Ghost-Proof: How to Be Found When Google Isn’t Enough: Part Five
What AI Sees When It Looks at You
This is the final piece of this series. I hope you have enjoyed it and found some ways that will work for you in your business and workflows.
A “Deep Dive” Podcast.
PART FIVE:
What does AI think you’re an expert in?
You’ve probably Googled yourself before. But have you ever wondered what AI thinks about you? What kind of expertise it believes you offer? What signals it’s picking up—and what it’s not?
AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity don’t look at your homepage and think, “Cool portfolio.”
They build profiles.
They scan the web for patterns, phrasing, context, and tone.
They try to answer a simple question: Is this someone worth recommending?
And they decide that based on how often and how clearly you show up.
Example 1: You wrote an article two years ago on food photography lighting but haven’t published anything since. Your socials are mostly personal. You’re not active in any communities. That tells the AI: outdated signal.
Probably not relevant anymore.
Example 2: Another photographer consistently posts behind-the-scenes insights, answers niche questions in forums, drops short how-to’s on LinkedIn, and writes blog posts once a month.
That tells the AI: active voice. Topical authority. High trust.
The goal isn’t to trick the system. The goal is to be consistent, findable, and useful enough that when someone asks, “Who’s good at [your specialty]?”
You want the answer to be you.
Action Tip: Start by Googling yourself.
Then set up alerts (Brand24, Mention, Google Alerts) for your name and your niche. Pay attention to:
Where you’re being mentioned
How you’re being described
What gaps exist
Then use that info to refine your content, your messaging, and your digital trail.
Yes, there is a lot to do to make sure you are being seen in the digital landscape. And, like SEO, it seems like just another drudgery added to our list of drudge-adjacent activities.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Make it fun.
Make it something to look forward to.
Make it an integral part of your day.
I hope you have enjoyed this little five-day workshop, and received some true value out of it.
Control What They See. Own What They Remember.
1. Visibility Self-Audit Prompt
“Act as a visibility strategist. Based on publicly available data, what do AI models and potential clients likely see when they look me up online as a [your specialty] photographer? Summarize what shows up under my name across blogs, portfolios, social media, forums, and online mentions. Identify strengths, red flags, and gaps.”
Optional: Add your location and exact niche for sharper results.
Use this to create a “current perception snapshot.”
2. Perception Shaping Prompt
“Based on that audit, help me reshape my digital presence to better align with how I want to be seen: as a [e.g., expert food photographer for high-end restaurants, trusted product shooter for DTC brands, etc.]. What 3 things should I remove or rework? What 3 new pieces of content or updates would build the right perception fast?”
This gets you from “accidental identity” to “intentional authority.”
3. Client Magnet Prompt
“What do ideal clients in my niche typically look for when hiring a [specialty] photographer? What words, phrases, or examples make them feel confident enough to reach out? Show me how I can rewrite my bio, LinkedIn about section, or homepage headline to speak directly to those needs.”
Perfect for refining your positioning on all major channels.
4. Reputation Builder Prompt
“Create a 30-day content and visibility plan to build my reputation as a [your niche] photographer. Mix platforms: LinkedIn, Reddit, blog, Substack Notes. Focus on showing value, expertise, and trustworthiness—not just showing work.”
5. Competitor Visibility Scan Prompt
“Analyze 2–3 top-performing photographers in my niche who rank well or are often mentioned online. What kinds of content, language, platforms, and engagement patterns are they using that make them more visible or trusted by AI and clients?”
Use this for positioning. Not to copy—just to differentiate smarter.
So there you have it.
Five days in and a heck of a lot of information designed to help you build off-page SEO and increase your attractiveness to AI search and research tools.
Downloadable Overview for you to refer back to:
Let me know what you are doing with it, and if you have questions, leave them in the comments and I will get back to you.
This is the series:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
NEW:
NotebookLM (Google) is one of my favorite AI tools. I asked it to create a audio/visual wrapup, and this is what it did. Really good stuff. Thanks, NotebookLM, this is cool.
I mentor and work with photographers to help you get seen, get hired, and build a business that keeps you growing.
The new workshop starts September 3, 2025. More information here.
TRANSFORM YOUR MARKETING
And get clients on board fast.
It’s time to get serious with your business. Photography as a business is a marketing and sales game, and if no one knows you’re out there, the images you make are not important at all.
Find out how I can help, and help fast, here.
If you’re over 40 and still hungry to make, build, and create, stick around. This space is for people who aren’t done yet (and never will be). I’ve got five decades of wins, failures, comebacks, and creative battles under my belt, and I’m sharing everything that still works—and burning the rest.
No fluff.
No hustle porn.
Just real tools for building a creative life on your own damn terms.
Fantastic, Don. Thank you so much for sharing all of this. I've already started using some of it.