Recently I found out my biggest client found me on ChatGPT.
Not Instagram. Not Google. Not a referral over coffee. ChatGPT.
And once I got over the “wait, what?” moment, it got me thinking about just how much the way people find businesses has changed, and how many small business owners have absolutely no idea it’s happening.
We’re not just discovering businesses through Instagram or Google anymore. More and more, people are asking ChatGPT (or another AI tool) for recommendations first, then heading to socials for a little stalk before they decide to reach out.
Think about the last few things you searched for:
“Who can help me with my book-keeping?” “Best coffee in my area?” “I need a hairdresser who specialises in blondes.” “What should I buy my 4 year old for their birthday?”
A local shop owner told me people regularly visit her with a printed out itinerary from ChatGPT of all the shops and cafes to visit when visiting Toowoomba!
So, when your target client or customer searches something like that, will your business show up?
Being visible online isn’t just about posting more
Being visible online isn’t about posting more content. It’s about thinking of your online presence as an ecosystem, where every part has a job to do.
š± Socials build connection and trust.
š Search helps people discover you.
āØ AI helps people research and shortlist their options (and may send them back to the top of this list!).
They all work together. And if one part of that ecosystem is weak or missing, you’re leaving the door open for someone else to show up in your place.
So how easy is your business to find? Here are four quick wins you can action right now.
Quick Win 1: Make it ridiculously obvious what you do, where you do it, and who you do it for
Go and look at your Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok bio right now. Genuinely, go look, NOW!
Does it clearly say:
Cute taglines are great. But clarity is better. If someone lands on your bio and has to guess what you actually do, you’ve already lost them.
Quick Win 2: Use the words your clients actually search for
This one trips up so many small business owners, because we get attached to the language that WE use or that sounds good rather than language that actually works.
Instead of: “Helping you step into your next era”
Try: “Brand photographer for female founders in Brisbane” (who, what, where)
Be specific about your service, your niche, your expertise and your location and use those words naturally in your bio, website, page titles and content. It might feel less “on brand” than your clever tagline. But it’s the difference between being found and being invisible.
Quick Win 3: Create content that answers actual questions
Think about what your dream client might type into Google or ask ChatGPT. Then create posts around those exact questions.
For example:
Helpful content makes your expertise easier to understand.. for humans and for search tools. Every question you answer is a door you’ve opened for someone to find you.
Quick Win 4: Build proof beyond Instagram
Your digital footprint matters, and it’s bigger than your grid. Think about:
Every one of these is a signal, to humans and to AI tools, that you’re legit, established, and worth choosing.
Do this today
Search yourself. Then ask ChatGPT the kinds of questions a potential client might ask when looking for someone like you.
What comes up? What doesn’t?
Use the gaps to decide what content, profiles and online presence you need to strengthen.
The goal isn’t to be everywhere
Your next dream client could be searching for exactly what you offer right now. The goal isn’t to be everywhere, it’s to make it incredibly easy to understand who you are, what you do, and why you’re the person to choose.
My biggest client found me on ChatGPT. I definitely didnāt see that comingā¦ but it’s exactly why I stopped treating my online presence as an afterthought.
If you’re not sure how easy (or hard) your business actually is to find right now, let’s chat about it. Book a discovery call and we’ll figure out where the gaps are and what to fix first.
