What is AI search optimisation?

It’s the work of making sure your business gets named when people ask an AI assistant for a recommendation. You may also see it called GEO (generative engine optimisation) or AEO (answer engine optimisation) — same thing, different labels.

Is it different from SEO?

It’s related. SEO gets you found on Google when someone searches; AI search optimisation gets you named in the answer ChatGPT or Google’s AI gives back. The fundamentals overlap, so good SEO gives you a genuine head start.

How do you know if it’s working?

We keep track of how you’re showing up across the AI assistants and report on it, so progress is something you can see rather than take on faith.

Do I need it right now?

For most businesses it’s worth understanding where you stand rather than rushing. A good starting point is simply a conversation — get in touch and we’ll talk you through it honestly.

AI Search Optimisation Christchurch | Get Found on AI Search

Your customers are starting to ask AI

Instead of searching Google and scrolling the results, more and more people ask ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google’s AI a question — “who’s a good [your kind of business] in Christchurch?” — and take the answer it gives. Those answers only mention a few businesses. We help make sure yours is one of them.

Our honest take

We’ve been building websites in Christchurch for 25 years, and in that time we’ve watched a lot of “next big things” arrive — each one with someone selling panic alongside it. We’ve never worked that way. We don’t scaremonger, we don’t upsell you a problem you don’t have, and we’d rather tell you something isn’t worth doing yet than take your money for it.

So, the honest version on AI search: the way people find businesses is genuinely shifting, being recommended by AI is becoming a real form of visibility, and it rewards the businesses that get the fundamentals right. It’s worth paying attention to — without the panic. And if we don’t think it’s the right spend for you yet, we’ll tell you.

What it takes to get found in AI answers

When an AI recommends a business, it’s not random. It favours businesses whose information is clear and well-structured, that show up in the sources it trusts, and that tell a consistent story about who they are and what they do. In practice, that means:

Clear, accurate information a machine can easily quote
A presence in the places AI looks — directories, reviews, the roundups it cites
A well-built, well-structured website underneath it all

If that sounds a lot like good SEO, you’re right — there’s real overlap. What’s new is the target: the answer, not just the link.

How we can help

Getting found in AI search grows out of the same craft we’ve always practised — a well-structured, well-built site with a clear story, looked after properly. We can help you understand how AI assistants see your business today, and what it would take to improve it.

How we work with you

A simple, honest shape — no lock-in, no jargon:

Start with an audit. We look at how AI assistants currently see your business, where your information is clear or missing, and what’s holding you back from being the answer. You get a straight picture of where you stand.
A monthly report. We keep an eye on how you’re showing up in AI search over time, so you’re never guessing whether it’s working — you can see it.
Ongoing optimisation. We do the steady work that moves the needle: sharpening your content and structure, tidying your information, and building your presence in the sources AI trusts.

We’re building this into a full service as part of our new website — but you don’t need to wait. If AI search is on your radar, let’s have a chat.

Talk to us about AI search

AI Search Optimisation