The New Rules of Attention
AI is playing a different game.
And, as a small business owner, this is very good news.
Because the businesses that are being found on AI do not have:
- The biggest budget.
- The biggest team.
- The most content.
They are the ones who understand the new rules of attention.
If you learn them, and apply them to your business, you will grow your business.
Don't be invisible
Google Rankings are no longer enough.
There is a different game being played.
The question we are all asking is: How do I become visible to AI?
And more importantly:
“How do you win trust in this new world?”
Why?
Because Google sends people searching.
AI increasingly sends people already convinced.
Which means businesses visible to AI will increasingly outperform those that are not.
Why this matters?
AI traffic converts dramatically better than traditional search traffic.
These NP Digital / Semrush numbers reveal something extremely important:
- Traditional organic conversion rates: ~2%
- AI referral traffic: 8–9%
- Roughly 4.4x higher conversion intent
The New Rules of Attention
1.Be Where the AI Looks.
Most businesses are optimising for Google. AI is looking elsewhere. It learns from:
- YouTube
- podcasts
- reviews
- interviews
- discussions
That changes everything.
Because the businesses AI sees most,
become the businesses it recommends most. Your website is no longer enough. You need to show up where AI is learning.
2.Know How it Reads.
Not like a human. Humans can pick up meaning. We can read a room, so to speak.
AI doesn’t read the vibe. It reads structure. That’s why it prefers:
- Clear headings.
- Lists. (It lurves lists)
- Markdown files. (Yes, we need to understand how to write a good one.)
It punishes lack of clarity faster than humans ever did. How fast you get to clarity becomes a competitive advantage.
You have two audiences now: Humans. And AI agents.
And if AI cannot understand you, it cannot recommend you.
3.What Others Say Matters.
SEO was largely about you telling the internet how good you were. Which, conveniently, you always said nice things.
AI works differently. AI looks for:
- mentions
- recommendations
- reviews
- discussions
- citations
- conversations
In other words: what other people say about you.
Reputation leaves footprints.
So we need to get better at sharing what other people think about us. Think of AI as a weighing machine for credibility. What other people say about you carries more weight.
4.The Milk Test.
Every bottle of milk has a sell-by date. And when in doubt, you do the sniff test.
You are asking one question: “Is this fresh?”
AI does the same thing with your website. Freshness has become a signal for trust. AI rewards signs of life.
Sounds dumb, but it matters a lot.
5.Be Early.
The biggest winners on Instagram were early. The companies that dominated Google learned SEO early. Every platform shift creates a brief moment where attention is easier to win.
This is one of those moments.
What will I learn?
This workshop is for
- Solo founders, creators, indie consultants
- Marketers, agency owners, creatives
- Small businesses who have seen search traffic nosedive and are asking "What now?"
You’ll leave with:
- a business that is easier to find
- a message that is easier to understand
- a clearer idea of where attention is heading
- and an unfair advantage while most people are still catching up
Who's running it?
Copyright 2026. The DO Lectures All rights reserved.
Registered in England & Wales. Company Number: 06772325.