If you’ve felt uneasy about how visibility works lately, you’re not imagining it.

People aren’t browsing the internet the way they used to. They’re asking full questions — and increasingly, they’re being given one clear answer instead of a list of options. Tools like Google’s AI results, voice assistants, and ChatGPT are quietly reshaping how businesses are discovered.

In this episode, we’re unpacking Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and what it means for small business owners who want visibility without being dependent on social media.

This conversation isn’t about trends or tech jargon. It’s about clarity — how clearly you explain what you do, who you help, and how you help — and why that clarity is now one of the most important visibility assets your business has.

You’ll learn how AI tools actually decide which explanations to surface, why your podcast and website matter more than social platforms for long-term discovery, and how to start adjusting your content so it’s understandable to both people and answer engines.

In this episode, we cover:

1. Why search is shifting from browsing results to receiving answers
2. The difference between traditional Google search and AI-generated answers
3. Why Siri and other voice assistants are increasingly routing questions to ChatGPT
4. What Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) actually is — without the hype
5. How AI uses podcast content (and why audio alone isn’t enough)
6. Why clarity in episode titles and content matters more than cleverness
7. How Christian entrepreneurs can think about visibility as stewardship, not self-promotion
8. A simple, actionable strategy to improve discoverability without posting on social media

Key takeaway:

Visibility today isn’t about being everywhere.

It’s about being clear enough to be understood when someone is searching for help.

Businesses that explain things well are the ones being surfaced.

Free Resource Mentioned:

If you want help evaluating whether your content is actually clear and discoverable, download the Visibility Checklist here:

👉 jantouchberry.com/visibilitychecklist

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INTRO:

Let me ask you something.

When someone wants help with the thing you do — your coaching, your service, your expertise — how do you think they’re actually looking for it?

Not where you hope they’re looking for it.

But how they’re really searching when they have a question they want answered.

Something important has shifted in the last few years and it is accelerating at an incredible pace.

People aren’t browsing the internet the way they used to. They’re asking full questions — and increasingly, they’re being given one clear answer instead of a list of options.

And that shift has real implications for how your business gets found.

Today, I want to talk about Answer Engine Optimization — what it is, why it matters, and how AI, Google, and tools like ChatGPT are quietly changing the rules of visibility for small business owners who don’t want to be glued to social media.

And once you see this shift, you’ll start to notice it everywhere — including how voice assistants, search engines, and AI tools are already deciding whose explanations are clear enough to surface.

Let’s get into it!

EPISODE:

Does anybody but me notice a difference in talking to Siri lately?

A few weeks agoI was driving and didn’t want to forget a question I had so I asked Siri and instead of a list of places to check – she told me to go ask ChatGPT!

What?

I wasn’t exactly sure why the shift so I asked ChatGPT and here’s is what it said:

Apple knows Siri is not good at answering explanatory questions.

So instead of giving you a weak or inaccurate response, Apple now hands those questions off to an AI system that is designed to explain things.

That system is ChatGPT.

Why am I talking about this on a podcast episode? Because it tells us something important about how people are finding information right now.

I mean this is not breaking news to us with the rise of AI, but I want to spell it out plainly. People are no longer browsing the internet the way they used to. They’re asking questions. Full questions. Out loud. (Thank you voice option of chatGPT) In complete sentences. And they’re expecting a clear, direct answer in return.

That shift matters deeply for small business owners, especially coaches, consultants, and service-based entrepreneurs. Our work depends on clarity. It depends on trust. And it depends on being found at the exact moment someone is actively looking for help.

So today, I want to talk about Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO. Not as a trend. Not as a buzzword. And not as something you need to feel behind on or intimidated by. But as a way to understand how discovery is changing—and what that means for how your business shows up in an AI-driven world.

This matters if you don’t want your business dependent on social media. It matters if you care about stewarding your message well. And it matters if you want the people you’re meant to serve to actually find you when they’re searching for answers.

For a long time, search worked in a way we all understood. You typed something into Google. Google gave you a list of links. You clicked around, skimmed a few pages, and decided who seemed credible.

That model still exists. But it’s no longer the dominant experience.

Now people are asking questions like, “How do I grow my business without social media?” or “What does a business coach actually do?” or “Why isn’t my website converting visitors into leads?” And instead of getting ten links, they’re increasingly getting one summarized answer.

Sometimes that answer appears right at the top of Google. Sometimes it’s spoken aloud by a voice assistant. Sometimes it’s delivered through AI tools like ChatGPT. And that is a fundamental shift.

Here’s the distinction that matters: traditional search gives you options, but answer engines give you conclusions. Conclusions made by machines based on the information out in the digital space.

That doesn’t mean people never research further. But it does mean that first impressions now happen faster, and often before someone ever clicks a link. And Answer Engine Optimization is about understanding how your content contributes to those conclusions.

Let’s slow this down a little bit because some of you may be going, “oh my gosh, my brain is going to explode.” This is where a lot of confusion creeps in.

