A Letter from the Founder

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to brag? I’m doing that right now.

Back in April, I realized something big. AI search was about to change how every brand gets found online. I couldn’t fully predict how, but I knew it would matter as much, if not more, than traditional SEO.

So I made a decision. I put Hard Refresh’s entire client experience under the microscope. I wanted to understand this shift from every angle. That meant learning how to use AI tools internally while also studying how they change the way people search, read, and decide what to trust.

What I discovered is reshaping how we build, write, and think about websites.

And honestly, I’m just as strong in this new world of LLM search as I’ve been in SEO for nearly two decades.

Here’s what that means in practice. Every website we launch now follows three non-negotiable rules:

1. The human experience comes first.
   Knowing your audience, designing for them, and aligning those choices with your business goals has never been more important.
2. The code must be readable to both people and machines.
   Accessibility is no longer a moral decision. It’s an operational one. If assistive technology or AI tools can’t interpret your content correctly, your audience can’t find you.
3. Copy now serves two masters.
   Great writing connects with real users and also teaches technology what your content means. Keywords have evolved into questions.
   Instead of “gluten free bagel shops near Seattle,” people now ask ChatGPT, “I’m visiting Seattle next weekend and want the best gluten free bagel shop with great atmosphere and shared values.”
   Modern web copy needs to answer both of those queries with clarity and credibility.

Here’s the bonus insight.
Your website is no longer the center of your web presence. It’s the place where conversions happen, but discovery, credibility, and conversation all happen elsewhere. Comments, reviews, and shared content now play a massive role in visibility. When those signals point back to a user-first website, that’s when your strategy compounds.

It’s a lot of work, and I’m absolutely loving it.

The best part? The results speak for themselves.
Every website we’ve launched this year is outperforming competitors in both traditional and AI driven search. Hard Refresh’s own site included.

We’ve always built websites that perform well. Now, we’re proving they can lead the next generation of visibility.

I’m deeply proud of my team, our process, and the clients who trust us to build digital systems that make their impact louder.

With gratitude,
Hannah Fisher
CEO, Hard Refresh