It's a fair question - small businesses have limited time and budget, and "new AI thing" can sound like a distraction from channels that already work. Here's a genuinely balanced take.
The Case For Exploring It Now
If your customers already research online before buying, some of them are starting to ask AI assistants instead of typing a search query. Getting the basics right - consistent facts, crawlable content - is low-effort and has no real downside even if AI-search adoption grows slower than expected.
- Low cost relative to competing in a crowded Google/Meta auction
- Compounds over time as usage grows
- The setup work (structured content, consistent facts) also improves regular SEO
The Case For Waiting
If your business is stretched thin already, or your customers genuinely don't research purchases online (some very local, walk-in-driven businesses), this is a lower-priority item than getting your core Google Business Profile and website fundamentals solid first.
Our Honest Take
For most service and product businesses with an online research phase, a modest early investment is worth it precisely because it's cheap right now and gets more valuable as competition increases. It shouldn't come at the expense of basics like a working website and local SEO, though.
Next Step
If you want a quick read on whether this makes sense for your specific business, get in touch - we'll give you a straight answer, not just a sales pitch. See our ChatGPT Ads service for details.