Over the past year, a subtle but important shift has been happening in the way people search for products and services. Traditional search engines aren’t disappearing, but a growing number of users are now turning to AI assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini to help them find answers, including recommendations for suppliers, agencies and specialists.
It’s easy to miss this trend if you’re not looking for it. AI assistants might not appear in Google Analytics, and they don’t always show up in your keyword reports, depending on your setup. But they are influencing buying decisions, and the businesses that prepare for this shift will have a clear advantage.
At web2market, we’ve started to see this play out in real lead data: enquiries arriving with the source labelled as “ChatGPT” and “Copilot”. And they’re not always top-of-funnel enquiries; they’re often well-qualified, high-intent, and looking for specific solutions.
So what’s going on?
People are using AI assistants as research partners.
When someone types a question into Google, they get links.
When they ask an AI assistant, they get answers, as the AI assistant can quickly do the supplier research for them.
Those questions might look like:
- “Who are the best suppliers for X in Peterborough?”
- “Which companies in the UK offer Y?”
- “What’s the best place to buy Z in bulk?”
If your business has clear, well-structured website content, AI tools can confidently reference you. If your website is light on detail, vague, or missing specifics, these tools are less likely to surface you at all, even if you’re the perfect fit.
This makes content clarity more important than ever.
AI-driven enquiries are often higher quality
Interestingly, the leads coming through AI assistants tend to be more informed, more specific in their needs and further along in the buying journey.
Why? Because the user has already asked the AI assistant several clarifying questions before being directed to a supplier. By the time they reach your site, they know what they want, and they have a good inkling that you can provide it.
This presents a real opportunity for businesses that operate at scale or have more technical offerings. The clearer your content, the more likely AI is to match you with the right type of customer.
AI search could be the next layer of SEO
This shift isn’t replacing search engines, but it is changing how people interact with them. AI assistants sit on top, acting as interpreters. If your content is strong, detailed, and trustworthy, you’re more likely to be recommended. If not, you might be invisible in a channel you don’t even realise you’re missing out on.
At web2market, we see AI-driven optimisation as the natural next step in search strategy: not about chasing algorithms, but about communicating clearly.
Schedule a free consultation to find out how we can help with your content strategy.