Thryv urges small businesses to boost AI search visibility

Thryv has urged small businesses in Australia and New Zealand to strengthen their digital presence to improve their chances of appearing in recommendations from artificial intelligence tools. The advice comes as consumers increasingly use services such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini to find local providers.

AI-generated recommendations draw on a mix of signals, including website quality, search visibility, business listings, reviews and consistency across online channels. Businesses with outdated or fragmented information risk becoming harder to find when customers are ready to buy.

Research cited by Thryv points to a gap between how businesses view their online standing and how consumers judge it. More than 72 per cent of Australian SMBs and 75 per cent of New Zealand SMBs believe they have a strong digital profile, yet only 49 per cent of Australian consumers and 52 per cent of New Zealand consumers agree.

The figures suggest many businesses may overestimate how easy they are to find or how credible they appear online. That matters as customer discovery shifts from scanning search results to asking AI assistants conversational questions and expecting direct answers.

Discovery Shift

Traditional search still matters, but the data shows businesses rely on a broad mix of digital channels. In Australia, 50 per cent of SMBs use Facebook for online visibility and 45 per cent rely on a company website. In New Zealand, 51 per cent use Facebook and 35 per cent rely on a website.

Instagram is used by 37 per cent of Australian SMBs and 39 per cent of New Zealand SMBs, while LinkedIn stands at 34 per cent in both markets. Search results, Google Business Profile, reviews and directory listings also shape whether a business is found.

Consistency is the first requirement for stronger visibility, according to Thryv. Business details such as contact information, opening hours and service descriptions need to match across websites, maps, search listings and directories.

A current, mobile-friendly website also remains important. AI systems are more likely to surface businesses with a clear, coherent digital trail than those that appear neglected.

Consumer Expectations

The same digital foundations influence customer choice before any AI tool is involved. If a small business does not offer features such as online ordering or mobile payments, 47 per cent of Australian consumers and 42 per cent of New Zealand consumers say they would be somewhat or very likely to choose another business.

Expectations differ slightly between the two markets. In New Zealand, 52 per cent of consumers expect a mobile-friendly website, 51 per cent expect online booking and 48 per cent expect an online store. In Australia, 43 per cent expect online booking, 43 per cent expect a mobile-friendly website and 43 per cent expect social media updates.

Some firms still have a basic digital gap. Thirteen per cent of Australian SMBs and 11 per cent of New Zealand SMBs said they offer none of the digital features measured in the research.

Trust Signals

Reviews remain one of the clearest indicators of trust. In Australia, 21 per cent of consumers always check reviews before buying from a small business and another 50 per cent sometimes do. In New Zealand, 32 per cent always check reviews and 49 per cent sometimes do.

Businesses are not uniformly active in managing that feedback. In Australia, 38 per cent of SMBs always encourage reviews and 45 per cent always respond to them. In New Zealand, the figures are 44 per cent and 49 per cent respectively.

That activity can influence both customers and AI systems, which increasingly assess whether a business appears current, credible and engaged. A profile with recent ratings and owner responses sends a different signal from one with little visible activity.

Content Questions

Thryv said small businesses can also improve their chances of appearing in AI responses by publishing content that answers common customer questions. That could include a physiotherapist explaining when to seek treatment after an injury, a mechanic outlining service intervals, or an accountant setting out which expenses sole traders can claim at tax time.

The logic is simple: businesses already answer these questions every day, but many do not present those answers in a format that can be found online. Clear, relevant information gives search engines and AI systems more material to reference when selecting recommendations.

The broader change in search behaviour is already visible in how people discover businesses. Word of mouth remains the leading source in both countries, cited by 59 per cent of Australian consumers and 58 per cent of New Zealand consumers. Online searches are used by 43 per cent in both markets, while social media plays a stronger role in New Zealand at 51 per cent, compared with 35 per cent in Australia.

Thryv framed the response for small businesses as a practical one: keep websites, listings and social channels up to date, publish answers to frequently asked questions, and encourage and respond to reviews. As the company put it, "When a customer asks AI, 'Who should I trust for this service?', the businesses most likely to be surfaced will be the ones that have already done the work to make that answer obvious."