The AI Shift in SEO: What Tradies Need to Win the Future of Search

We're in the middle of the most significant transformation in digital marketing since Google's invention. But most people, especially in the trades, haven't realised it yet.

Search is changing - in fact, it's already changed. It used to involve writing blog posts, stuffing them with keywords, and waiting for backlinks, but now that's changing.

We're entering the era of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), and if you're still following the old SEO rules, you'll be left behind.

In this guide, we'll break down:

• What AEO is (and why SEO, as you know it, is being rewritten)

• Why this shift is urgent and irreversible

• What Google is doing right now

• How tradies can build a digital system that wins jobs in the AI era

• The one unfair advantage that will separate the winners from the forgotten

• Why this is important for your marketing for tradies strategy

What's Happening And Why It Matters to You

From Rankings to Answers. Google used to show 10 blue links and let the user choose. That's now over. Today, when you type a question into Google, especially on mobile, you get a single AI-generated answer block - what Google calls an "AI Overview." It is rolling out globally and is powered by generative AI trained on the open web.

So instead of showing a list of plumbers in Sydney or "how to fix a leaking tap," Google gives the full answer on the page, summarised by AI, meaning in many cases, the user never scrolls.

Only the businesses referenced in that summary really get seen. So, if your site isn't being used to fuel that answer, you're missing out on ranking, which means losing out on potential jobs.

Why This Is a Systemic Shift, Not Just a Feature Update

The shift is from Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO).

Previously:

• You ranked on Google, and you got clicks.

• You wrote for humans, and usually the algorithm liked it.

• Ranking = visibility = jobs.

Now:

• AI reads all your content.

• It decides what to show, summarise, or cite in its answer.

• And most importantly, it doesn't always link back to you.

You could have the best website in the world, but new clients still might not find you through Google searches if the AI doesn't quote you.

That's the current threat, but it's also the opportunity.

The Stats That Prove AEO Is Here to Stay

• In 2024, over 1 billion monthly queries were answered with generative AI summaries (Source: Statista / Google I/O).

• Google's "Search Generative Experience" (SGE) has already been rolled out to over 25% of global users and is expected to reach 75 %+ by the end of 2025. (Source: Google blog).

• 40–60% of AI Overview answers do not include a visible link to a source unless you expand the box. (Source: Search Engine Journal).

• OpenAI's GPT-4 and Google's Gemini are trained primarily on written web content, not video, social posts, or YouTube (Source: OpenAI, Google DeepMind).

The written content still trains the AI; so if you don't own your topic, someone else will.

SEO vs AEO: The New Rules of Visibility

Factor Old SEO (Pre-2023)

• Rank on page 1

• Content length 1,500–2,000 words

• Keywords targeted by volume

• Google displays many winners per page

• Update content semi-regularly

• Originality - Nice to have

New AEO (2024+)

• Be the source AI cites

• Short, structured, reference-worthy

• Still useful - but readability > stuffing

• One or two linked/displayed sources (max)

• Continuous content publishing = relevance

• Originality - Now essential

The Mistake Businesses Are Making Right Now

They assume that they'll rank in the AI era if they rank now. However, this is false. AI doesn't just look at ranking. It looks at:

• Clarity

• Usefulness

• Structure

• Originality

• Trust

So if you're not consistently publishing, educating, and feeding the model with content, you're being replaced by those who are. That's why ranking today means nothing if you're not writing the content the AI wants tomorrow.

Why Original Content Is Now Your Greatest Asset

The facts are that AI is not learning from your Facebook posts or reels.

It's training on written content - structured, high-quality, crawlable blog content. So when the AI creates a response, it doesn't quote generic blogs - it quotes unique thinking.

If your content follows the same format as everyone else's and offers no original phrasing or insights, it's easily paraphrased and skipped.

But if you write with a clear voice, bold thinking, specific language, original phrasing, and insights, AI will quote you. In the AEO era, originality is the moat.

AI Overviews Are Now Active in Australia – But Visibility Is Still Limited

As of late October 2024, Google's search engine AI Overviews have officially launched in Australia. Australian users are now beginning to see AI-generated summaries appear at the top of search results, particularly for more complex or multi-layered queries.

But it's important to understand that while the feature is live, it does not appear for every search, and its rollout is still in progress.

If you search for something like "best plumber Melbourne" today, you might not see an AI Overview yet. You'll still get the usual mix of:

• Paid ads

• Organic listings

• "People also ask" panels

But suppose you type something like "best plumber Melbourne AI overview". In that case, Google will often trigger its new AI summary format, showing a real-time, machine-generated answer at the top of the page, listing selected businesses and outlining how to evaluate them.

Here's what currently affects visibility:

• Query Type - AI Overviews are more likely to appear for detailed questions (e.g., "What do you do if your water heater bursts at night?") rather than local service searches like "Plumber in Newcastle."

• Account Type - The feature is only available for users signed into personal Google Accounts. Workspace or business accounts often don't trigger Overviews.

