The Lisa Devlin Column
Make Yourself AI Search Friendly!
Lisa Devlin Column: Make Yourself AI Search Friendly!
The rise of AI isn’t just something that can rival your creativity or turbo charge your editing procedures. It can also determine whether your potential clients will be driven to your door or might miss you altogether, and Lisa explains how to set yourself up to meet the challenge.
WORDS & IMAGES LISA DEVLIN
AS WE HEAD into another year in business, there’s one shift in marketing that deserves our attention more than most: the rise of AI in online searches.
If you’ve noticed an AI-generated summary appearing at the top of Google results, you’ve already seen this change in action. Google refers to this as Search Generative Experience (SGE) – a system designed to answer queries directly, often before a user clicks through to a website at all.
This isn’t speculation. Google has been clear in its own Search Central documentation that search is moving away from simple keyword matching and towards understanding intent, context and credibility.
So let’s look at what this means in practical terms, as I don’t want you to panic. Your existing SEO work hasn’t suddenly become irrelevant. Nothing you’ve built has been wasted. But the rules of visibility are changing, and photographers who adapt now will be in a far stronger position than those who assume things will stay as they were.
From keywords to clarity
For years, SEO advice has revolved around keywords: what clients type into Google and how often you repeat those phrases on a page. AI-led search works differently however. Instead of scanning for keyword density, AI systems are trying to understand:
- Who you are.
- What you do.
- Who your work is for.
- Whether you’re a reliable source of information.
In this brave new world of searches, clarity beats cleverness. AI isn’t impressed by jargon, vague positioning or over-optimised copy. It’s looking for consistency, confidence and usefulness across your online presence. And, crucially, it doesn’t just analyse your website: your online presence is now one big connected system
One of the biggest mindset shifts photographers need to make is understanding that AI doesn’t treat platforms separately. Your website, Instagram captions, Google Business profile, blog posts and even Pinterest descriptions are read as parts of one connected picture. If your messaging changes depending on where someone finds you – or worse, contradicts itself – AI struggles to categorise you accurately.
For example, one bio might describe you as a ‘London wedding photographer,’ while another calls you a ‘UK luxury documentary photography’ and elsewhere you might say that you cover ‘UK and destination weddings.’ Humans might understand the nuance, but AI does not. Consistency builds trust. Not just with potential clients, but with the systems now responsible for surfacing your work in search results.
Why AI summaries aren’t the end of clicking
A common fear is that if Google answers the question directly, couples won’t click through to individual photographers at all. In reality, AI summaries don’t remove the need for trusted sources – rather they amplify them.
What to focus on
The good news is that adapting to an AI-led search doesn’t require technical wizardry or starting again from scratch. Instead it’s about refining what you already have, so you could start by adding FAQs to content that already performs well.
You should also create a page that explains you clearly. Every photography website should now have a page that leaves no room for ambiguity, and this should clearly state:
• Who you are.
• Where you’re based.
• Where you work.
• What you specialise in.
• Who your work is for.
• Why people book you
Think of it as your ‘here’s what I do, plainly’ page – for humans and machines.
Strengthen trust signals
You don’t need to shout about authority, but you do need to show it. Small additions can make a big difference: you should be providing testimonials, talking about your years in the business, any awards or recognition and providing a short author bio on blog posts. These signals tell AI and prospective clients that you’re not guessing. You know what you’re doing.
Don’t ignore your Google Business profile
This remains one of the most underused tools photographers have, so keep it current, add images, update your description, collect reviews and post occasionally. AI search pulls heavily from Google Business listings when serving local results, yet many photographers still treat them as an afterthought.
Photographers regularly use the quieter months at the start of the year to refresh their websites and marketing. Heading into 2026, this is the moment to do that, with AI-led search in mind. This shift isn’t about gaming algorithms: it’s about making your business legible, clearly understood, confidently positioned and easy to trust.
A practical AI-ready checklist
If you want something tangible to work through, start here:
1. Review your website and ensure your location, niche and style are clearly stated.
2. Add an FAQ section to at least one strong blog post.
3. Check that your Instagram bio, website copy and Google listing describe you consistently.
4. Add or update testimonials and reviews.
5. Refresh your Google Business profile with current images and information.
6. Create one page that clearly explains who you are and who your work is for.
7. Write content that answers real client questions, not just keywords.
None of this requires a complete rebuild, but it is where you should put your energy before you get too busy. Just bear in mind that AI-led search isn’t coming; it’s already here. And the photographers who approach it calmly, clearly and intentionally will be the ones who remain visible when others are left wondering what changed.
Inside The Barn, our online education platform at Photography Farm, we already have in-depth classes that guide photographers through these changes and help turn them into a clear, manageable action plan. The biggest shift to get comfortable with is this: the internet has become one big interconnected two-way conversation, and the photographers who understand that will stay ahead.
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Lisa Devlin is the founder of Photography Farm, a vibrant community dedicated to empowering and educating wedding photographers at all stages of their careers. At the heart of Photography Farm is The Barn, an online training platform. With courses covering everything from mastering essential photography techniques to navigating the latest industry trends, The Barn is designed to keep you inspired, motivated, and ready for whatever comes next
And as a reader of Professional Photo Online, I’d like to invite you to experience The Barn with a special offer: use code ProPhotoMag to get 25% off your first month or year.
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