You have probably heard about SEO – Search Engine Optimization. Traditional Google search focuses on ranking pages. It relies heavily on keywords, backlinks, and technical signals. It shows multiple results and invites comparison. You’re competing to be one of many options.

AI-driven answers work differently. They pull from existing content across the web. They look for clarity and structure. They synthesize information into a single response. And often, they eliminate the need for someone to click anywhere at all, because the “answer” is handed to you even before you ever see a link to click.

This doesn’t mean Google (and other search engines) are irrelevant. It means Google itself is changing. Google is becoming more of an answer engine. Siri is becoming a router to AI tools. Discovery is no longer just about being present online—it’s about being understood.

Your online content (think website, blog, articles, podcast descriptions and transcripts) isn’t just trying to show up anymore. They’re trying to communicate clearly enough that an AI system can say, “This explains it well.”

And clarity is now the primary currency.

This shift is especially important for us as entrepreneurs. If you’re a coach or service provider, your work is relational. People don’t just buy what you offer. They buy clarity. They buy confidence. They buy trust in your guidance.

Answer engines favor exactly those things.

They prioritize content that explains, not content that performs. They prioritize consistency over cleverness. They prioritize usefulness over hype. No “word salads”.

This is actually good news.

Because this shift doesn’t reward shouting louder. It doesn’t reward chasing trends. It doesn’t reward gimmicks. It rewards thoughtful communication.

Clarity is kindness. I’m not sure who said that but they were super smart! Confusion doesn’t serve people. Clarity does. And when your message is clear, it becomes easier for the right people to find you—and easier for them to trust you when they do.

So what is Answer Engine Optimization, really?

In simple terms, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) means structuring your content so it clearly answers real questions people are asking, in a way AI systems can understand, trust, and reference.

That’s it.

It’s not about manipulating technology. It’s not about stuffing keywords. And it’s not about sounding robotic or technical.

AEO focuses on four core elements.

The first is real questions. Not vague themes. Not clever phrases. Actual questions people ask when they’re looking for help. Questions that sound like something someone would type into Google or say out loud to Siri.

The second is clear answers. Direct explanations. No unnecessary buildup. No hiding the point. No burying the takeaway halfway through the episode.

The third is structure. Logical flow. Clear progression. Content that’s easy to follow, even when it’s nuanced.

And the fourth is consistency. Talking about the same core topics over time, from a clear perspective, so both humans and AI understand what you’re known for.

This is where clarity becomes more important than creativity. Clever titles might feel expressive, but they often create confusion. And confusion kills visibility.

Now I want to make this extremely practical, because understanding this is only helpful if you can apply it.

Here’s a simple, actionable AEO strategy you can implement without changing your voice or your entire business. It just may change your workflow a little bit.

First, choose one core problem your audience struggles with. Not ten. One. Something you already talk about regularly.

For example: I might choose - visibility without social media.

Second, list the actual questions people ask about that problem. Not what sounds good to you—what people really ask. Things like “How do I get clients without posting every day?” or “How can I grow my business without using social media?” or “How do people find my business if I’m not on social media?” If you are having a hard time coming up with questions people are actually asking, you can use a website called Answer The Public. It’s great. You type in your topic and boom – it spits out searched questions the way people are actually asking them. You don’t even have to pay for it. You can get 3 free searches per day. Yay for free!

Third, create one piece of long-form content that clearly answers one of those questions. That could be a podcast episode, a blog post, or both.

Fourth, title that content clearly. Not creatively. Clearly. Use the words someone would actually search or say out loud.

Fifth, publish a transcript and a written summary on your website that explains the answer plainly. This part is SUPER important if you have a podcast and don’t currently have a blog to go with it! If you want to talk more about that, hop over to my website and grab a free discovery call slot!

That’s it.

You don’t need more content. You need clearer content.

And once you do this consistently, something powerful happens. AI systems begin to associate your name, your website, and your podcast with certain topics. Over time, you become a trusted source in that category.

Compound visibility – no social required.

You’re not just chasing attention. You’re building understanding of who you are, what you do and how you help.

AEO does not mean writing for robots. It does not mean chasing every new tool. It does not mean losing your voice or turning your content into a lecture.

It means being intentional with how you explain your work. It means making your expertise easier to access. It means removing unnecessary friction between questions and answers.

At its core, this is about stewardship. Stewardship of your message. Stewardship of your experience. Stewardship of the work God has placed in your hands. And I believe that part of that is keeping up with times. We have got to shift as technology and trends shift around us.

Answer Engine Optimization isn’t about chasing AI. It’s about making your work easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to trust.

People are asking real questions. And the businesses that get found are the ones that explain things well.

Take a few minutes to just kind of assess one piece of your content. You don’t need to overhaul everything. Often, clarity comes from making small, intentional adjustments — saying what you mean more plainly, and answering real questions more directly.

That’s where sustainable visibility starts.

Thanks for spending this time with me today. And if this episode was helpful, make sure you’re subscribed — and share with a friend!

See ya next week!