Search has changed more in the last two years than in the previous ten. Traditional SEO still matters, but Google now shows AI-generated summaries at the top of many results, and tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are used to research and compare businesses directly. This guide covers both layers for a Cardiff business in 2026.
Part 1: The Google foundations
Start with your Google Business Profile
This is the listing that shows up in maps results, above your website in mobile search, and in the panel when someone searches for you by name. Verify the listing, make sure your name, address, phone number and opening hours are accurate, pick a specific primary category, add photos and keep them current, and respond to every review.
Your website needs to be technically readable
Google cannot rank pages it cannot read. Slow loading, poor mobile performance or pages accidentally blocked from crawlers are invisible to you but not to Google. A basic technical audit often turns up issues you did not know were there.
Your service pages need to be specific
A single 'Our Services' page is less useful than separate pages for each main thing you do. A Cardiff accountancy firm with a dedicated 'management accounts Cardiff' page will rank better for that search than one that mentions it in passing.
Reviews matter more than most people realise
Google uses your review count and average rating as a local ranking signal. A Cardiff business with 50 genuine reviews at 4.7 stars will outrank a competitor with 8 reviews at 4.9 stars in most cases, all else being equal.
Part 2: AI search in plain English
What is AI search?
Search Google today and you will often see an AI-generated answer at the top before any website links. Google calls this AI Overviews. Separately, more people use ChatGPT and Perplexity as a first step when researching a service provider, and sometimes never search Google at all.
Why does this matter for Cardiff businesses?
If your business is cited in AI-generated results, you get visibility with people who may never scroll to the traditional results. The good news is that the signals AI tools look for are largely the same signals good traditional SEO builds anyway. This overlap is sometimes called AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation).
What actually improves your AI search visibility?
- Content that answers real questions clearly and specifically.
- FAQ sections on your key pages with FAQ schema.
- Consistent information across your website, Google Business Profile and other listings.
- Real expertise and demonstrable topical authority, with named authors and specific experience.
Where to focus first
- Google Business Profile: highest impact, fastest wins.
- Technical issues: fix anything blocking Google from reading your site.
- Service pages: specific, locally relevant, with clear calls to action.
- FAQ content on key pages: good for traditional SEO and for AI visibility.
- Review strategy: consistent, genuine, well-responded to.