A prominent Northern Ireland digital marketing expert is alerting businesses across Ireland and the United Kingdom to the rapid fragmentation of organic search traffic across AI platforms. Ciaran Connolly, founder of Belfast-based agency ProfileTree, emphasizes that relying exclusively on traditional Google rankings could lead to substantial visibility losses as users increasingly adopt AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and similar tools.
The search landscape is undergoing a profound transformation as AI-powered systems change how consumers discover businesses in Belfast, Dublin, London, and beyond. Unlike traditional Google results that list multiple options, AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity often deliver direct answers citing only a few sources, rendering non-referenced businesses invisible for those queries.
Google's AI Overviews have notably decreased website visits even for top-ranked positions. This shift affects sectors including professional services, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, and technology, with local discovery increasingly mediated by AI assistants rather than direct Google Maps or organic listings.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) focuses on ensuring AI systems recognize and recommend businesses accurately. Key practices include creating comprehensive value proposition pages, maintaining consistent brand data online, earning citations from authoritative sources, and structuring content for easy referencing in AI-driven search.
Northern Ireland's innovative SME ecosystem positions local companies well for adaptation, leveraging existing cross-border flexibility. ProfileTree has supported this transition through extensive AI training, helping organizations across the island of Ireland and UK embrace AI search optimisation.
"The businesses that will thrive in 2026 and beyond are those investing in AI understanding now," Connolly said. "This isn't about replacing human expertise with AI. It's about understanding how AI is changing customer behaviour and adapting your business accordingly."
Businesses are advised to audit their AI search presence, refine content for AI preferences, diversify beyond Google, and strengthen reputation through reviews, media coverage, and industry participation to maintain visibility in the evolving digital marketing landscape.
About ProfileTree
ProfileTree is a digital marketing and creative media agency headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 2011 by Ciaran Connolly, the agency provides web design, SEO, content marketing, video production, and AI training services to businesses across Northern Ireland, Ireland, and the UK. Over 14 years in operation, ProfileTree has accumulated more than 450 five-star client reviews and built a YouTube following of over 250,000 subscribers. The agency has completed more than 1,000 business projects and delivered AI training to organisations ranging from small local businesses to large enterprises.
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