Insights · LinkedIn
Before the holiday rush, search for your own business the way a new customer would.
Before the holiday rush, search for your own business the way a new customer would.
Intuit QuickBooks' holiday survey asked about 1,000 small businesses how they're getting ready. Forty-six percent said they've already taken steps to be easier to find in AI search and shopping tools like ChatGPT or Google's AI Overviews. Another 33% plan to.
Shoppers are moving the same way. In the consumer half of the survey, 43% said they'll use AI tools for holiday shopping, mostly to find a better price, save time, or discover new stores. And 23% said social platforms like Instagram and TikTok are where they're most likely to buy from a small business online. Two years ago that was 16%.
None of that replaces good work or a good reputation. It does mean the first impression often happens somewhere you didn't write.
So try it this week. Type the question a new customer would ask, like "furnace repair this week near me" or "handmade gifts downtown, open late," into ChatGPT, Google, and Instagram. See whether you show up. Then check whether your hours, services, and holiday schedule are right where you do.
Fix what's wrong at the source: your website, your Google Business Profile, your social bios. It's an afternoon of work, and October is a better time for it than the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
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