With AI summaries now siphoning away more than half of traditional Google click-throughs, small businesses can no longer afford to treat search optimization as a set-it-and-forget-it task. That’s the stark reality behind a new free tool from Web Search Professionals, a digital marketing agency with over 25 years in the industry.
New tool helps businesses identify SEO issues, evaluate AI search readiness, and improve website performance—all at no cost.
On November 7, 2026, the Fredonia, Wisconsin-based company announced the launch of an instant website audit tool that is entirely free. It is designed to help business owners and website operators pinpoint technical issues, uncover search optimization opportunities, and receive a personalized 30-day action plan—all without paying a cent or entering a credit card.
Also worth a look: FEDCON warns federal contractors: comply with paid sick leave rule or risk debarment and Kimley-Horn tapped to shape vision for massive 4,000-acre innovation hub in Chesapeake.
As artificial intelligence reshapes how consumers research products and services, companies are confronting a new set of visibility challenges. AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT and Google’s own AI-driven search features increasingly deliver direct answers and business recommendations, fundamentally altering how potential customers discover companies. Traditional search engine optimization (SEO) is no longer the only battleground; businesses must now also compete for placement in what the industry calls “Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO).
“As a business owner, maintaining that answer engine position is mission critical in that it pushes competitors further down the results page, increasing your click through rate and reducing theirs,” the announcement stated, underscoring the urgency of the shift.
The new tool from Web Search Professionals aims to demystify where a website currently stands and what concrete steps can be taken to improve. By simply entering a website address, users receive an automated assessment covering several key areas: website health (identifying technical issues that may affect performance and accessibility), SEO opportunities (discovering factors that influence search engine visibility), AI Search Readiness (evaluating website elements relevant to Answer Engine Optimization), and a 30-day improvement plan with prioritized recommendations and practical steps.
Unlike typical website assessments that require paid subscriptions or costly consultations, this tool is completely free and requires no credit card information. The company’s reasoning is straightforward: data from the Pew Research Center shows that users clicked traditional search results in just 8% of observed Google searches containing AI summaries, compared with 15% when no AI summary appeared. “What this means is when you take the answer engine result, and a search result, you are starving your competition of visibility and generating traffic,” the release noted.
“After more than 25 years in this industry, we’ve seen the web evolve dramatically. Today’s digital landscape requires business owners to be more structured, clear, and intentional about how they present their businesses online,” said Rudy McCormick, President of Web Search Professionals. “We believe every business deserves access to the information needed to improve its online presence. That’s why we’ve made this audit and its 30-day action plan completely free and instantly available.“
Business owners and website operators can access the instant audit and personalized 30-day improvement plan at https://www.web-search-pros.com/ai-search-readiness-audit.
Web Search Professionals is a digital marketing agency with more than 25 years of industry experience, specializing in search engine optimization, website performance, content strategy, and AI search readiness. The company helps businesses improve online visibility through technical expertise and data-driven digital marketing strategies.
Website: https://web-search-pros.com
Phone: 414-234-5624
### ###
Rudy McCormick
Web Search Professionals
+1 414-234-5624
rudym@web-search-pros.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X
Rudy McCormick Discusses Modern Digital Marketing
Why it matters: As AI-generated search summaries cut traditional click-through rates nearly in half, small businesses that ignore answer engine optimization risk being invisible to the very customers who are actively looking for them. A free, actionable audit lowers the barrier for Main Street companies to adapt to this new search landscape before their competitors do.
