AI’s Changing the Game, Is Your Surveying Biz Ready to Show Up?

By Elaine Ball – LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE (from Google LM)

Let’s face it, how people find you is changing. Your next big customer probably won’t start with a Google search… they’ll just ask ChatGPT. And if your brand isn’t popping up in those AI answers? You might as well be surveying on the Moon 🌝

No pressure, right?

Well don’t panic, I’ve got the goods. This isn’t just my musings, it’s based on research from Forrester, HBR, my LinkedIn audience and legends like Stewart Ward from Dioptra. 

Here’s how to get your surveying and geospatial business AI ready so you don’t get left behind while the robots do the talking.

1. 🎯 Show Up Where Your Buyers Look (Websites & AI – for the win)

Yesterday, your buyer found you through multiple touch points like blogs, socials, exhibitions, news articles, maybe a webinar or two.

Today? It’s almost ‘just’ one. (i say ‘just’ as AI is changing daily)
One question. One tool. One answer.
And that answer is coming from ChatGPT (or another AI assistant).

So if your brand doesn’t show up there, it might not show up anywhere.

📊 Check out my LinkedIn poll results here; 53% of you still say “website” is your first stop. But increasingly, it’s AI pointing them to it, not Google.

🗣️ That’s why your content needs to be quotable, scannable and dead useful or it’ll be skipped by the bots.

So start crafting:

• FAQs that sound like real humans talk (actual HUMANS, not robots)
  
• Service comparisons (LIDAR vs Photogrammetry, anyone?)
  
• Bite-sized case studies with results and stats (yes, stats, don’t be shy!)
  

🎯 Elaine’s tip: Ask ChatGPT what it says about your services. If it’s not mentioning you… time to fix that!

2. Write Like Real People Ask (Stewart Ward Nails It)

Forrester’s research shows AI users ask longer, more specific questions like:

“What’s the best method for mapping underground utilities in a built-up area?”

If your content doesn’t sound like that, the bots won’t bite.

So let’s fix it:

• ✅ Use H2s that are actual questions (yes, those subheadings)
  
• ✅ Write like you speak (not like a planning application, YAWN)
  
• ✅ Answer the question first, then explain the “why”
  

Example (inspired by Stewart Ward):
Q: “What exactly is a boundary survey, and do I need one before I build?”
A: “If you’re planning to build anything near the edge of your property, yes, you do. A boundary survey defines your legal property lines and identifies physical monuments that mark them. It’s how you avoid disputes, delays and costly ‘oops-that’s-not-your-land’ moments.”

Now let me give a high five to Stewart Ward from Dioptra, who gets this SO RIGHT in his white paper on Boundary Surveying in Idaho

👉 Read Stewart’s white paper on Boundary Surveying in Idaho 

What makes Stewart’s paper so good?

• He uses real questions surveyors and landowners ask, like “What is a boundary survey?”
  
• His answers are direct, practical and jargon-light (hallelujah!)
  
• He explains things like control points, corner records and monuments in plain English with context
  
• It’s structured for humans and AI to follow: intro, subheads, graphics, conclusion

💡 Want to be visible in AI answers? Do what Stewart did
Frame your knowledge around real world queries, write like you’re explaining it to a smart mate over coffee and give the bots something useful to latch on to

3. 🏆 Be Credible, Specific and… Quotable

AI doesn’t like fluff. It wants:

• Facts
  
• Names
  
• Locations
  
• Numbers
  

So give it what it wants:

• “John’s been doing utility mapping for 17 years, he knows his stuff”
  
• “We’ve worked with 12 councils across Yorkshire”
  
• “Saved £45K on rework for Client A using PAS 128 method B”
  

📣 The more precise you are, the more likely ChatGPT quotes you

4. 👷 Get Marketing, Ops & Surveyors Talking

Getting “AI ready” is a team effort

• Your surveyors explain the tech (just maybe not with 12 acronyms per sentence)
  
• Your marketing person makes it readable (outsource if you don’t have one)
  
• Everyone sings from the same hymn sheet when describing services
  

Think of it like building a geospatial digital twin, everyone needs to contribute structure and substance

5. Make It Easy for People (and AI) to Find You

Right, let’s be honest. Most of you haven’t got a “marketing budget” tucked away in a velvet-lined drawer. And if you do, it’s probably being spent on new boots, not blog posts.

But here’s the deal…

If local councils, builders or Mrs. Smith down the lane are asking ChatGPT for “a decent surveyor near me who won’t disappear mid-job,” and you’re not showing up… guess what?

They’ll find someone else.

So let’s stop thinking of this as marketing (cue eye roll) and start thinking of it as helping the right people find you faster, before the other lot do.

You don’t need a fancy budget. You just need a few smart tweaks that make AI say, “Ooh, now there’s a surveyor I trust.”

Here’s how:

• Schema markup – think of it as a high-vis vest for your website. Makes you easier to spot, without shouting.
  
• An llms.txt file – dead easy. It’s like a polite sign that says, “Dear ChatGPT, come in, make yourself at home, here’s the good stuff.”
  
• Structured, scannable content – use FAQs, bold headings, clear wording. Don’t write like you’re applying for planning permission.
  

🎯 Treat it like pegging your best drawings to the site cabin wall.
If no one sees your work, it might as well be in the skip.

And no, you don’t need a marketing agency. You just need to stop hiding behind “we’ve always done it this way” and make a few tweaks that actually help you get found.

That’s it. No fluff. Just smart moves.

🧭 Elaine’s Quick AI-Ready Checklist

📚 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What does “AI ready” mean for surveying companies?
A: It means your business shows up in AI-generated answers from tools like ChatGPT. You need content that’s scannable, factual and written in plain language so AI understands and quotes it.

Q: What kind of content helps my surveying firm show up in AI answers?
A: FAQs, service explainers, project case studies and blogs that answer buyer-style questions like “Do I need a topo survey?” or “What is PAS 128?”

Q: What’s the difference between zero-click and traditional SEO?
A: Traditional SEO aims to get someone to click on your site from search results. Zero-click (or AI-first) content gives clear, quotable answers that appear directly in the AI’s response, no click needed.

Q: How do I know if AI is mentioning my business?
A: Open ChatGPT or Perplexity and ask it questions like “Survey companies in Yorkshire” or “What is boundary surveying?” see if your name pops up. If not, it’s time to optimise.

Q: Should I write for AI or people?
A: Both! AI rewards content that is clear, specific and helpful. Luckily, so do humans. Win-win.

Q: What tools or tactics can help with AI discoverability?
A: Start with schema markup, create an llms.txt file on your site, use headings that match user questions and speak in human-friendly terms.

Q: Can I still use emojis or does that confuse the bots?
A: You do you 🧠🤖💩 Just make sure your message is clear, your expertise shines through and your emojis don’t replace your actual message.

Final Word From Me

The way buyers find surveyors is shifting. If AI can’t see you, no one else will

The fix? It’s not rocket science, it’s just a smarter way of doing what you already do best: explaining your value clearly, showing proof and being the expert in your field

Ready to show up when ChatGPT gets chatty?

Let’s make your brand AI famous 🧠✨🤖 (💩 emoji optional)

📢 PS

If this all feels a bit much, the Geospatial Marketing Academy is where I help surveyors and geospatial businesses learn simple, practical ways to get found (even by AI), without the jargon or fluff.  Ask Stewart!