“Do I still need a website when AI can do everything?” is a question I hear a lot.
And, after building websites for 150 small businesses over three years, I can tell you that businesses arguably need a website more than ever.
Google’s AI Overview is becoming more prominent by the day. But here’s what most people miss: Google has to get that information from somewhere.
If your business doesn’t have a website, you’re far less likely to show up in the all-powerful Google AI Overview.
The content that AI systems actually want
I’ve watched this play out across my client base. The businesses thriving in search results aren’t the ones with generic content.
They’re creating case studies, testimonials, unique data, real experiences. Things AI can’t scrape from elsewhere.
Take one of my recruitment agency clients. They publish real salary reports from their own placements. That’s infinitely more valuable than generic job advice that AI can generate.
We write monthly thought pieces for them on very specific subjects. Recruitment in tech. Recruitment in renewables. These hyper-specific articles get found on Google far more than general blogs about being a recruiter in London.
The pattern is clear. Specificity beats generality in the AI era.
The real transformation happening
Small businesses are shifting from service providers to data creators. They’re becoming authoritative sources on very narrow problems.
In three years, I predict typical small business websites will look completely different:
Case studies about one client problem solved. FAQs addressing local customer pain points. Detailed guides for very specific scenarios.
This is the type of content that AI systems will surface, because it’s unique, practical, and can’t be generated from elsewhere.
Google’s own research confirms this. AI Overviews actually drive higher-quality traffic to websites, with users spending more time on sites they discover through AI results.
Why local businesses have an advantage
Here’s something most people don’t realise: AI Overviews appear less frequently for location-specific searches.
Research shows local searches are 11.1% less likely to trigger AI Overviews than general queries.
This means traditional search results stick around longer for local businesses. Your Google Business Profile remains heavily entrenched in Google’s search system.
That’s why my approach with tradesmen and locally focused businesses prioritises local SEO first. We build their Google Business Profile, get their local fundamentals right.
The AI-ready content conversation comes later, once they’re established locally.
The layered strategy that actually works
Most web designers are either ignoring AI completely or panicking about it. Both approaches miss the point.
AI and websites work together, not against each other.
I educate my customers on the need to be proactive in online marketing once we’ve built their website. While AI is important, the main focus for local businesses is still local SEO and building their Google Business Profile.
We sort this foundation first. Then we layer in the AI-ready content strategy.
The businesses getting this right are seeing homepage traffic increase by over 10% from AI referrals, with better conversion rates than traditional traffic.
What this means for your business
The question isn’t whether you need a website in the AI era. You absolutely do.
The question is what kind of website you need.
Generic “about us” pages won’t cut it anymore. You need to become the go-to source for solving very specific problems in your industry.
Start documenting your unique processes. Write case studies about problems you’ve solved. Create guides for scenarios only you understand.
Make yourself impossible to replicate.
AI systems need authoritative sources to reference. If you’re not creating that content, your competitors will.
Looking forward
Nobody can ever be sure what Google will do next. But the trend is clear.
Businesses with detailed, specific, problem-solving content are winning in AI-powered search results.
The companies asking “Do I still need a website?” will be left behind by those asking “How can I make my website indispensable?”
Your website isn’t becoming obsolete. It’s becoming your most important business asset.
The businesses that understand this distinction will dominate their markets in the years ahead.
Nick Jones
Owner of GreatSite 4U
Nick is a web designer and owner of GreatSite 4U. He is also an award-winning author, publisher, editor, proofreader and copywriter. Passionate about helping small businesses grow online.