How customers search
with AI
Your customers are no longer just Googling. They are asking ChatGPT, talking to Gemini, querying Perplexity. And the way they search is fundamentally different from how they use Google. They do not type keywords. They ask full questions. They do not browse ten results. They get one answer. They do not compare websites. They trust the recommendation. 54% of UK adults now use AI tools regularly. 65% of B2B buyers use AI before contacting vendors. This guide shows you exactly how customers are searching with AI, what that means for your business and how to adapt.
54%
of UK adults use AI tools regularly
65%
of B2B buyers use AI before contacting vendors
56%
of UK AI users access AI search daily
27%
prefer AI chatbots over traditional search
From keywords to conversations: how search behaviour is changing
On Google, people search with keywords. "Plumber Manchester." "Best accountant sole trader." "Conveyancing solicitor fees." These are condensed queries optimised for a search box. People have learned to speak Google's language.
On AI platforms, people ask questions in natural language. "I need a plumber in Manchester who can install a new boiler. What should I budget?" "Can you recommend an accountant who specialises in sole traders and can help with Making Tax Digital?" "How much should I expect to pay for conveyancing on a two-bedroom flat in Leeds?"
More context, more specific answers
These conversational queries contain more context than keyword searches. They include the what (boiler installation), the where (Manchester), the why (budgeting) and sometimes the who (sole trader, nervous patient, first-time buyer). AI uses all of this context to select the most relevant sources and generate a tailored answer. Your content needs to match this level of specificity. A generic service page cannot answer "How much should I budget for a boiler installation in Manchester?" A page that specifically addresses boiler installation costs with realistic price ranges can.
There is another shift: follow-up questions. On Google, each search is standalone. On AI platforms, users have conversations. They ask one question, get an answer, then ask a follow-up. "What about combi boilers specifically?" "Are there any grants for boiler replacements?" "Who do you recommend in South Manchester?" Each follow-up narrows the search and builds context. AI uses the full conversation to refine its recommendations.
For businesses, this means your content needs to serve a chain of questions, not just a single query. If your website answers "How much does a boiler cost?" but also covers boiler types, grants, installation timelines and service area information, AI can use your site as a reference throughout the entire conversation. Read more about how AI uses conversational context in our guide on how conversational search works.
AI users ask follow-up questions. Your content needs to answer a chain of related queries, not just one. Comprehensive topic coverage wins over isolated pages.
How consumers and B2B buyers use AI differently
Consumers use AI for quick recommendations and comparisons. "Best pizza near King's Cross." "Which broadband is cheapest for a one-bedroom flat?" "Can you recommend a good hairdresser in Islington?" These queries are transactional: the user wants a specific answer and is ready to act on it. 75% of 18 to 34-year-olds in the UK use AI search tools, making this the dominant search behaviour for younger demographics.
Consumer AI searches tend to be shorter sessions with fewer follow-ups. The user wants a recommendation, checks a review or two and makes a decision. The entire process can happen in under five minutes. For local businesses targeting consumers, being in that initial answer is critical because there is often no second chance. The user does not scroll through alternatives like they do on Google.
How consumers decide after AI recommendations
After receiving an AI recommendation, most consumers verify it. They check the Google reviews, look at the website and perhaps read a Trustpilot review. But they are already predisposed to trust the business because it was recommended by AI. The conversion rate from AI referrals is five times higher than from Google clicks. The recommendation itself creates a bias in favour of the business. That is why being recommended matters so much.
B2B buyers use AI very differently. 65% of B2B buyers use AI tools before contacting vendors, rising to 75% for those aged 25 to 40. Their queries are more complex, more research-oriented and involve multiple follow-ups. "What CRM systems work well for a team of 12 in professional services?" "How does Salesforce compare to HubSpot for a small consultancy?" "What are the typical implementation timescales?"
B2B AI sessions can last 20 to 30 minutes with extensive follow-up questions. The buyer is building a shortlist, comparing options and gathering information they would previously have collected over days or weeks of research. AI compresses that process into a single session. If your SaaS product, consultancy or professional service appears consistently throughout that session, you have a strong chance of making the shortlist.
For B2B companies, the content that serves AI best is comparison content, detailed feature descriptions, pricing transparency, case studies with specific results and independent reviews. A SaaS company with a "How we compare to [competitor]" page that honestly covers the differences is more likely to be cited in a B2B AI session than a company that only promotes its own features without acknowledging alternatives. Learn more in how AI recommends businesses.
What do your customers see when they ask AI?
VestVale monitors how ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Google AI answer queries about your industry. See whether you are recommended.
