"None of us is as smart as all of us.”
Sorry, friends.
AI doesn’t care how clever your business name is. It won’t laugh at your puns or be moved by your company mission.
AI “sees” your business according to a super basic framework:
Structure. Headers. Answers. Speed.
And if those 4 aren’t perfectly dialed in? … You’re becoming invisible in 2026.
***
Here’s what robots actually look for when crawling your website.
1. Skimmable Sections
Website section headers aren’t just design elements. Think of them as directional beacons for both humans and tech.
Each one should tell a visitor something — what the section covers, why it matters, and/or what to do next.
And bots still can’t validate “cute and quirky.” They’re not going to guess that “Let’s Jam!” really means “Book a Free Call.” So make sure you’re deliberate with actual header tags in your code.
2. HTML Hierarchy
H1s, H2s, H3s, etc. define content importance in descending order for a reason. Kind of like a table of contents.
So if your code is crammed with a half-dozen H1s (leftover from SEO hacks circa 2012), it’s not helping. It’s screaming. And robots don’t like to be yelled at. Heh.
3. Message Relevance
While SEO favors keywords, AEO rewards complete answers. When AI tools scan, they’re logging what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters. The easier you make it for them to compile that information, the better.
Make sure all of your website copy is written and organized with answers in mind. And ask your web dev to add schema markup if they haven’t already. [ Thank me later 😉 ]
4. Mobile Page Speed
Your website doesn’t have to win awards. But it does have to load in under three seconds … On a 4G mobile network … With 17 tabs open.
Most business owners obsess over desktop and completely ignore the fact that over 50% of their traffic is scrolling on mobile. [ Yes, I seriously do mean in-office BUSINESS traffic. ]
***
The good news?
The principles of solid code, clear site structure, SEO, mobile design, and user experience matter now more than ever.
Could you figure it out on your own? … Maybe.
Should you? … Not anymore.
Because in 2026, brand visibility is too important to DIY.
***
♟️YOUR MOVE
Clever copy won’t save your visibility if page headers are vague, site speed’s nonexistent, and your design screams “DIY.”
Our Website Trust Snapshot digs into the stuff most people overlook — structure, load time, hierarchy, message clarity — and shows exactly what’s costing you leads. All for just $47.
Run your snapshot: Website Trust Snapshot
Emails that print money.
You’ve got a list and something worth selling.
But the moment you sit down to write? It’s total overwhelm with marketing “advice” and pressure tactics that just don’t feel like you.
That’s why my friend Philip Duncan created his 5-Email Cashflow Sequence:
5 persuasive emails that sell, with zero sleaze
Built for consultants with a list but no clear path to sales
Perfect for launching (or relaunching) anything, fast
This isn’t another “content hook” newsletter template. It’s a no-pressure system to turn attention into income. Yours, FREE.
PS: Your list won’t buy if you don’t ask. This sequence makes asking easy and effective.
Leadership Can’t Be Automated
AI can help you move faster, but real leadership still requires human judgment.
The free resource 5 Traits AI Can’t Replace explains the traits leaders must protect in an AI-driven world and why BELAY Executive Assistants are built to support them.
Victory Points
By: Mike Shary
My board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️
Wavelength is a team guessing game for a small crowd where you try to read each other's minds on a sliding scale.
Each round, one player becomes the Psychic. They draw a card that shows two words on a spectrum, like: Hot to Cold, Serious to Silly, or Classic to Trendy.
The unique game dial secretly marks a spot somewhere along that line. The Psychic must now give a single clue that, at least in their mind, rests on that hidden spot along the spectrum. Then the rest of the team debates where to set the big plastic dial so it points to that same spot.
Too far one way and you miss. Too far the other way and you miss in a different direction. The fun is in discovering how differently everyone sees the same clue.
You learn quickly that your instinct is not enough. You need to listen, compare mental pictures, and build a shared sense of what "kind of hot" or "mostly classic" actually means. The best teams get good at checking their own assumptions and using the group's mix of perspectives instead of fighting it.
That skill carries straight into your brand. Words like premium, friendly, bold, or simple mean different things to different people inside your company. If your team isn’t aligned on those invisible dials, your messaging comes out fuzzy. A strong brand advisor helps you run the Wavelength exercise for real, turning scattered opinions into clear, shared definitions that guide every headline, visual, and offer.
If you enjoy party games that are social, funny, and sneakily revealing about how people think, Wavelength is a great choice for families, friends, and even creative teams.
Happy New Year, everyone. Make it a great week! 🙌
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