This summer has felt like a mix of sunshine and static.

There have been some bright spots, including a couple exciting kickoffs, attending an impactful event about imposter syndrome and Charlee's will be speaking at the Webflow Conf NYC next month! The static remains in the background: the economy feels uncertain, AI is reshaping how people search (and think), and brand trust is more important than ever.

This month we’re sharing

• Why slow seasons are often the best time to invest

• How AI is changing website strategy (hello the new SEO: AEO)

• Easy ways to optimize your website—without launching a YouTube channel

• What we've been harvesting and cooking this summer

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– Charlee + Leah

Design

When the market (and everything) is weird

There’s a lot going on right now. This past week we’ve talked with colleagues who are laying off employees, adjusting service offering language to meet the new vocabulary that’s accepted by the current administration or job searching themselves.

Is spending a large chunk of your budget on a big brand or website project actually a good idea right now?

We’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and we keep coming back to yes, in a lot of instances (although not all!).

When buyers get more discerning (and they are right now), having a brand they actually trust becomes even more critical. With 81% of consumers needing to trust a brand before buying and 55% forming their first impression visually, your website and brand aren't just nice-to-haves—they're your competitive edge.

We at Emerald are using this slower/strange/uncertain period to double down on our own website overhaul (which will be live soon, stay tuned!) and content strategy. We've seen how the businesses that invest smartly during slow periods often come out miles ahead.

AI 🤝 Your Website

How we’re thinking about Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

As AI tools become more integrated with how people search, we’re adjusting our content strategies to make sure our websites show up in natural, conversational queries. Does this mean your website is obsolete? No! In fact it'll be more important to have the right content and website structure as traditional SEO diminishes.

Advice from Webflow’s recent recap suggests:

• Create detailed feature pages that answer long-tail questions
• Build comparison content that helps users make decisions
• Add technical documentation and how-to guides
• Don’t underestimate YouTube—videos targeting specific use cases are especially effective for long-tail AEO

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But what if you’re not planning to produce a 20-page knowledge base or start a YouTube channel?

Here are 3 simple ways to support AEO on your site:

1. Add a thoughtful FAQ section​
   Match the way real people ask questions (that's how they'll be asking ChatGPT!)
2. Structure your site clearly
   ​Internal links, breadcrumbs, and clean page hierarchy help search engines and users
3. Write for Real Humans
   ​Okay maybe the most controversial, but honestly these days the best way to stand out once someone has made it to your website is to sound like a real person! AEO may surface the content, but humans will only stay if it’s engaging and confident

Links

Get your links

🌟 What's your time personality?

🚶‍♀️‍➡️ Do you walk faster than average? And more fun questions, I could take this all day!

🌸 Really into the abstract florals of Anne-Sophie Tschiegg​

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Currently (very food focused)

🥠 Leah • Thought I didn't like fortune cookies until I made homemade ones (tastes just like homemade ice cream cones)​
🧄 Charlee • Just harvested 37 heads of garlic! Got any garlic recipes?

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