’s missing, and what small changes could make a real difference.
Clarity first. Always.
