How marketers can adapt to AI-driven search

Search is dead. Answers are here. For 25 years, the internet’s bargain was simple: publishers create, Google sends clicks, ads pay the bills. That world ended in 2023. Now, when your customers ask ChatGPT a question, there’s no click, no journey, no discovery: just one answer. The only question that matters: are you in it? In this month's AI column, Rod Banner lays out the brutal numbers and the new rules: • Traffic from Google’s AI Overviews has cratered publisher visits by up to 70% • Generative AI queries exploded by 890% in 2024 • The winners aren’t optimising for search anymore, they’re optimising for citations in AI responses (welcome to GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation) And if you’re not preparing, you’re already behind. Read Rod’s full piece: Your Customers Aren't Searching Anymore. They're Getting Answers. And You're Not In Them, here: https://lnkd.in/ekh9rDR2 #AI #Search #Leadership #GenerativeAI #GEO #Boardwave #MakingWaves

I've been immersed in the future of search (or lack of it) for a few months now. Web traffic is off and traditional search is shrinking. A lot is changing and the changes are huge and happening at lightspeed. Since I wrote this article about GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), I've started talking about AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) instead. If I can't even keep up with the taxonomy, how can we all keep up with the technological developments? Hopefully, this article will help.

Ever wonder what people ask their GPT about your brand? I think about this a lot. Search is no longer just about Google. People are turning to AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for answers. That shift changes how demand forms, how trends spread, and how brands get discovered. Here’s the challenge: most teams aren’t set up to capture these signals. That’s why I’m excited about combining Trajaan’s search data with Talkwalker’s generative AI listening. Together, they reveal: -What people search for across AI and traditional platforms -How trends emerge on Google, TikTok, YouTube, and Amazon -Where consumer demand is shifting in real time -Insights to drive faster, smarter launches This isn’t just more data. It’s a new way to understand what your customers want before they even tag you. If you’re curious, here’s a deeper look: https://ow.ly/Bha330sOwtq #talkwalker #trajaan #searchdata #generativeAI #sociallistening

The myth: “If I do good work, I’ll get found.” The truth: In 2025, being good isn’t the problem. Being seen is. In 2025, you can be the best in your market… and still be invisible online. Why? Because when people look for recommendations, they’re not just asking friends anymore; they’re asking Google, ChatGPT, and other search engines. If you want to be found, chosen, and referred, you need a digital presence that speaks to both humans and algorithms. Our latest guide explains why you might not be showing up on search (especially AI Search) today, and how to fix it. Read now: https://lnkd.in/gMhdfF74 #AISearch #ReputationManagement #DigitalVisibility #ExperienceManagement #LocalSEO #SearchRank

Great insights! 👏 In 2025, doing great work is not enough. You need to be visible where people are actually searching including AI tools like Google and ChatGPT. Definitely worth a read!

I was thinking..... LLMs don’t train on email data. They can’t touch it. Which means your email list is one of the last things we actually own. While everyone’s trying to game the algorithm, maybe we need to double down on the inbox...not for reach, but for real relationships. AI may run the internet. But it doesn’t run your audience. Whaddya think? #AI #Innovation

Every marketer is racing to understand how AI search works. But here’s the kicker: Your own content might not be what’s getting you found. Our analysis of 21,311 brand mentions across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity found something wild: Brands mentioned in AI search for early-stage commercial intent queries are 6.5x more likely to come from third-party content than from the brand itself. That means visibility now depends on two things: - your site - your reputation Build one without the other, and you won’t show up in AI search results. Search is about validation as well as optimization. Get the new research: https://lnkd.in/eMyYQ7dB

Most marketers say they’re improving visibility. We measured it - and increased AI citations 50x. AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are the new search engines. If your brand isn’t showing up there, you’re already behind. We built the AI Authority Score to measure brand visibility across AI tools - and then used it to test, tweak, and grow our own presence. The result: 50x more citations in AI answers. No guesswork. Just data. Read how we did it → https://lnkd.in/eGXqJKsS

"You got your search engine in my AI!" "You got your AI in my search engine!" Remember that Reese's commercial? (Yes, we're dating ourselves, fellow Gen Xers) Well, OpenAI just pulled a Reese's with ChatGPT Atlas—and it's a game-changer. Have you tried it yet? 🤔 What is it? Atlas blends traditional search navigation with AI-powered conversations. You search like you always have, but now you can ask follow-up questions, dig deeper, and get intelligent responses, all in one place. Why it matters: This isn't just another search engine. It's proof that the future isn't "AI OR search". It's now both, perfectly blended. Google has dominated for 25+ years. But Atlas? It's giving them serious competition right out of the gate. What this means for YOUR business: Every new AI-powered search platform is another place your business needs to be cited, indexed, and recommended. The shift isn't coming—it's already here. Are you optimized for these new AI-powered search platforms? Or are your competitors the ones getting recommended? This is precisely why we built our SearchScore tool - to see where you stand. Because the rules of the game just changed (again). Want to see what AI platforms are saying about YOUR business? Let's find out together. 👇 DM me and I'll run the analysis for you. #AIMarketing #ChatGPTAtlas #DigitalMarketing #SearchEngineOptimization #AIDiscovery #SmallBusinessMarketing #MarketingStrategy #GenX #ReesesMoment

"You got your search engine in my AI!" "You got your AI in my search engine!" Remember that Reese's commercial? (Yes, we're dating ourselves, fellow Gen Xers) Well, OpenAI just pulled a Reese's with ChatGPT Atlas—and it's a game-changer. Have you tried it yet? 🤔 What is it? Atlas blends traditional search navigation with AI-powered conversations. You search like you always have, but now you can ask follow-up questions, dig deeper, and get intelligent responses, all in one place. Why it matters: This isn't just another search engine. It's proof that the future isn't "AI OR search". It's now both, perfectly blended. Google has dominated for 25+ years. But Atlas? It's giving them serious competition right out of the gate. What this means for YOUR business: Every new AI-powered search platform is another place your business needs to be cited, indexed, and recommended. The shift isn't coming—it's already here. Are you optimized for these new AI-powered search platforms? Or are your competitors the ones getting recommended? This is precisely why we built our SearchScore tool - to see where you stand. Because the rules of the game just changed (again). Want to see what AI platforms are saying about YOUR business? Let's find out together. 👇 DM me and I'll run the analysis for you. #AIMarketing #ChatGPTAtlas #DigitalMarketing #SearchEngineOptimization #AIDiscovery #SmallBusinessMarketing #MarketingStrategy #GenX #ReesesMoment