The way people search for businesses, services and expertise is changing. For years, digital visibility has largely focused on Google. Businesses have invested in SEO, website content and keywords to improve their chances of appearing when someone searches for a particular product or service.
Google is still hugely important, but it is no longer the whole picture. Increasingly, people are using AI tools to ask complete questions, research suppliers, compare options and find recommendations. Google itself is also incorporating more AI-generated answers into search.
For businesses, this means thinking differently about the content you publish, not just on your website, but across your wider digital presence.
LinkedIn content can have a life beyond LinkedIn
LinkedIn has traditionally been viewed as a social media platform, somewhere to build your network, demonstrate expertise and engage with potential clients.
That remains important, but publicly available LinkedIn content can also be visible beyond the platform. LinkedIn confirms that public profiles and certain public activity can appear through external search tools such as Google and Bing.
There is also growing evidence that LinkedIn content is being referenced within AI-generated search results. Research published by LinkedIn and Meltwater in 2026, based on 9.5 million AI citations, found LinkedIn was one of the most frequently cited sources within the B2B searches they analysed.
This does not mean every LinkedIn post will suddenly appear in an AI-generated answer. It does mean businesses should start viewing LinkedIn as part of their wider digital footprint rather than as an isolated social media channel.
The question becomes less about whether a post receives a particular number of likes and more about whether the content you are consistently publishing helps establish what your business knows, does and wants to be known for.
Hashtags once played a much bigger role in helping people discover content within social platforms. Their influence on reach has reduced as platforms have become better at understanding the context and subject matter of posts themselves. That means adding a long list of hashtags to every LinkedIn post is unlikely to be the answer to improving visibility.
So, do hashtags still matter?
A small number of relevant hashtags can still help provide context, but they should not be the strategy. The words within the post, the topics you consistently discuss and, most importantly, whether the content genuinely answers the questions your audience is asking are far more valuable.
In other words, rather than asking:
“Which hashtags should we use?”
A better question might be:
“What do we want our business to be known for?”
AI search makes understanding your audience even more important
Good marketing has always started with understanding your audience. Who are you trying to reach? What challenges are they facing? What influences their decisions? What questions do they need answering before they contact you?
AI search makes those questions even more significant.
Traditional Google searches often started with a handful of keywords. Someone might search for:
‘Marketing consultant Nottingham’
An AI search can be far more conversational:
“How can a growing business improve its marketing without recruiting a full-time marketing director?”
That difference matters.
If your content consistently answers the questions your potential customers are asking, you have a much stronger foundation for both traditional search and the evolving world of AI search.
This is why content planning should start with your audience rather than your channels.
Think about the questions that repeatedly arise in sales conversations, initial enquiries, meetings and emails. Look at the barriers that stop customers deciding and the areas where people regularly need advice.
Those insights should inform your website, articles, LinkedIn content and wider marketing strategy.
Why FAQ pages should be part of your strategy
One of the simplest opportunities for many businesses is a good FAQ section.
FAQ pages are useful because they allow you to answer genuine customer questions clearly and directly. They can help prospective clients understand your service, overcome common concerns and decide whether you are the right business for them. They are also naturally suited to the way search is evolving.
People increasingly search using questions rather than individual keywords. A well-written FAQ page allows your website to contain those questions alongside clear, relevant answers.
The important word here is relevant. An FAQ page should not be filled with generic questions simply because they contain useful search terms. Look at what your customers actually ask.
Think beyond individual marketing channels
The biggest shift is perhaps that businesses can no longer afford to think about website SEO, LinkedIn, blogs and social content as separate activities. They increasingly contribute to the same overall picture.
- Your website explains what you do.
- Your articles demonstrate your expertise.
- Your FAQ pages answer customer questions.
- Your LinkedIn content shows that you consistently understand and discuss those issues.
- Other online mentions, reviews, PR and third-party content can add further context and credibility.
Together, they help create a clearer digital footprint around your business.
And that matters whether someone discovers you through LinkedIn, Google or an AI-generated answer.
Useful content still wins
It is easy for new developments in AI search to make marketing feel more complicated. In reality, one of the most important principles remains reassuringly familiar. Create genuinely useful content for the people you want to reach.
- Understand your audience.
- Know the questions they are asking.
- Produce content that answers those questions.
- Make it clear what your business specialises in.
- And do it consistently.
SEO will continue to evolve and so will AI search. Trying to chase every algorithm update is unlikely to be a sustainable marketing strategy. Building a useful and consistent body of content around your expertise is.
At Number 34 Consultancy, we help businesses understand their audiences, identify the questions their customers are asking and build marketing strategies that bring together website content, search, LinkedIn and wider marketing activity.
Contact us to find out how this could work for your business.