Insights
For years, economic development organizations have focused on attracting prospects to their websites, and the strategy has been fairly straightforward: build a website, invest in content, and ensure your organization can be found through search engines.
That approach still matters, but the way people are searching for information is changing as AI becomes more accessible. EDOs should now start asking “If a site selector asks an AI tool where to expand their business, will my community be part of the answer?”
AI is rapidly changing the way people find information online. Instead of sorting through pages of search results, people are now turning to AI tools to help them make comparisons and provide recommendations. This is also true for site selectors, business owners, developers, and consultants. According to a 2024 study by Site Selectors Guild, 61% of respondents reported that “using AI added value to the process by freeing human resources to assist with other project elements.”
Traditional search engines, like Google, provide a list of websites related to the search and the user sorts through results themselves. AI tools, however, work differently. The tools will search through the web and provide a shortlist of results with summarized information about what they found.
It's no longer just about ranking highly in search results. It's also about becoming part of the answers AI tools provide.
What AI Tools Look for in Content
Because of the impact AI is having on community discovery, we did a little research. To better understand how AI tools use web content to make recommendations, we tested prompts across ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. We found that recommendations tended to rely on content that was structured (easy to scan content with headings, bullet lists, tables, etc.), quantified, and verifiable. The platforms also tended to favor information that directly addressed specific decision-making questions.
This AI-friendly content could look something like: “For companies seeking professional talent, our area laborshed includes more than 30,000 qualified workers, with over 34% holding a bachelor degree or higher.”
We also tested the conditions identified by the AI platforms. We asked each tool questions a site selector or business owner might ask when researching new locations, and found that the AI recommendations consistently provided results with content that was clearly structured, quantifiable, and tied directly to the prompt.
Testing also suggested that AI recommendations may create new opportunities for smaller communities that have previously struggled to compete. When we prompted the platforms for “recommendations on affordable locations with room for advanced manufacturing facilities and access to major highways,” we had some instances where communities with populations under 50,000 appeared in the top five results.
What this means for EDOs is that the quality and structure of your content may become increasingly important in how your community is discovered. If AI tools can’t easily identify and verify information about your workforce, sites, infrastructure, or business climate, they might be less likely to include your community when responding to specific research questions.
Updating your content doesn’t necessarily mean overhauling your entire website or rewriting every page, but it may be worth evaluating how your information is being presented. Consider whether key information is easy to find, supported by data, and organized around real business questions. It’s also important to consider the balance between content that is both easy to read for real people and easy for AI tools to understand.
As we’re still in the early stages of understanding how AI impacts online behavior, what is clear is the way people find information is evolving. Communities that provide clear, organized, and verifiable information may be better positioned to benefit from these changes as they occur.
How EDSuite is Helping EDOs Adapt
At EDSuite, we’re actively exploring how AI is influencing economic development marketing and community discovery. As these behaviors continue to evolve, we’re updating our services to help organizations adapt. That includes AI-ready content frameworks, expanded content support options and new website offerings designed with AI discovery in mind.
We’re also continuing to expand our services to include lead intelligence, visitor identification, and behavioral insights to help EDOs better understand who is engaging with their websites. As the way people research communities changes, we’re committed to helping organizations stay visible, discoverable, and prepared for what’s next.