What customers expect from AI answers
Direct answers, not links
AI users expect answers, not search results. They want to know "Who is the best estate agent in Bristol?" and get a direct answer with reasoning. If your business cannot be summarised by AI into a concise recommendation, it will not be included. Clarity and specificity on your website help AI create that summary.
Honest comparisons
AI users frequently ask comparison questions: "Which is better, X or Y?" They expect balanced, honest answers that weigh pros and cons. Businesses that provide genuinely helpful comparison content (even acknowledging competitor strengths) are more likely to be cited than those that only promote themselves.
Specific pricing and timescales
AI users want concrete information: "How much does X cost?" "How long does Y take?" Vague answers like "contact us for a quote" do not satisfy AI or the user. Businesses that publish indicative pricing, typical timescales and realistic expectations give AI something concrete to cite.
Social proof
AI users trust recommendations backed by evidence. When ChatGPT says "rated 4.8 on Google with 120 reviews", that is persuasive. When it says "seems like a good option", that is weak. Reviews, ratings and third-party endorsements are what give AI the confidence to make strong recommendations.
Location-specific advice
Particularly for UK consumers, location matters. "Best in Manchester" is different from "best in the UK." AI users expect locally relevant answers. Your content should mention specific locations you serve, local knowledge you have and area-specific information that demonstrates you are genuinely local.
Current information
AI users assume the answer is up to date. Outdated information (old prices, discontinued services, changed hours) damages trust. Keep your website and all online profiles current. A "last updated" date on key pages signals freshness to both users and AI.
How to adapt your business for AI-era customers
Write for questions, not keywords. Your customers are not typing "plumber Leeds" into ChatGPT. They are asking "Can you recommend a reliable plumber in Leeds who does boiler installations?" Your content should be structured around the questions people actually ask. Use those questions as headings. Answer them directly. This serves both AI and your website visitors.
Be specific and transparent. Vague service descriptions do not serve AI customers. "We offer a range of accounting services" tells AI nothing useful. "We provide self-assessment tax returns for freelancers (from £150), VAT registration and quarterly returns (£75/quarter), and year-end accounts for limited companies (from £500)" gives AI concrete information to cite. Specificity wins.
Cover the whole journey. AI customers often start with an educational question ("What is conveyancing?"), move to a comparison question ("How do conveyancing solicitors differ?") and end with a recommendation question ("Who is a good conveyancing solicitor in Leeds?"). If your website covers all three stages with linked content, AI can use you as a reference throughout the customer's research journey. Content clusters that cover a topic comprehensively outperform isolated pages.
Invest in reviews. AI customers check reviews after receiving a recommendation. If ChatGPT recommends your business but you have three Google reviews from 2022, the customer will doubt the recommendation. Recent, positive reviews validate the AI recommendation and complete the conversion. Make review collection a systematic, weekly process.
Track how customers find you. Ask new customers how they found you. "I asked ChatGPT" or "Google suggested you in an AI summary" may become increasingly common answers. This data helps you understand how important the AI channel is becoming for your business and justify further investment in AI visibility.
Monitor AI answers about your industry. Regularly check what ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity say when customers ask about your services in your area. Are you mentioned? Is the information correct? Are competitors being recommended? This ongoing monitoring reveals opportunities and threats. Learn more in our guide on how businesses stay visible in AI.
Frequently asked questions
Are older customers using AI search too?
Adoption is highest among 18 to 34-year-olds (75%) but growing across all age groups. Over-55s are the fastest-growing AI adoption segment. The shift is generational but not exclusive. Even if your current customer base skews older, younger customers are already searching differently and your future customer base will increasingly use AI.
How do customers feel about AI recommendations?
27% of UK users prefer AI chatbots over traditional search. Users perceive AI recommendations as curated advice rather than advertising or search results. They trust them more, which is why AI referral traffic converts five times better than Google traffic. However, most users still verify recommendations by checking reviews and the business website.
What types of businesses do customers search for most in AI?
Local services (tradespeople, restaurants, professionals), product recommendations (electronics, furniture, gifts), professional services (accountants, solicitors, financial advisers) and B2B tools (software, agencies, suppliers). Essentially, any query where the user wants a recommendation rather than just information.
Is voice search part of this shift?
Yes. AI assistants on phones and smart speakers (Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa) increasingly use AI to answer queries. "Hey Siri, who is a good plumber near me?" triggers an AI-powered response. As voice search grows, the conversational nature of AI queries becomes even more important. Your content should answer questions as naturally as someone would ask them out loud.
Your customers are changing how they search. Are you keeping up?
VestVale monitors how AI platforms answer queries about your industry. See whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Google AI recommend you.
From £19.95/mo excl. VAT. Cancel monthly.