Someone in Encinitas asks an AI assistant to recommend a nearby business. Does yours come up, or does it send them somewhere else? That's the question behind a free November 9 workshop.

The city's R.A.V.E.S. Business Lab is hosting Get Found — How AI Is Changing the Way Customers Find Your Business for local business owners.

Online search used to mean typing a few words and sorting through a page of results. Now some customers ask an AI assistant for a recommendation and get an answer without visiting many websites.

That doesn't mean traditional search has disappeared. It does mean a business owner should know what customers see when they search for a name, service or location.

Getting Found Is Becoming a Different Game

The workshop promises a practical look at AI-driven search and how customers discover businesses online. Encinitas is presenting it with The Coast News and Rook Digital.

For small businesses, there's a simple reason to pay attention: customers need to find the right address, hours and services, whichever tool they use to search.

The organizer has not published a detailed agenda or a guarantee that any particular trick will improve rankings. That's fine. It's a workshop, not a magic button.

One place to start is your own business information. Is the phone number current? Are holiday hours posted? Does your website explain what you actually do? Those basics matter whether someone finds you through a map, a search engine or an AI answer.

Google's Business Profile guidance explains how businesses can maintain accurate information in Search and Maps. It's a useful check even if you never attend a workshop.

AI answers can be incomplete or wrong, too. A workshop can help you understand the changing tools, but it can't guarantee your business will be recommended. If someone promises that, ask a few more questions.

What R.A.V.E.S. Means for Encinitas

R.A.V.E.S. stands for Retention, Attraction, Vitality, Engagement and Support. It's the city's economic-development effort to connect with and support local businesses.

The city's event announcement says Monday, November 9, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Encinitas Library Community Room, 540 Cornish Drive. It says admission is free.

There's a snag: the Eventbrite registration listing has also shown a different start time and a location at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center. Check your registration and confirm with the city before heading out. Two different rooms make for a fairly unproductive networking session.

If you're registering, save the confirmation and look for a direct update from the organizer before November 9. The two locations are not interchangeable, and the advertised start times differ by an hour.

For owners who handle their own websites and online listings, the session could be a chance to ask practical questions. Bring an example of what customers search for when they're trying to find a business like yours.

Questions You May Have About the Encinitas AI Workshop

When is the R.A.V.E.S. workshop?

Monday, November 9, 2026. The city's announcement says 4 to 5:30 p.m., but the registration listing has conflicting versions.

Where is the workshop?

The city advertises Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive. Confirm the venue on your registration.

Does it cost anything?

No. The City of Encinitas announcement says the workshop is free.

How do I register?

Use the Eventbrite event page or the link in the City of Encinitas Instagram bio.