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Hiiiiiiii Reader,

I've been seeing some version of this question floating around more & more lately: "Do websites even matter anymore now that we have AI?"

And TBH, I *kinda* understand WHY people are asking this...

Because the way people are finding businesses IS changing.

Someone might Google something, find you in an AI Overview, ask ChatGPT for a recommendation, stumble across one of your YouTube videos, hear about you on a podcast, see your name mentioned in a community, get one of your Instagram posts sent to them by a friend...

The list goes on and on and on.

There's SO MANY different ways someone can discover you 👀👀👀

But all of that makes having a really solid website even MORE important, in my opinion.

Because regardless of WHERE someone discovers you, they still need somewhere to figure out who the hell you are, what you do, if they trust you, annnnnnd whether they actually wanna give you money $$$$$$.

And your website is one of the only places online where YOU control that entire story.

Your website is basically your source of truth on the internet.

You don't control what ChatGPT says about you. You don't control Google's search results. You don't control what someone says when they recommend you inside a group chat.

But you DO control your website.

You control how you explain what you do, who you help, what your products/services include, what makes you different, the testimonials you showcase, the content you create, annnnnd what you want someone to do next.

And that's important for HUMANS (which are the people *literally* paying you money).

But it's also important for Google & AI.

AI tools need information to understand what your business does, what you offer, who you help, where you're located, what you're an expert in, etc.

And YOUR WEBSITE gives you the opportunity to make all of that CRYSTAL clear.

It's why I keep talking about clarity when it comes to SEO & AI search (seriously. I must have said the word 400x on a consulting call Monday lmao).

• Your homepage explains your business.
• Your service/product pages explain what you sell.
• Your About page establishes who you are + expertise.
• Your blog posts reinforce what you're knowledgeable about.
• Your testimonials, case studies, press, reviews, etc. help prove the things you're saying.

All of those things help HUMANS understand + trust your business...

Annnnnd they're giving Google & AI more context clues about your business at the same time.

It's a win, win, win.

Win for you. Win for them. Win for SEO.

But getting FOUND isn't the same thing as getting CHOSEN.

Let's say someone asks ChatGPT: "Who can help me learn how to do SEO for my small business?"

And ChatGPT recommends me, OF COURSE THAT'S INCREDIBLE. We love to see it.

But ChatGPT mentioning my name doesn't *magically* deposit money into my bank account.

That person STILL needs to decide whether they actually wanna learn from me + hire me.

So what are they probably gonna do?

Google me. Visit my website. Look at my services. Read my About page. Maybe click around my blog. Watch a YouTube video. Look for testimonials.

They're gonna INVESTIGATE ME.

And where's the BEST WAY to learn ALL ABOUT ME & BUSINESS??????

My website.

So, back to the question "Do websites still matter now that we have AI?"

Websites matter now more then ever.

They're the foundation of your entire business online. They're where all of your marketing efforts point back to. AND they're what's training AI/search bots about which solutions you're incredible at offering.

So, all of this to say, DON'T GET SWEPT UP IN THE AI FRENZY and start neglecting your website.

Make your website really fucking helpful for the people AND the bots.

Focus on clarity + trust. Everything else builds from there!

✅ Action steps for this week:

Go look at ONE important page on your website; your homepage, main service page, a blog post that's getting traffic, or a high-priority product page, and pretend you've NEVER heard of your business before...

Ask yourself:

👉 Is it crystal clear what I do/sell and who it's for?
👉 Am I giving someone enough information to understand WHY they'd choose me?
👉 Do I have proof to back it up? Testimonials, results, examples, reviews, credentials, etc.
👉 Is it obvious what they should do next?

Find ONE gap in clarity or trust, annnnnnd fix it.

Because whether someone discovers you through Google, ChatGPT, YouTube, Instagram, a podcast, their BFF Jill, or a random-ass group chat, your website is STILL your 24/7 sales person.

Use it to it's fullllllll advantage.

// NOTEWORTHY FINDS & UPDATES

Stay curious,

-- Mariah Magazine

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