A lot of businesses that come to me have a “skeleton website”. Bare bones pages that fall short of informing, building trust, and definitely not ranking in search engines. I have 4 questions you can ask to see if your website is a skeleton website.
Resources
- Tool of the Week 👉 Keywords Everywhere.
It installs as Chrome Extension and keyword data shows in the search results page. If you connect it with Google Analytics and Google Search Console, it adds columns for search volume, CPC, competition and trending. - Recommended Podcast 👉 from Shaman’s tips for An Amazing 2026 Part 6 on the Jim Fortin Podcast.
I realize that not a lot of people are interested in content around shaman advice, however, this was a good episode around person responsibility and convenience.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple
These 4 questions will help you figure out if your missing opportunities to getting seen in Google and AI searches.
As you go through these, I highly recommend pulling out a notebook and writing down answers as you look through your website. Alternatively, open a fresh Google Doc.
Label it ‘Search Ready Website’.
Let’s go!
Answer each item with a YES or NO. And also consider the additional thinking questions.
For the first two, ensure you’re using an incognito window so that the search engines aren’t bias to your searching and your activity.
Question 1
When you type your most important service (e.g., “website designer for small business”) into Google, are you on Page 1 or 2?
The phrase in particular gets searched 1,900 a month in the US! About 39% of those will click the first result. That’s 741 website visits!
-> Start looking through the first page results and noting what the gap is between your website and their website. What does their website have that yours doesn’t.
Question 2
Use Perplexity or ChatGPT and pretend someone asked an AI tool, “Who is the best provider for [Your Service] in [Your Area]?”, does your website get recommended?
Your website should contain enough detailed information (detailed service pages, case studies, testimonials, answers to common questions) for the AI to confidently recommend you.
-> Jot down who is getting recommended. What does their website have that yours doesn’t.
Question 3
Look at your main services page. Does the core description of what you do have less than 500 words?
If so, Google sees a puddle in the street, not an ocean.
(I couldn’t figure out a better analogy for this one to give you a visual.)
While word count itself isn’t something Google checks, but the more words you have, the better context to give Google to understand what you do.
This one is hard to admit for a lot of people. We think we have enough information.
-> Think through some common questions and note what you can add to the page.
(When I first started my business, this was a huge pain point for me because I’m not a writer and I wanted my website to sound professional like I am. I hired a copywriter, Rose Crompton. One of the best business decisions I ever made.)
Question 4
Do you have zero articles or resource pages that actively answer your client’s biggest questions and build your authority?
A website without a blog is like a library with only one book.
-> Brainstorm the top three questions your clients ask you before they hire you. These are your first three blog post topics. The first three books you need in your library.
If when you went through this exercise you saw opportunities, add dollars to your visual. Those are the dollars missing without having a search ready website.
The website is meant to be your 24/7 sales person. Set it up so it can be found.
The Takeaway
If the copy on your site is too short or too vague, SEO, AI search engines and your future clients will simply look elsewhere.
