Episode 142 | What is the secret to ranking everywhere online?

Why does building Topical Authority get your site pulled into new AI-organized results?

Hello, I'm Linda Donnelly. For over ten years, my team and I at Business Solutions Marketing Group have helped small businesses get more customers. We've seen a lot of things change in search and marketing. Remember when Google's "Featured Snippets" first came out? They were just a small test. Then, all of a sudden, they were everywhere. It's happening again right now, but this time, it's a lot bigger.

You might have heard about "AI Overviews." That's the little box that gives a direct answer at the top of a search page. Right now, it's not on every search. But here's the reality: every major search change—from Featured Snippets to this new AI stuff—started as a small experiment. And when Google sees that people like it, the new feature gets bigger, and it gets bigger fast.

You see, users adapt a lot faster than businesses expect. A study from the Pew Research Center found that as of this summer, over half of all U.S. adults have already seen an AI-generated summary in their Google searches. It's not the future; it's happening right now. And when an AI Overview shows up, the same study found that users click on a regular website link a lot less often. In fact, people only click on a regular search result in about 8% of all visits where an AI Overview is shown, down from about 15% when the AI Overview isn't there. That's a huge drop, and it means if you want to get found, you have to be in that box at the top.

What exactly is 'Topical Authority' and why do you need it?

So, how do you get your business's information into that special box? You have to become what we call an "authority" on your topic. Think about it like this: if you wanted to know the best way to plant a garden, who would you trust? Would you trust the person who wrote one short blog post about it, or would you trust the person who wrote a whole book about it, and also had a YouTube channel with videos, and a website with a whole bunch of articles about gardening tools, types of soil, and how to get rid of weeds? You'd trust the person who is an expert, right?

That's Topical Authority. It's not about having one great blog post. It's about having a whole bunch of great content that shows Google you're a true expert on a subject. It's about being the go-to source of information on your topic. When you do this, Google sees you as a trusted expert, and it will be much more likely to pull your information into its new AI-organized results.

An article from Search Engine Journal showed that the AI loves to pull information from websites that are known for their strong E-E-A-T signals. E-E-A-T stands for:

• Experience: You've done it.
• Expertise: You know it.
• Authoritativeness: Others recognize it.
• Trustworthiness: It's accurate and transparent.

These are the new rules of the game. If you can prove you have E-E-A-T, you have a much better chance of winning. And the best part? It's something my team at Business Solutions Marketing Group is already helping businesses with.

How Our Program Gets Your Business Ready for AI Search

This new search reality is exactly why we created our marketing program. We don't just handle a few things here and there. We provide a full-circle solution to help you build the topical authority needed to get into these new AI-powered results. Our strategies are all about giving your business the trust and authority that Google's algorithms (and real people!) are looking for.

Here's how our program helps you win:

1. Video Marketing: The Key to Being a Go-To Expert My team and I have been saying this for years: video is a powerful way to show what you know. But now, with AI, it's even more so. AI can actually "watch" and understand a video. It can listen to the words you say and use them as information. If you're a plumber, you could make a video called "How to Fix a Leaky Sink," and the AI could watch it and use your words in an answer about leaky sinks. We specialize in making videos for our clients that help them do just that. You can check out more about our video marketing services here: https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/services/video-marketing/.
2. Reputation Management: Proving Your Trustworthiness This is a huge part of being trustworthy. When someone says something about your business, the AI is listening. It reads your reviews and looks at what people say on social media. That's why having a strong, positive online reputation is so important. A study found that over 70% of consumers said they somewhat trust AI-generated search results. This means that if your content is featured by the AI, you get a huge trust boost. The AI is seen as an authority, and it passes that trust on to you. It's a big part of what we do. We help our clients get more great reviews and manage their online reputation so that Google and the AI see them as a trusted source. You can find more about our reputation management services here: https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/services/reputation-management/.
3. Google Business Profile Optimization: The Local Signal For local businesses, your Google Business Profile is more important than ever. It's often the first thing a potential customer sees. The AI and search algorithms use it as a powerful signal of your relevance and authority in a local area. We optimize every part of your profile to make sure you're telling the right story, with the right keywords, to the right people. Our goal is to get your business to the top of Google Maps and into the "Map Pack." This builds your topical authority in a real, physical location. You can learn more about how we help local businesses here: https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/services/google-business-listing-optimization/.
4. Content Creation: Building the Library of Expertise You can't have topical authority without a lot of great content. We help you map out a strategy to create content that shows your expertise. This isn't about one blog post. It's about a whole library of helpful articles, videos, and social media posts that show you are a true expert. We make sure every piece of content is written in a simple, easy-to-read way so the AI can find and use it. This strategy is how you build a long-term, winning online presence.

Stats that will make you think

We've talked about what to do, but let's look at some numbers that show just how important this is. These are stats that most business owners aren't talking about.

• The "Zero-Click" Problem is Real: A study from SparkToro found that almost 60% of all Google searches end without a person clicking on any link. They find their answer in that top box and move on. If you're not in that top box, you are completely invisible to those people.
• The speed of change: Google doesn't wait around. A look at their past updates shows that major changes to their ranking system often roll out in less than a month. For example, their March 2025 core update took only about two weeks to fully roll out. So, you have to be ready to change fast.
• AI Scraping is Growing: A blog post by Akamai, a big internet company, showed that the number of "AI scrapers" visiting websites is growing fast. In just a few months, these AI bots were making over a billion requests a day to find new information. This means that every day, these bots are looking for new content to feed their brains. If you're not making new, good content, you're getting left behind.

You can read more about these trends on a trusted site like Search Engine Journal: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/.

Key Takeaways

Getting your business ready for AI search isn't a one-time thing; it's a new way of thinking about your online presence. Here are the most important things to remember:

1. Don't wait: AI search is here to stay. The businesses that prepare now will be the ones that win.
2. Build Topical Authority: Become the go-to expert on your topic by creating a lot of great content on it.
3. Prove your trustworthiness: Google wants to show people content that is from a trusted source. You can show you're trustworthy with reviews, credentials, and great content.
4. Use video: AI can "watch" and understand videos, making them a powerful way to get your content seen.
5. Act now: The businesses that get on this trend now will be the ones that win in the long run.

The world of marketing is always changing. It used to be about getting on the first page of Google. Now, it's about getting into that AI box at the top of the page. This isn't just a new trick; it's a new way that customers are finding businesses.

My team at Business Solutions Marketing Group has been through all the changes, and we're ready for this one. We can help you with your website, your reviews, and your video marketing to make sure you're ready for the future. Don't get left behind. Give us a call today.

5 Most Asked Questions & Answers About AI Search

Q: What is a Google AI Overview? A: A Google AI Overview is a short, summary answer that Google's AI creates and puts at the top of a search results page. It pulls information from different websites to give you an answer without you needing to click on a link.

Q: Is my website ready for AI search? A: Your website is ready for AI search if it uses clear language, has easy-to-read headings and paragraphs, and has important information (like hours and services) clearly labeled.

Q: Does a blog post help with AI search? A: Yes. An AI reads blog posts and other content to get information. A well-written blog post that gives a clear answer to a question is more likely to be featured in an AI Overview.

Q: What is E-E-A-T and why is it important for my content? A: E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It's a set of rules Google uses to decide if your content is good enough to trust. Showing E-E-A-T can help your content get a higher rank in search results and AI answers.

Q: What should I do right now to prepare? A: The most important thing to do right now is to build your topical authority. This means creating a lot of great content that shows you are a real expert on a topic. You should also make sure your online reviews and Google Business Profile are in good shape.

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