Note: Indie Author Magazine, Indie Author Training, and our other sister sites maintain a neutral stance on artificial intelligence. In our coverage, we seek to provide an objective, informative take on the technology, and we encourage authors to make decisions about whether to use AI platforms based on their personal values and what’s best for their business.
One of the biggest challenges indie authors face in their businesses—once they’ve tackled the challenge of actually writing books—is making those books findable by the audience who will read them. For years, that has meant ensuring you’ve maximized the keywords in your book’s listings, your website is SEO-friendly, and your metadata is updated frequently. But in the age of AI, those strategies alone may not be enough.
Last month, Google announced during Google I/O, the company's annual developer conference, that its traditional search engine would become more dynamic, accepting longer and more detailed queries. The change is part of a larger shift in the company, which was already starting to combine its traditional search engine with artificial intelligence.
Google’s platform changes aren’t the only ones authors should watch. Many people have started to use generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude as search engines and recommendation tools in place of traditional search tools. For authors, publishers, and other creatives, the trend emphasizes the growing importance of optimizing your website and storefronts not just for search engines but also for generative engines, called GEO (generative engine optimization).
Google offers a guide to understanding AI searches and making your sites GEO-friendly, which you can read here: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide. However, IAM wants to know: What are your thoughts and questions on making your business GEO-friendly? Have you made any changes to your website or your business to make it easier for readers to find you through generative AI platforms? Reach out to us at feedback@indieauthormagazine.com—your comments and questions may be featured as part of an upcoming article on the topic.
Of course, none of this means SEO has become any less important to your business. No matter how people arrive at your site, growing your website traffic means more potential readers with eyes on your books. In July 2023, IAM’s Heather Clement Davis shared an article with ten tips on optimizing your website’s SEO in order to reach to new audiences. You can read that article at the link below.
Heather Clement Davis
Before diving into the rest of the news from this week, a final note: Inkers Con 2026, a ten-day, entirely virtual conference for independent fiction authors, is going on now through June 12. Tickets cost $249 and are available through the final day of the conference, but IAM readers can get $50 off through the final day of the conference with the code INDIE26. (Note: Indie Author Magazine may make a small commission from your purchase, at no extra cost to you.) There’s only one week left, so don’t wait! You can learn more about the event, view this year’s speaker’s lineup, and get your tickets at https://inkerscon.com/2026-digital-conference.
This Week's Indie Author Magazine Articles
Authors don’t always have to make it to large-scale publishing conferences to connect with others and learn about the book business. Last month, the Trident Conference for Speculative Fiction, or TriCon Halifax, drew around two hundred authors, aspiring authors, and readers for a celebration of the genre and a chance to learn about publishing. More importantly, writes IAM staff writer Robyn Sarty, it served as a reminder that sometimes small local author events can be hidden gems of inspiration, connection, and learning.
Robyn Sarty
Your beta readers have read the latest draft of your book and shared their thoughts. But not all beta feedback is equal—and sometimes it contradicts. How do you decide which suggestions will make your story stronger? This week, as part of her series on launching a new pen name in a year, Author Inklings columnist Susan Odev shares her process for sorting through beta feedback and turning it into a usable revision plan.
Susan Odev
Teachings from Indie Author Training
Webinar: “Using Claude Cowork: security and passwords"
Nervous about handing the reins of your author business to Claude Cowork? One slip—shared logins, a phish, a weak password—can threaten royalties, ads, and your reader list.
This short session shows you exactly how to lock down Claude Cowork so you stay in control with handy prompts to help you. We’ll demo using LastPass, a password manager, but the takeaways work no matter which tool you use.
Watch the webinar at https://webinars.indieauthortraining.com/talks/using-claude-cowork-passwords-and-security/, then ask your questions and keep the discussion going in the field beneath the video.
More Indie Publishing News
Here’s a look beyond our pages at the latest headlines and happenings in the publishing world.
- Although Google is implementing its new AI-powered search tool across the platform, publishers will receive the ability to opt out of AI search results, the platform announced this week. The option will keep the site in compliance with UK regulatory requirements and will become available in stages, starting with a subset of website owners in the UK, thought it will eventually be available globally. You can read more about the announcement here: https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/publishers-will-be-able-to-opt-out-of-ai-search-thanks-to-new-regulation/.
- In this week’s Alliance of Independent Authors’s (ALLi's) Self-Publishing News post, the organization spotlighted how US copyright lawsuits surrounding AI may exclude indie authors and publishers who don’t meet certain requirements. The post was inspired by a longer piece by Writer Beware as the Anthropic settlement comes to a close. You can read ALLi’s post here, or find Writer Beware’s original deep dive into the topic here.
Anything we’ve missed that you think we should cover? Any topics or questions you’d like our team to explore? Let us know at feedback@indieauthormagazine.com. Your suggestion may just make it into an upcoming article.
