How Are You Navigating the New Reality of AI Search?
Digital discovery is undergoing its most profound transformation since the invention of the search engine. According to a recent report from McKinsey & Company, roughly half of all consumers now use AI-driven search to inform their buying decisions. From ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to Google’s AI Overviews, AI tools are disrupting the journey from curiosity to conversion.
The momentum is staggering. More than 50% of Google searches now feature AI overviews, a figure climbing daily. By 2028, McKinsey projects that AI search will influence more than $750 billion in revenue. For many businesses, this revolution has arrived with a sting: a significant decline in organic traffic and a blurring of their once-clear revenue streams.
The question is no longer when the change will happen, but whether your brand is prepared to capitalize on it. Drawing on my research and experience leading the AI search transition at Rio Grande, one of New Mexico’s largest e-commerce companies, I’ve put together a guide to reclaiming your visibility in this new landscape.
Measure Your AI Footprint
Before you can lead, you must know where you stand. Begin by evaluating your brand’s visibility and sentiment across AI platforms. Tools such as Semrush’s Free AI Search Visibility Checker and Otterly.ai provide an essential baseline of your company’s relevance.
It is worth noting that AI snippets often pull from the top 10 search results in Google. As a result, ranking in the traditional organic top 10 remains a cornerstone of success. If you are invisible in traditional search, you will be non-existent in the AI’s response.
Authority Is the New Currency
AI search engines do not rely solely on your website. They listen to a choir of sources, including publishers, user-generated content, and affiliates. To thrive, you must build brand authority through content that is both helpful and uniquely yours.
Be the Expert: Cite trusted authorities and demonstrate a nuanced understanding of your niche.
Target the "Long Tail": Focus on specific, low-competition keywords that answer precise consumer questions.
Speak Human: AI favors conversational queries. Use clear, simple, and natural language that machines can easily parse and people can easily trust.
The Architecture of Clarity
Structure is for more than aesthetics. AI prefers content that is concise and clearly organized. Utilizing headers, bullet points, and dedicated FAQ sections makes your site a more scannable target for AI crawlers.
Perhaps the most potent tool in your technical arsenal is schema markup. This specialized code acts as a translator, helping AI understand the specific meaning behind your data. As industry expert Neil Patel puts it, "Structured data is now a clear sign of clarity and authority."
During my tenure at Rio Grande Jewelry Supply, our team implemented hundreds of schemas. The results were measurable: a significant increase in both AI-driven and traditional organic traffic. Rich results—those extra details like star ratings, stock availability, and product images—provide the immediate information that captures a click before a user even finishes their search.
Beyond the Website: PR and the Human Touch
Traditional PR has found a second life in AI optimization. Brand mentions, in addition to backlinks, are now vital. A feature on a news site, a mention in a respected blog, or a robust discussion on Facebook, Reddit, Quora, or X signals to AI that your brand is a living part of the cultural conversation.
However, avoid the temptation to let AI do all the talking. Generic, AI-generated content is ironically ignored by AI search engines, which prioritize unique, human-led insights. Use AI to brainstorm or outline, but ensure a human hand polishes the final product.
Don’t Forget the "Other" Giant
While Google dominates the headlines, Bing powers the responses for ChatGPT, one of the world's most popular AI tools. Optimizing for Bing’s is a strategic necessity for reaching the millions of users who treat ChatGPT as their primary interface for discovery.
The landscape of search is changing rapidly, and for e-commerce companies in particular, the cost of neglect is high. But for those who act now to optimize their digital presence, the AI revolution represents a significant competitive advantage.
If you are looking for a partner to navigate this transition, Ashley Dalton Consulting can help. From high-level strategy to full execution, my team is ready to ensure your business is found—and chosen.
Contact us today for a complementary consultation to explore your AI search opportunities.
5 Ways “Strategic Subtraction” Can Help Small Businesses Thrive
It all begins with an idea.
In times of uncertainty, leaders often look for ways to do more. But a November 2025 Harvard Business Review article, “In Turbulent Times, Consider Strategic Subtraction,” suggests that doing less may be a more effective approach. The key, though, is to approach it intentionally. The authors encourage businesses to weigh any subtractive measures, such as cost-cutting or streamlining operations, against long-term goals that build “efficiency, resilience, and visibility.”
For small-business owners, the approach can be transformative, streamlining operations without sacrificing agility, customer experience, or relevance. Here are five effective ways to put this concept into practice:
1. Reexamine long-standing processes.
Systems that have been in place for a long time often hide layers of inefficiency. Over the years, employees may patch issues with quick fixes that add unnecessary complexity and create new inefficiencies. Investing the time to deconstruct and rebuild processes can feel uncomfortable in the short term, but it yields lasting benefits: greater flexibility, clearer operations, and a more resilient, high-functioning business.
2. Treat meetings as an investment.
A senior executive I once worked with shared a memorable insight: the true cost of a one-hour meeting is the combined hourly rate of everyone in the room. Factor in the opportunity cost of delayed decisions, and the real price tag can be significant.
Leaders can reclaim focus by setting clear objectives, time limits, and follow-up actions. Cancel recurring meetings that lack purpose, invite only essential participants, and document decisions to maintain momentum and prevent unnecessary delays. Every meeting should create value and build the team’s confidence and effectiveness—not drain their energy.
3. Clarify roles to reduce friction.
As businesses evolve and staff change, roles often shift without a formal reevaluation of responsibilities. This ambiguity can quietly undermine productivity, accountability, and morale, while preventing employees from receiving the recognition and compensation they’ve earned.
Revisit job functions at least annually, or more often during periods of rapid change. Clear role definitions can prevent overlap, confusion, and potential conflict. They also build confidence, stability, and a culture of trust and ownership.
4. Streamline communication systems.
When updates come through Slack, text, email, and in-person conversations, collaboration becomes chaotic. The result is often missed information, duplicated effort, and unnecessary frustration.
Conduct a brief communication audit to determine how information flows through your team and eliminate unnecessary channels. Then, establish a unified plan for where and how specific types of communication should occur. The result is less repetition, fewer bottlenecks, and more meaningful progress.
5. Stop spending time on tasks that don’t play to your strengths.
Many small-business owners fall into the trap of “wearing too many hats.” One creative entrepreneur I worked with excelled at sales, brand strategy, and big-picture vision, but she was spending 20+ hours a week buried in administrative tasks. Once she delegated these responsibilities to her detail-oriented assistant, both her revenue and her energy soared. Effective delegation allows leaders to focus on what drives the greatest value while enabling others to excel at tasks they enjoy and do well.
“Strategic subtraction” isn’t about cutting for the sake of cutting. It’s about creating space to think more clearly, act intentionally, and pave the way for long-term growth.
How are you simplifying your business to stay strong through uncertainty?