What Founders Need to Know About AI and Search in 2025

Insights from the CIM Webinar with Graham Hansell – 28 May 2025

This week I joined a fantastic webinar from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, hosted by digital marketing strategist Graham Hansell. It was packed with practical takeaways for business owners navigating the new wave of AI-driven search.

If you're running a service-based business or building your personal brand online, these changes matter more than ever. Here’s what stood out—and how to use it to your advantage.

1. Google’s Still the Giant—But It’s Evolving Fast

One of the most reassuring—and thought-provoking—moments in Graham’s session was this: Google isn’t going anywhere this decade. It’s still the biggest search engine in the world, with vast data and infrastructure keeping it rock solid.

But the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Perplexity means Google is under pressure to innovate and stay relevant.

AI-powered tools are shifting user behaviour. People are no longer just searching—they’re asking. And they expect clear, confident answers fast. Google’s already responding with tools like Search Generative Experience (SGE) to stay ahead.

What this means for founders:
✅ Don’t ditch Google. It’s still your digital shopfront.
✅ But do start thinking about how your content is being summarised or surfaced by AI tools.

2. Keep Your Website Fresh (Every 90 Days)

Start by checking which pages on your website are getting the most traffic and conversions. These are the pages that Google already trusts—and the ones your customers are most interested in.

What to do:
✅ Refresh these pages every 90 days.
✅ Use clear H1 and H2 headings.
✅ Keep it human-readable and easy for AI to follow.

3. Digital PR Still Matters

Even in an AI-led search world, online mentions and backlinks still count. Getting featured in credible sources reinforces your authority and helps search engines understand what you're known for.

What to do:
✅ Pitch yourself for interviews, guest posts, and articles.
✅ Focus on being known for something specific and searchable.

4. Try Monitoring Tools (AI's Got Some New Players)

Graham recommended several tools that can help track brand visibility and performance in AI search environments. These are new to me, but worth exploring:

5. Add the 'Citation Analysis' Extension

This Chrome extension shows you where AI tools are sourcing information. It's handy for seeing if you or your competitors are being cited in AI-generated content.

It’s good for:
✅ Spotting who’s being trusted by AI
✅ Learning where you might need to boost visibility
✅ Finding missing attributions

6. Tracking ChatGPT in GA4

Yes—ChatGPT might already be sending you traffic. But it won’t show up automatically in GA4.

How to find it:

Go to Acquisition > Traffic
Add a filter: Dimension = Source, Match = contains, Value = ChatGPT
Check the Primary Dimension: Session source/medium

Voilà—you’ll see ChatGPT referrals if they’re coming in.

7. Make Sure Your Site Has Schema

Schema.org provides the structure that search engines and AI tools rely on to understand your site. It’s like giving your content a label.

Use ChatGPT to create schema by asking:

“Create schema markup for a local business website offering marketing education and business support.”

Add this to your site’s head section or via plugins if using WordPress or Zenler.

8. AEO Is the New SEO: Optimise for Answer Engines

AEO—Answer Engine Optimisation—is about helping tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity use your content to provide direct answers.

Tips:

Lead with the answer in the first 50–100 words
Avoid jargon and explain acronyms
Be conversational and use plain English
Cite reputable sources and link to them
Create more 'how to' pages using tools like AnswerThePublic.com

9. What’s Next? AI Ads Are Coming

Perplexity already runs answer engine ads in the US. And ChatGPT is rumoured to launch its own ad platform in 2026.

No official backend exists yet, but it’s likely coming. In the meantime, try Microsoft Clarity to analyse your traffic and see how visitors engage with your site.

These are the shifts I’m watching closely—and I’ll keep sharing what I learn so you can stay ahead of the game.

Try any of these? Seen ChatGPT referrals already? Let me know or tag me—I love seeing founders embrace what’s next.