• Search Behaviour - Google is still testing and refining how and when AI Overviews appear. They're not consistent across users or regions - yet.

Additionally, Google's "Search Labs" experiment ("AI Overviews and more") may not be accessible to all Australian users, even if the main feature is technically live.

This is part of Google's gradual rollout strategy, which involves testing which types of queries should trigger AI answers and learning how people interact with them.

Over time, that testing period will end, and AI Overviews will begin appearing by default, even for everyday local service searches.

This happened in the United States and other early rollout countries. AI Overviews started as an optional experiment in "Search Labs." Now, they're showing up for more and more users without any opt-in at all.

What This Means for Tradies Right Now

If you don't see AI Overviews often, that doesn't mean they're unimportant. It means we're in the early rollout phase, so this is the perfect window to act. We're transitioning, so you can still get ahead, build your content, and prepare your website.

So, that's why the content you publish today matters. That's why original thinking, structured answers, and ongoing updates shape how the AI sees you. And that's why this window, while still open, is one of the most critical digital opportunities in years.

We'll include screenshots below to show you what this looks like in real time.

Let this be your signal, not just to catch up, but to get ahead.

While many businesses will wait until AI answers are the norm, the smart ones will use this time to prepare their content, refine their website structure, and build a footprint that trains the AI to trust them.

By publishing helpful, structured, written content now, especially in your specific trade and location, you're building the foundation for long-term visibility in this new system.

When AI answers become standard for local and service-based queries (and they will), the content you publish today will help determine whether your business is included.

How to Win the AI Game - The Full Digital System

So, what does a tradie need to do about this? Here's the full breakdown for your AI-Optimised Digital System.

1. AEO-First Tradie Website

A high-converting, modern site structured for both humans and machines.

• Clean, scannable layout

• Fast, mobile-first design

• Structured schema (FAQ, HowTo, LocalBusiness)

• Clear headings, FAQs, and original service descriptions

• Author pages + credibility signals

Your site is your home base, where AI checks, crawls, and learns. If it's generic or empty, AI won't reference you, and you won't win jobs.

2. Original Written Content (Published Weekly)

Short, sharp blog posts that train the AI to trust you.

• 300–800 words

• 1 topic per post (specific to the job or suburb)

• Answer questions your customers are Googling

• Use your voice. Add your thinking.

• Include bold headlines, quotes, and examples

Every post is a signal and a page the AI can learn from. Each one is a chance to be the answer.

3. Answer Engine Optimisation Strategy

Build your blog around questions and answers.

• Target “how-to” + “should I” + “what’s the best” questions

• Include a clear summary section or bullet list in each post

• Use "people also ask" and real customer questions

• Aim to be quoted

You're no longer writing to rank; you're writing to be included in the AI's answer block.

4. Ongoing Authority Signals

Keep publishing. Stay current and own your category.

• Weekly publishing schedule

• Topical clusters (all plumbing content in one grouped area)

• Internal linking between pages

• Author pages, reviews, and project highlights

AI Overviews are real-time, dynamic, and competitive. Staying active matters more than ever.

5. AI Integration for Conversions

Website visitor traffic is meaningless without conversion.

• AI-powered live chat to respond instantly to enquiries

• Automated follow-ups to book jobs from leads

• Instant quoting systems

Being the answer is step one. Booking the job is the outcome that matters.

5 Mistakes Most Tradies Are Making

1. Relying on social media posts to "build a brand" → AI isn't learning from Instagram

2. Not updating their tradie website in years → Stale content = ignored by AI

3. Assuming ranking today = visibility tomorrow→ AI uses different logic

4. Thinking content needs to be long → It needs to be clear, helpful, and reference-worthy

5. Outsourcing SEO to people using outdated methods → Keyword-heavy templates = skipped by AI

Train the AI, Don't Chase It

The biggest brands of the next 5 years won't be the ones chasing backlinks and "ranking tricks." They'll be the ones training the AI models with:

• Clear ideas

• Unique frameworks

• Original service content

• Helpful, structured insights

The web is shifting toward consolidating answers, so you need to be the source.

Claim Your Digital Real Estate Now

The AI era is already here, but there's still time to advance. Tradies who act now and publish with purpose, write with originality, and build trust with the AI machine will dominate their category.

Everyone else will slowly disappear from Google search, wondering why the phone stopped ringing. So, if you're serious about winning jobs online, AEO isn't optional; you need an authority website and a publishing system. You need a strategy that feeds the future.

If you're ready to future-proof your presence, we can help you build the full digital system that teaches the AI, ranks on Google, and turns attention into booked jobs.

We build the digital system behind Australia’s fastest-growing trade businesses.

• Book more jobs, faster

• Win loyal, high-paying customers

• Be #1 in your local market

Check your Growth Score now – it’s free.

Talk soon,
Jack – Founder, Tradie Agency
tradieagency.com
The website, SEO, and AI system behind Australia’s top tradies