Are websites needed in an AI world?

Are websites relevant?

The world is full of AI this and AI that, and with clicks to websites down significantly thanks to GEO (generative AI search) is there even a reason to still have a website?

Yes. The same reasons you needed a website when social media showed up, and we all thought it would be the ultimate replacement for websites, still apply today, and a few other key points, including being your ultimate safety net.

1. You own your website. It is the digital real estate that represents your business - and it's the ultimate source of truth for your business and your online communication with your clients. On your website, you set the rules, you provide the contact, the content, and context you are not subject to algorithms or rules, its your place. It's your stable ground.

2. You need a site to be cited. AI will need to cite and reference you, so a site provides that connection. Users no longer rely on AI answers; they ask for citations. A website is the primary way to get crawled and referenced.

3. While they start with AI, they finish with sites. AI may provide a recommendation but consumers are still digging deeper and visiting sites to gain the connection and understand the brands and businesses they are potentially engaging with, and this is where you really get to shine.

4. AI doesn't replace you. Back to the concept of #3. AI does a great job of summarizing answers, but potential customers want to know who you are, what your brand and business stands for, the services, and what you believe in. This is where you get to really build your brand and ultimately convert your clients.

5. Building trust. Back when social media entered the scene, many business owners wondered whether or not social media would replace the need for a website, and it ultimately created more demand for a website. Social media, much like AI, creates discoverability; websites establish trust. Websites offer an element of trust and credibility.

6. SEO is still relevant. Yes, AI and GEO matter quite a bit, but there is still a huge need and service that SEO provides - credibility, for partners (Google) and AI Systems. If you are on the web, you should be following EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) Read more here.

7. Compliance and practical needs. Websites are verified by many businesses, partners, and authorities. Working with many organizations (especially in procurement), or managing e-commerce, a website is an essential tool.

8. Portfolios and references are housed where people can see them. While AI provides the references, your website backs it up. Whether showcasing services, your portfolio, references, or galleries, a website further elaborates and adds credibility.

9. Analytics and data tools are valuable. With each visitor who enters your website, you are gathering information that can be priceless. We can watch trends, understand more about the appeal of our products and services, and build our own communication platform (emails).

AI is making it easier than ever to search and find what we are looking for on the internet, but it is still referencing the content we put up - so one needs the other. While websites used to be the discovery point, they are now the credibility point.

AI also makes building websites easier, but I will caution against the overuse of AI in websites - it does not offer anything new to make you more searchable, and most customers do not like AI. This is how you can show and share what makes you unique instead of creating a website that is the average of the pre-existing content. (and people will know it.)

Websites have gotten significantly more affordable; let's chat.

Julie Boake