How AI is affecting consumer search behavior and what it means for your business

The classic consumer journey—Awareness, Consideration, Decision—has always been a useful model for marketers. But today, that model is changing. The journey is flattening, and the research phase is becoming significantly shorter.

For years, finding a complex service provider meant weeks of "keyword guessing" and tab-opening. Potential clients had to translate their complex problems into simple phrases like "tax consultant Zurich" or "IT migration."

Thanks to AI, that friction is disappearing. Clients can now skip the tedious keyword matching and dive straight into solving their specific issues. For SMEs selling high-value services, this isn't just a tech update; it’s a fundamental shift in how your next big contract finds you.

Here is what is changing for your business and how to adapt.

The classic customer journey vs. AI powered journey

1. From Keywords to Contextual Problem Solving

Your clients rarely have simple problems, so why should they have to search like they do? In the past, they had to simplify their queries to get results. Now, they can dump the whole problem into the search bar.

Instead of searching for "HR software," a prospect can now ask: "What is the best HR platform for a remote team of 50 people that integrates with Slack and complies with Swiss data privacy laws?"

What this means for you: You need to stop obsessing over generic, high-volume keywords. If you are a niche provider, this is great news. AI search engines are getting better at matching nuanced problems with specific, expert solutions. If your content speaks to the context of a problem, not just the category, you will show up when it matters most.

2. The "Zero-Click" Filter

You might have heard fears that AI will steal website traffic by answering questions directly on the results page. For service businesses, this is actually a blessing in disguise.

AI Overviews are excellent at answering basic questions like "what is a retainer fee?" or "standard terms for SaaS contracts." The people asking these questions are usually at the very start of their journey. The AI acts as a filter, handling the "tire kickers" so you don't have to.

What this means for you: Your traffic volume might stabilize, but the quality of that traffic is likely to go up. The user who clicks through to your site today has already read the AI summary, understands the basics, and is looking for deep expertise or a human connection. They are warmer leads.

3. The New Research Assistant

For complex B2B services, the sales cycle is traditionally long. However, AI is speeding this up by acting as the buyer's dedicated research assistant. Users are using AI tools to compare providers, summarize lengthy whitepapers, and even draft RFPs.

They might ask an AI: "Compare the top three cybersecurity firms in Zurich based on their recent financial sector case studies."

What this means for you: Your digital footprint needs to be easy for a machine to read and summarize. If your expertise is hidden in 50-page PDFs or vague marketing fluff, the AI can't vouch for you. Clarity is your best asset.

What you can do today

You don’t need to overhaul your entire business strategy overnight. However, practical steps will put you in a strong position for this new reality.

1. Check your website structure and data AI models rely on structured data to understand who you are. Ensure your website’s technical foundation is solid. Can search engines clearly "read" your service pages? Are your location, hours, and service definitions marked up correctly in the code? If your site is unstructured, AI agents will struggle to recommend you.

2. Make sure content is helpful and detailed (Add FAQs!) Since people are asking longer, more complex questions, your content needs to provide specific answers.

• Audit your blog: Are you just stating features, or are you solving problems?

• Add a robust FAQ section: Write down the 10 hardest questions clients ask you in sales meetings (e.g., "How do you handle scope creep?" or "What is your implementation timeline?") and answer them honestly on your site. This is exactly the type of specific content AI loves to surface.
  

3. Experiment with AI-powered search in Google Ads Google’s ad platforms have shifted heavily toward AI. Tools like "Broad Match" keywords or Performance Max campaigns allow Google to find customers based on their intent, not just the exact words they type. For complex services, where no two clients search exactly the same way, trusting the AI to find relevant patterns can uncover leads you would have otherwise missed.

4. Rethink your website's "Job Description" You might wonder: If AI answers everything, do I even need a website? The answer is yes, but its role has changed. We researched the current trends, and the consensus is clear: while AI acts as the "opening act," your website is the "closer." By the time a user clicks through to your site, they are already informed. They aren't looking for basic definitions anymore; they are looking for trust signals.

• It validates the AI: Users still check the source. A professional site proves you are a real, credible business, not a hallucination.

• It closes the deal: Your site needs to shift focus from "What is X?" (informational) to "Why us?" (transactional). Highlight your team, your specific methodology, and your case studies.

• It feeds the machine: Without a website, AI has no source material to learn about you. Your site is the primary data source that trains the AI to recommend you in the first place.