How Agencies Must Shift Strategy As AI Replaces Search

In this episode of E-coffee with Experts, Gordon Van Wechel, Founder of The Alchemy Consulting Group, explains how marketing leaders must rethink visibility, reputation, and client acquisition in the AI-first era. With over 20 years of experience building marketing systems for local and regional businesses, Gordon shares how predictable customer acquisition frameworks outperform short-term campaign tactics, and why trust signals now matter more than rankings alone. We explore the evolution from traditional SEO to AI-driven discovery, the growing importance of Google Business Profile optimisation, reputation strategy as a ranking factor, and how agencies must shift from tactical execution to strategic leadership. Gordon also reveals why weak agencies are being exposed by AI tools, how search behaviour is changing toward conversational queries, and what founders must do now to stay visible across LLM-powered platforms. If you're a founder, marketing leader, or SEO strategist preparing for the next wave of search disruption, this episode delivers practical insight you can apply immediately. 🔗 Get Your Exclusive AIO Growth Plan - We’ll kick off with a Live AIO Audit to see how shoppers find you, followed by Competitor Research to steal their spotlight: https://lunacal.ai/team/dws/dws-meetings In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 - 01:05: Introduction to Gordon Van Wechel 01:05 - 02:30: How Alchemy Consulting Group Started 02:30 - 03:45: Why Client Retention Matters In Agencies 03:45 - 05:05: How To Keep Clients For Years 05:05 - 06:25: Google Updates That Changed SEO 06:25 - 08:05: Why Reputation Matters For Rankings 08:05 - 10:05: Building Predictable Marketing Systems 10:05 - 11:40: Common Local SEO Mistakes Businesses Make 11:40 - 13:05: Google Business Profile Optimization Tips 13:05 - 14:55: How AI Is Changing Search Behavior 14:55 - 16:20: What Clients Expect From Agencies Today 16:20 - 17:50: AI Search vs Traditional Keywords 17:50 - 19:05: How Agencies Mus