You're Working Hard on the Wrong Things
You're writing blog posts. Optimizing meta descriptions. Researching keywords. Building backlinks.
And you're still invisible.
Why? Because you're doing SEO tactics from 2015 that don't work anymore—especially not for AI search.
Here's what you'll get from this guide:
Let's fix this.
Mistake #1: Chasing Keywords Instead of Answering Questions
What you're doing wrong:
You're writing blog posts targeting keywords like "plumber Seattle" or "best pizza near me."
Why it doesn't work:
AI doesn't care about keyword density. It cares about answering user questions accurately.
What to do instead:
Write content that answers specific questions your customers actually ask.
Example:
❌ Bad: "Best Plumber Seattle - Top Rated Plumbing Services"
✅ Good: "What to Do When Your Basement Floods: Emergency Plumber's Guide"
The second one answers a real question. It gets cited by AI. It ranks in Google. It converts customers.
Action step: List 10 questions customers ask you all the time. Write one answer per week.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Your Google Business Profile
What you're doing wrong:
You claimed your Google Business Profile 3 years ago and haven't touched it since.
Why it doesn't work:
Inactive profiles don't rank. Google (and AI) prioritize businesses that show signs of life: recent reviews, posts, photos, updates.
What to do instead:
Update your Google Business Profile weekly. It takes 5 minutes and delivers more results than 10 blog posts.
Weekly checklist:
Action step: Set a Monday morning calendar reminder. Spend 5 minutes updating your profile.
[Complete setup guide](/learn/google-business-profile-setup) to maximize your profile's impact.
Mistake #3: Writing for Google Instead of Humans
What you're doing wrong:
Your content sounds like this: "If you're looking for the best plumber in Seattle, we are the top-rated Seattle plumbing company offering expert Seattle plumbing services..."
Why it doesn't work:
Keyword stuffing hasn't worked since 2012. Now it actively hurts you because:
What to do instead:
Write like you're talking to a customer in your store. Natural language. Helpful tone.
Example:
❌ Keyword-stuffed: "Our plumbing company provides professional plumbing services for all your Seattle plumbing needs."
✅ Natural: "We fix leaks, unclog drains, and replace water heaters. Most jobs done same-day."
The second one is clearer, more helpful, and actually ranks better.
Action step: Read your website out loud. If it sounds robotic, rewrite it in plain English.
Mistake #4: No Reviews = No Trust = No Visibility
What you're doing wrong:
You have 3 reviews from 2019. You "keep meaning to ask" but never do.
Why it doesn't work:
Reviews are the #1 local ranking factor. AI won't recommend businesses without social proof.
Think about it: Would YOU hire a plumber with 3 reviews when the competitor has 87 reviews at 4.8 stars?
What to do instead:
Build a simple system to get 5-10 reviews monthly on autopilot.
The system:
1. Get your Google review link (business.google.com)
2. Text it to every satisfied customer immediately after job completion
3. Add it to your email signature
4. Print QR codes for invoices and business cards
Target: 25 reviews in 3 months, 50 in 6 months, 100 in 12 months.
Action step: Text 5 happy customers right now asking for a review. Include the direct link.
[Complete review strategy](/learn/get-100-reviews) to build social proof that works 24/7.
Mistake #5: Thinking SEO Is Separate from AI Visibility
What you're doing wrong:
You're optimizing for Google search like it's still 2020. You're ignoring AI search completely.
Why it doesn't work:
Your customers are asking ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity for recommendations. If you're not showing up there, you're missing 30-40% of potential customers.
What to do instead:
Build authority signals that both Google AND AI trust:
The difference:
- Old SEO: Optimize for keywords, build backlinks, write blog posts
- New SEO: Build real authority, demonstrate expertise, get third-party validation
Action step: Add schema markup to your website today. It takes 10 minutes and makes you readable to AI.
[Simple schema guide](/learn/schema-markup-simple) - no coding required.
What To Focus On Instead
Stop doing:
Start doing:
The second list takes less time and delivers better results.
The 80/20 of Small Business SEO
80% of your results come from 20% of activities:
1. Google Business Profile (30 min/week)
- Update weekly
- Respond to reviews
- Add photos and posts
2. Review generation (10 min/week)
- Ask every satisfied customer
- Respond to all reviews
3. Answer real questions (1 hour/week)
- Write helpful content
- Natural language
- Solve customer problems
4. Build real authority (2 hours/month)
- Get mentioned in local news
- Publish case studies
- Share expertise publicly
That's it. Do these four things consistently and you'll outperform competitors spending 40 hours/month on "SEO."
How to Measure What Matters
Forget about:
Track instead:
Dashboard check (monthly):
If those numbers go up, your SEO is working.
The Bottom Line
Most small business SEO advice is written for enterprises with massive budgets and content teams.
You don't need that.
You need:
Focus on those four. Ignore everything else.
You'll get:
Start today: Pick ONE mistake from this list and fix it this week.
Next steps:
- [Set up your Google Business Profile correctly](/learn/google-business-profile-setup)
- [Understand how AI search differs from Google](/learn/how-ai-search-differs-from-google)
- [Optimize your content for AI](/learn/optimize-content-for-ai-search)
Track your progress: [Join our waitlist](/waitlist) for automated monitoring that shows what's actually working.