ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI are how people find local businesses now. Most small business websites are completely invisible to all of them. The businesses getting ahead are moving first — and right now, most of your competitors haven't moved at all.
When someone asks ChatGPT "find me a good electrician in Peckham" or "best therapist in Exeter" — AI doesn't work like Google. It reads websites differently. It looks for clear answers, plain language and structured information. Most small business websites give it nothing to work with.
I audited a small business website recently. Every page said "professional, reliable, quality service." Not once did it mention the specific services they offered, the area they covered, or anything a customer would actually search for. AI had nothing to work with — and neither did the customer.
— Carrie Darby, after a real client auditAEO is structuring your website so AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI can read it, understand it, and use it to answer people's questions. It's not complicated. It's knowing what to look for — and making sure it's there. Here are the three layers most small businesses are missing.
Your location, your services, your process — written in plain, specific language AI can actually use. If your website is vague, AI has nothing to work with. If it's clear and specific, AI has everything it needs to recommend you.
Technical code added to your website that tells AI crawlers exactly what your business is, where you operate, what you offer and when you're available. Invisible to visitors. Essential for AI. Almost no small business has this set up correctly — and it makes an enormous difference.
Think of it like the back cover of a book — a plain English overview that tells AI exactly what your site is about before it even starts reading. It's so new that almost no small business in the UK has one yet. Every package includes it. This alone sets you apart from virtually every local competitor.
One-off fee. No retainer. No monthly invoice for work you can't see. Just clear, practical work done properly — at a price that actually makes sense.
AEO Report
Everything you need to get found. You implement it.
You or your developer implement the recommendations. Everything is handed over clearly — no technical knowledge needed to understand it.
Get StartedAEO Done For You
Hands off. I implement everything directly on your site.
Requires brief access to your website. Compatible with WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Framer and GoDaddy. Not sure about your platform? Just ask before booking — I'll always check first.
Get StartedThis works best for businesses in defined local areas with limited direct competition. When someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation in your town, there aren't hundreds of competitors to choose from. Getting your website right means you're the obvious answer.
I've worked with small businesses for years. I know how hard it is to get found, how much the right visibility matters, and how out of reach most digital marketing feels. This exists because it genuinely doesn't have to be that way.
What exactly is AEO and why does my business need it now?
AEO — Answer Engine Optimisation — is structuring your website so AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI can read it and recommend your business. More people are searching through AI every day. If your website isn't built for it, you're invisible to a growing number of potential customers. And right now, most of your competitors are invisible too — which makes moving first genuinely valuable.
Will this get me showing up on ChatGPT?
It significantly improves your chances, particularly for local businesses with limited competition. No one can guarantee specific results — but right now most small businesses have done nothing about AI search visibility. Getting the foundations right immediately puts you ahead of most local competitors. This is your window of opportunity.
What is an llms.txt file — and do I really need one?
Think of your website like a book. The llms.txt file is the back cover — a plain English overview that tells AI exactly what your site is about before it even starts reading. Schema markup is the contents page, labelling every section. And your copy is the book itself. Almost no small business in the UK has an llms.txt file yet. Every package includes one.
How is this different from regular SEO?
Traditional SEO optimises for Google's ranking algorithm. AEO optimises for AI platforms which read and interpret content very differently. They're complementary but separate — and AEO is far less competitive right now because most businesses are only just becoming aware it exists.
How does this compare to what agencies charge?
Digital agencies typically offer AEO as part of comprehensive ongoing packages starting from £1,000 per month — designed for larger businesses with complex needs and bigger budgets. My packages are built specifically for small local businesses who want the foundational AEO layer at a one-off price that makes sense for them.
Do I need an ongoing retainer?
No. Every package is a one-off fee. The foundational work — schema markup, llms.txt, copy recommendations — is done once and stays working for you. No monthly commitment, no ongoing invoice for work you can't see.
Will my website platform work?
The AEO Report works for any platform — everything is handed over for you or your developer to implement. The Done For You package requires site access and is compatible with WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Framer and GoDaddy. Not sure about your platform? Drop me a message before booking and I'll confirm.
How quickly can you turn this around?
Typically within 5–7 working days from our initial conversation. For the Done For You package I'll need brief access to your website — I'll walk you through exactly what that involves, it's quick and straightforward to set up.
Carrie Darby Services · Digital Operations Consultancy
I run Carrie Darby Services — a digital operations consultancy for founder-led small businesses across the UK. I've worked alongside small business owners for years — tradespeople, therapists, coaches, consultants — and I know exactly what it feels like to put everything into a business and still struggle to get found.
I started offering AEO audits because small local businesses have the most to gain from AI search — less competition means every improvement has a bigger impact — and yet they're the ones least likely to have anyone in their corner helping them with it. Most of what's out there is either too expensive, too technical, or built for companies with marketing teams and agency budgets.
This is for everyone else. Plain English. Fair price. Done properly.
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