Brand building in the era of AI Search: A practical guide

Ever since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the pace of change in the digital marketing world has been overwhelming. The constant AI Search updates are sending ripples through the industry, while a tsunami of AI-generated content (AKA “AI Slop”) is sweeping the feeds of consumers in an already attention-deficient space. 

In theory, we now have answers to all marketing-related (and unrelated) questions at our fingertips thanks to the immediate responses from an ever-growing array of AI tools.

But in reality, for marketers across all categories, the leaps in AI technology have led to more questions than answers, ranging from practical and strategic to borderline existential: 

• If LLMs provide answers without the need to click, is branded content even necessary anymore? (Hint: Yes, it is).
• Is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) basically SEO for AI? (Hint: No, although the two are connected). 
• How do I ensure my brand is present in AI search engines? (Hint: Understand your Share of Model and train the machines with focused content marketing – more on this below).
• Is the AI bubble going to burst? (Hint: Time will tell, but the technology is here to stay and to be harnessed in our favour). 

In the muddy waters of endless advice and opinion surrounding the topic of AI Marketing and GEO vs SEO, this article is designed to be a safe haven for all marketers plagued by the questions above.

Grounded in data from category-leading companies and Kantar’s extensive knowledge of what makes brands grow, here is a practical guide to the key facts about AI Search that all marketers need to know and what they should do next.

Clicks are down, but consumers are still searching

It is an open secret that the Internet of old, with its neat array of blue links, is gone for good. Zero-click searches are rising¹ as AI Search engines are expanding, with brand websites’ organic and paid traffic taking a significant hit as consumers diversify their information sources. 

When faced with a harsh reality of dropping website visits originated from traditional search, it’s tempting to think you need to completely upheave your strategy or even prioritise other channels, but that would be a mistake.

Firstly, despite its wobbling market share, Google is still the leader in search, attracting an astounding 5 trillion searches a year², which is estimated to be ≈373x more searches than Chat GPT³, its closest competitor. AI engines are experiencing triple-digit growth but currently account for less than 1% of referral traffic to websites₄, with traditional search still being responsible for most conversions⁵.

In addition, the line between AI-powered and traditional searches is blurring, with ChatGPT and Copilot launching search-focused features and browsers, and Google’s AI Overviews becoming available in 200+ countries⁶, with its newer sibling AI Mode positioned to eventually take over.

Finally, even with more and more consumers turning to social media for product discovery⁷, in particular, platforms like TikTok, 70% of them still use Google to evaluate products found on other platforms⁸.

All this market data points to the fact that while under threat, search, and in particular, Google, are still crucial to product discovery, and marketers who are quick to discount it are at risk of losing their presence in one of the main channels for brand visibility. 

Dos and don’ts

Do optimise digital strategies for AI engines and traditional search. The two go hand-in-hand.

Don’t think of search as a channel. Instead, see it as a behaviour performed across different channels.

For brand visibility, content is still king – treat it accordingly

There’s a strong link between traditional search engines and AI tools, which rely on the vast amount of information on the web to provide answers to consumer queries. Some studies show that ChatGPT performs a search for a third of prompts⁹, and Google is consistently the top destination from AI Search engines¹⁰. Therefore, it is undeniable that content still powers all search results, including AI answers.

What does that mean for brands? Put simply, if you don’t invest in quality content showcasing the attributes of your brand and offer, and that is deliberate on what’s different from your competitors and meaningful for your consumers, then you essentially run the risk of becoming invisible to search engines, and by extension, the audiences you want to reach.  

Now, the question of approach to digital content strategies in the era of AI Search deserves a dedicated article. The biggest shift is that brands are no longer competing for a top spot on page one, but instead, for salience in AI answers, and eventually, to be in a consideration set of full-fledged AI agents.

This means educating the machines on what your brand and products are about with content that offers a high level of semantic depth, i.e. explicit about your brand DNA and the benefits of your products, covering themes related to your category in breadth and depth. This signals topic mastery and helps connect your content to constantly expanding and complex entity-based knowledge graphs used by LLMs to assess content on the web¹¹.

The ongoing fragmentation of the digital landscape is another area that brands need to reckon with. Your consumers are getting inspired to try your products on TikTok, researching alternatives on ChatGPT, asking for opinions on Reddit, and checking reviews on Google. In the meantime, YouTube has quietly become the number one media distributor in the US¹², and the second most watched media service in the UK – behind only the BBC¹³.

These fundamental shifts require a more nuanced approach to content creation, focused on building authority and trust in your category across the digital touchpoints from which LLMs source knowledge. Marketers need to complement the tried-and-tested fundamentals of good SEO with machine-oriented principles of GEO, while still maintaining consistency in their communications and branding beyond TVCs and the brand websites.

Most importantly, brands need to focus on ensuring that Generative Engines deliver meaningfully different experiences of their brand by offering unique angles that set them apart in a sea of AI-generated sameness. Kantar’s Blueprint for Brand Growth, based on the analysis of data from 2,000+ companies, proves that brands that are meaningfully different to more people command 5x more penetration today and have real advantage in penetration growth over the next two years, with consumers also willing to pay twice the price for them.

Therefore, it’s crucial brands understand the levers of meaning and difference that drive consumers to love and choose them over others, and focus on nurturing those through their content, instead of relying on building salience only.

Dos and don’ts

Do learn more about your audiences and serve content that truly addresses their needs, stands out from competitors, and demonstrates your brand’s unique value, while optimising your communications to be AI-engine-friendly at the same time.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket – ensure you’re present everywhere your consumers and AI-engines are looking for answers.

Don't delay setting up your AI Search measurement architecture. Companies that start building their AI-ecosystems and processes now will benefit in the future.

Don't forget the importance of building a strong brand. All your activities, whether it’s GEO or social marketing, should serve one purpose – making your brand more meaningfully different to more people, to achieve real and sustainable growth not easily influenced by the currents of change.

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