Written by Israel Egede
Your next customer may never visit your homepage. They may ask an AI assistant to find a service, compare option and book it for them. If your website does not clearly explain what you do, who you help and how one can take the next step then you could be invisible even if you offer exactly what they need.
In this age of agentic search being discoverable is no longer about your rank on google but how accessible your service is for both people and AI to understand, trust and act on.
What is Agentic Search?
There are 3 steps to this. First, traditional search which matches a query with webpages and presents a list of links. Generative search goes further by retrieving information from different sources, summarising it and providing an answer with references.
Finally, agentic search goes a step further. It uses LLMs (Large Language Models), the AI systems behind tools such as Claude to understand a request then break it into smaller steps, search for relevant information, compare options and potentially act on someone’s behalf. LLMs are trained on large number of texts and works by identifying patterns between words, sentences and ideas allowing it to generate texts, answer questions, summarise information and support tasks such as writing or planning.
For example, someone might ask an AI agent to book a holiday, and the agent may then need to search for destinations, compare flights and hotels, check availability, enter booking details and complete the purchase. In this case, your website is not only somewhere to visit but it is a source of information and actions that an AI agent may need to use.
How Customers Are Using Agentic Search
People Search With Context
People rarely search using the exact name of a service. They search around solution, a situation and the outcome they want.
For example: A search such as “I need help with my daughter’s German GCSE and need a tutor in Newcastle” contains much more than a service name. It includes:
- The Problem: GCSE support is needed.
- The Context: It is for the person’s daughter, in German, and likely in Newcastle.
- The Desired Outcome: Improved confidence, learning support or exam success.
Other examples include:
- I need a dog-friendly cafe with good gluten-free options.
- I need a carer for my dad after hospital discharge.
- I need embroidered uniforms for a small salon and I only need 12.
- I need a local accountant who can help me as a sole trader.
Your website should make it easy for both people and AI tools to connect those details with your service.
Exercise: Try it yourself, think like a customer
Write down one thing a customer might think before searching for your service using this format:
- I need help with...
- I am based in...
- I want to...
This exercise helps you identify the real context behind a search. Your website should answer that context clearly, rather than expecting customers to work it out from vague slogans or general descriptions.
Make Your Service More Discoverable for Agentic Search
Your Website Needs to Answer Key Questions
A discoverable service page should answer:
- What is this?
- Who is it for?
- Where is it available?
- When is it available?
- Can I access it?
- Can I take action?
- Why should I trust it?
- Is it safe for me (where relevant)?
These are questions for AI and a real customer before selecting a service. For example, someone looking for a carer after hospital discharge will want to know whether the service covers their area, what support is provided, how quickly it can start, the cost and who to contact.
Trust Helps People and AI Choose You
Trust is important to being discoverable and people are unlikely to book, buy, or get in touch if they can’t see that your organisation is credible, reliable and relevant to their needs.
Your website should make trust easy to assess by including:
- Your organisation or trading name.
- How long you have been operating.
- Who is behind the service?
- Real examples of your work or customer feedback.
- Clear contact details.
- Up-to-date service information.
- Evidence of qualifications, accreditation, or partnerships.
- Transparent pricing, eligibility criteria and terms where relevant
AI systems also look for signals that help them assess whether information is reliable. A website with clear ownership, consistent details, useful evidence and current content is easier for both people and AI to trust.
How AI Reads Your Website
- Access the page.
- Parse it, meaning understand its structure and content.
- Index it, meaning store relevant information so it can be found later.
- Retrieve it when it matches a customer’s question.
- Trust it enough to use it in an answer.
- Act on it, where relevant, such as booking, buying or contacting you.
This is why a clear structure matters. If a page is one large block of content with no meaningful headings, sections, links or labels, it Is harder for both people and machines to understand.
Structure Matters: Headings, Links and Buttons
A website can look attractive but still difficult to understand if the structure is unclear. Website use HTML (HyperText Markup Language) to label content by its purpose so headings act as headings, list as lists, buttons as buttons and form fields have clear labels. This helps people, assistive technology and AI systems understand the page. Use meaningful headings such as “Book a same week boiler repair in Dundee” rather than “Welcome”. Write descriptive links and label buttons clearly. For example, “Book an appointment” rather than “Submit” and avoid putting important text inside images, where screen readers and AI systems may not be able to read it.
Forms should also be clear and easy to complete. This matters because AI agents may look for the point where someone can book, buy, request a quote or get in touch.
Accessibility Supports Discoverability
Accessibility and discoverability overlap. A website that works well with screen readers, keyboard navigation, magnification or voice controls is often easier for search engines and AI systems to understand too.
Use proper headings, real text rather than text in images, descriptive links, labelled forms and accessible buttons. Write for people first then make sure the technical structure supports them.
Avoid Keyword Tricks
Keyword stuffing, repeated phrases and hidden text are less effective in the age of AI search. Focus instead on plain language, specific details and honest descriptions of your service. AI can help you draft or refine content, but it should not replace your understanding of your customers. You know their needs, language, and priorities better than any tool do.
A Simple Check for Your Website
Choose one important page and ask:
- Is it clear what the page is about?
- Does it say who the service is for?
- Does it explain where and when it is available?
- Does it explain how to access or book it?
- Does it build trust?
- Is there a clear next step?
- Are headings, links, buttons and forms descriptive and accessible?
If any answer is “no” or “not clearly”, then this is a good place to start.
About Wojtek Kutyla
Wojtek Kutyla is an independent digital product specialist based in Edinburgh. He's helping his customers build smarter, more user-friendly and accessible websites and apps.
Over the years, Wojtek has worked with many international organisations across different sectors. He's also the author of a bestselling web accessibility book.
Final Thoughts
Making your service discoverable in the age of agentic search is about clearly explaining what you do, who you help, why people can trust you and how they can act. Good structure, accessible design, plain language, and customer focus benefit people, traditional search engines, and AI systems alike.
Start by reviewing one important service page today. Ask whether it clearly explains your offer, builds trust, and makes the next step easy to find. Explore the Digital Pathfinders website or get in touch to find out more about future workshops.
Make it clear for people and you will make it clearer for AI too.
