Show Notes
Your small business website might be losing you customers right now, and you might not even know it. In this episode of The Localist podcast, host Carrie Rollwagen sits down with Pam Darden, VP of Accounts and Revenue at Infomedia, to answer real audience questions about what is working and what is broken for small business websites in the age of AI. YouTube Embedded Link
Pam has worked with small business clients for over 10 years. She knows which website mistakes are costing people customers, and which fixes make the biggest difference. Traffic is down for a lot of businesses right now. But that does not mean fewer people are finding you. AI is doing the research for your customers before they ever click a link. If your website is not giving AI the right information, you are not even in the conversation. Pam and Carrie cover what you need to have on your site so AI includes you in results, how to check what AI is saying about your business right now, why your Google Business Profile matters more than ever, how to add FAQs in a way that helps both humans and AI, how to track whether your website is working when old analytics no longer tell the full story, and whether vibe coding is ever a smart choice for a small business owner on a budget.
Small Business Website Topics Covered in This Episode
- Why you still need a small business website even when traffic has dropped
- How to check what AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are saying about your business
- Why pricing and FAQs on your site help AI include you in search results
- How to structure your content so it is easy for both people and AI to read
- What to check on your Google Business Profile right now
- Why each location page on your site needs to be unique — and what to put on it
- How to make it easy for customers to find, visit and contact you
- How to track sales and leads when website analytics no longer tell the whole story
- The clothing store story: what a traffic spike and six sold-out dresses revealed
- What to do if you mostly send people to Instagram instead of a website
- What vibe coding is and why it usually costs more in the long run
Connect with Pam Darden
Pam Darden is VP of Accounts and Revenue at Infomedia, a Birmingham-based web strategy company. She has worked with small business clients for over 10 years. She helps them get real results from their websites and online presence.
Mentioned in This Episode
- Burdock Book Collective
- Being Tea Chicago (Cierra’s tea teachers)
- The Craft Room episode of The Localist
- Beloved Community Church Avondale (Cha House landlord)
- Alabama Arise (nonprofit that held private event at Cha House
- Autism Spectrum Society of Birmingham (monthly meetup at Cha House)
Follow Carrie Rollwagen
Listen to The Localist on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Thanks to Our Sponsor, Infomedia
The Localist is sponsored by Infomedia. They are a Birmingham-based web and digital marketing company. They help small businesses grow online. Contact Infomedia.
Join Us at Localist Lab
Localist Lab is a free event series for small business owners. It meets on the third Thursday of most months at Saturn in Avondale. Each session covers marketing tips you can use right away. Free tacos and coffee, too. See upcoming events.
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