Why AI Is a Game-Changer for Small Businesses
AI might sound futuristic, but in reality it’s just another tool — like email or social media — that helps small businesses get things done faster. ChatGPT, for example, works like a smart assistant: you type in a question or task, and it generates text you can use as a draft.
It doesn’t replace your own ideas or expertise, but it can save you time and spark inspiration. Imagine you run a choir in York and you’re trying to explain what makes your rehearsals special. Instead of staring at a blank page, you can ask ChatGPT to help draft a welcoming description that highlights inclusivity, humour, and community.
For small businesses where time is precious, that kind of support can make a huge difference.
Five Simple Ways to Use ChatGPT on Your Website
Here are practical, quick wins you can apply this week:
1. Write Clear, Compelling Website Copy
Your “About Us” page or service descriptions don’t need to be lengthy — they just need to be clear and engaging. Paste your current text into ChatGPT and ask it to:
- Make it more approachable
- Shorten it for clarity
- Add a professional but friendly tone
Action step: Choose one page of your site today, drop the text into ChatGPT, and see how the rewrite feels. Edit it into your own voice before publishing.
2. Generate Blog Content Ideas
Keeping a blog up to date can help with SEO and give customers reasons to return. But coming up with ideas is half the battle.
Example: A singing group in York might ask, “What blog posts could attract people searching for choirs in York?” ChatGPT might suggest posts like “Five Benefits of Joining a Local Choir” or “How Singing Together Boosts Mental Health.”
Action step: Ask ChatGPT for 5–10 blog titles relevant to your industry and audience. Pick one and draft it this month.
3. Improve Local SEO with Smarter Content
If you want to show up in local searches — “web design in York” or “chamber music in York” — you need to use these phrases naturally on your website. ChatGPT can help by weaving local keywords into your service pages, blog posts, and even your meta descriptions.
Action step: Take your main service (e.g., tutoring, catering, event planning) and ask ChatGPT: “Write a 150-word service page for [service] in York, with a friendly and professional tone.”
4. Build FAQs That Save Time
FAQs do double duty: they improve your SEO and answer common questions so you spend less time replying to emails.
Example: A chamber music group in York could ask:
- Do I need to audition?
- Where do rehearsals take place?
- How much does it cost to join?
Action step: Write down the top 5 questions your customers ask most often, then use ChatGPT to polish your answers into clear, concise text for your website.
5. Create Strong Calls to Action (CTAs)
A good website guides visitors to take the next step. That might be booking a consultation, signing up for a newsletter, or joining a rehearsal.
Example CTAs ChatGPT can draft:
- “Book your free consultation today.”
- “Join our next rehearsal in York — no audition required.”
- “Get your free website health check now.”
Action step: Ask ChatGPT to create 5 variations of a call to action. Test one on your homepage and another on a blog post to see which gets more responses.
How to Get the Best Results with AI
AI isn’t magic — it’s a helper. To make it work for your business:
- Be specific: Give ChatGPT context about your business, audience, and goals.
- Don’t accept the first draft: Always tweak the text so it sounds like you.
- Keep it short: Set aside 10–15 minutes at a time. You’ll be surprised how much you can improve in one focused session.
- Fact-check everything: AI is great for structure and ideas, but you’re the expert on your business.
Bringing It All Together
Small business owners don’t have endless hours to spend polishing their website, and that’s where AI can help. Whether you’re running a café, a web design studio in York, or a local singing group, ChatGPT makes it easier to communicate clearly, attract the right people, and save time.
By spending just a few minutes each week — rewriting a page, drafting a blog idea, or polishing your FAQs — you’ll steadily improve your site and build a stronger online presence.
A Little Extra Help with SEO
If you’d like to take things a step further, I’ve created my own AI-powered tool: Astrid, your SEO GPT assistant. Astrid is designed specifically to help small business owners improve their search visibility without the jargon.
