What the Rise of AIO (AI SEO) Means for Founders, Creatives & Service-Based Brands — AI Optimization 101
THE EMPIRE EDIT
A founder’s field guide to building a premium, scalable brand — systems,
structure, and strategy from behind the scenes at Intention to Empire 📰 ☕️Let’s talk about something that’s shifting the digital landscape fast — and what it means for you as a brand-led business owner.
Earlier this week, Squarespace (aka the platform I’ve trusted with my own business and hundreds of client sites) dropped a blog post on how to prepare for the era of AI-powered search. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it — Squarespace consistently leads the way in transparency and innovation, and their approach to AI SEO is no exception.
As someone who’s spent two decades in operations and now runs a design studio rooted in backend systems, let me break down what this evolution actually means for your site, your brand, and your marketing strategy — especially if you're building a service-based, aligned, scalable business.
Xoxo,
Corinne
Wait… What is AI SEO (aka AIO)?
We’re entering a world where search results aren’t just ranked links anymore — they’re deeply informative answers, and portals to new insights and ways of thinking.
AI tools like Google’s new search experience and ChatGPT’s web features are starting to give people direct answers instead of just showing a list of websites. In some cases, users get all the info they need without ever clicking through to a site.
That’s where AIO (AI Optimization) comes in — it’s the emerging practice of ensuring your content is visible, accurate, and trusted by AI systems that now interpret the web differently than human users or old-school algorithms like Google ever did.
It’s not about gaming the system — it’s about structuring your content in a way that actually makes it usable and helpful in this new context.
And if you're using an Intention to Empire Squarespace website template? You're already a few steps ahead.
Why AI Optimization Matters NOW.
Straight up — Search engines are no longer just crawling your site for keywords. They’re using AI to “understand” your content — summarizing, contextualizing, and answering questions based on what they find.
So if your content is vague, unstructured, or trying too hard to be cute instead of clear? You’ll likely be skipped over — even if your site is gorgeous.
And yes, this directly impacts conversion. Because if your dream clients can’t find you or understand what you offer, they can’t hire you.
Squarespace made this incredibly clear in their post: brand visibility in the age of AI is about clarity, structure, and helpfulness. And guess what? That’s been baked into my template framework since day one.
AIO vs. Traditional SEO: What’s Changing?
Let’s compare how AI Optimization (AIO) stacks up against traditional SEO:
Traditional SEO: keyword-heavy copy.
AIO: conversational, helpful content.Traditional SEO: page titles & meta descriptions.
AIO: structured answers to specific questions.Traditional SEO: backlinks and high-volume content.
AIO: trustworthiness, clarity, and usability.Traditional SEO: ranking based on link authority.
AIO: selection based on content reliability
What this means for you: Your website now needs to “make sense” to an AI assistant trying to summarize or surface your offers — not just to a human skimmer.
That’s why my signature Content Collection Template inside the Strategic Setup Course (included with every IE template) focuses so heavily on founder clarity, client language, and structured pages that clearly articulate your offers and brand pillars. Not just design.
How to Know If You’re Showing Up in AI-Powered Search
When users buy a template, they fill out a “How did you find Intention to Empire?” question. I’ll never forget the first time I saw “Chat GPT” listed as an answer. It was awesome.
Measuring your AI-readiness isn’t about page speed or mobile views anymore. According to Squarespace, what matters now is whether your content is showing up in the places AI is pulling from.
Here’s what to start paying attention to:
Are you appearing in AI-generated summaries?
Try searching your business name or one of your offers in tools like Google’s AI search or ChatGPT (with browsing turned on).Does your brand come up when your category is mentioned?
Think: “brand strategist for coaches,” “luxury travel consultant,” or “Squarespace templates for service providers.”Is your site being linked or cited as a trusted source?
This could show up in directories, blog posts, or roundup-style content.
You don’t need fancy tools to get a feel for this. Just open a private (incognito) browser and try the kinds of searches your dream clients might use. You can also ask ChatGPT the same questions and see if your brand is referenced in the response.
It’s not about being perfect — it’s about starting to notice how you’re being interpreted.
Your job is to make your content so clear, specific, and helpful that AI knows exactly what you do — and trusts you to do it well.
3 Ways to Improve Your AI Visibility Starting Today
Great news — If you’re using an IE template, you don’t actually need to do anything because you’re already several steps ahead — everything listed below is baked right into the framework:
Clear Headings + Hierarchy
Every page in the template uses structured headings (H1s, H2s, H3s) to help both users and AI tools instantly understand what your site is about, so you can organically lead with clarity and context.Built-In Prompts for Real Questions
Both the signature Content Collection Template and the layout naturally guides you to answer client-minded questions like “What’s included?”, “How does it work?”, and “What results can I expect?” No pretty filler copy, just content that builds trust.Smart Internal Linking
From testimonials to services to blog posts, the templates are designed to connect your content in a way that makes sense — for both humans and search bots. You don’t have to figure out the logic. It’s already handled.
This is why I always say these aren’t just “website templates” — they’re conversion-ready business systems designed to evolve with how the internet works.
Why I’m Still All-In on Squarespace
It’s no secret that I believe in minimalist systems that scale. Squarespace lets us do exactly that — and their commitment to evolving with the future of search is one of many reasons why I recommend it to every client.
They’re not just reacting to trends — they’re building toward the next chapter of the internet, and keeping founders like us informed along the way. That matters.
TL:DR — What Founders Need to Know About AIO
Search is changing — fast.
Your content needs to be structured, clear, and trustworthy.
Templates that prioritize backend strategy (like mine) give you a massive head start.
AIO isn’t about trends — it’s about future-proofing your brand.
If you’re an Intention to Empire user: you’re in good hands. If not, this is your nudge to stop choosing templates based on vibe alone, and invest in a framework that supports actual growth and refinement in realtime.
This new chapter belongs to brands that are ready to be understood — not just seen.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE EDIT
Adding zeroes to your annual revenue and building a potent, focused brand happens faster when your backend runs light and lean.
The results come from the work most founders avoid — streamlining your tech stack and building backend systems, automations, and passive income pathways that reduce hiring, cut overhead, and free up your time. It’s the only way to create real space for premium client experiences and consistent marketing.
Before launching a successful web & brand business, our founder Corinne spent two decades shaping luxury client experiences and leading big-tech operations at global scale. Now she shares her sharpest insights on bespoke service strategies, backend infrastructure, passive income, and intelligent automations — the same high-impact strategies she’s used to streamline multimillion-dollar operations, and support over 200 repeat clients with the same refinement and intention she’s used to serve royalty, top industry executives, A-list public figures, and heads of state.
