How to Stay on Top of Brand Visibility in AI Search
Modley Essex
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The AI Search Revolution: Why It Matters
The way people search for information online is changing fast. AI is shaking things up, and brands need to pay attention if they want to stay visible.
Google's AI makeover
Google, the search giant we all know, isn't sitting still. They've been rolling out AI-powered features left and right:
These changes are a big deal. They're reshaping how search results look and work. For brands, it means the old ways of showing up in Google might not cut it anymore.
New players enter the game
But it's not just Google. A whole bunch of AI-powered search tools are popping up:
These aren't your typical search engines. They're conversational AI assistants that can understand and respond to questions in natural language. And people are starting to use them for all kinds of searches – from quick facts to in-depth research.
The marketer's dilemma
So here's the tricky part for brands and marketers: How much attention should you give these new AI search channels?
On one hand, their usage is growing fast. ChatGPT's web traffic has exploded over the past year. But compared to Google, it's still tiny.
The smart move is to start planning now, even if you're not going all-in yet. AI search is likely here to stay, especially with big moves like:
The brands that figure out AI search visibility early will have a huge head start.
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How AI Search is Disrupting Holiday Shopping
Let's zoom in on one area where AI search is already making waves: holiday shopping.
From mall madness to AI assistance
Remember the days of camping out for Black Friday deals? The 5 AM lines, the door-buster stampedes – it was chaos, but also kind of fun.
Now, holiday shopping looks very different. We do most of it from our phones and computers. And AI is taking it to the next level.
AI-powered shopping tools
Just look at what's happened in the last few weeks:
These tools are changing how people find and choose products.
The ultimate gift-finder fantasy
Imagine this: You tell an AI assistant about your best friend – their interests, your budget, maybe some current trends. In seconds, it spits out a list of perfect gift ideas, tailored exactly to that person.
It's the lazy gift-giver's dream come true. But it's also a huge shift in how people discover products and brands.
The visibility challenge
For brands, this creates a new problem: How do you make sure your products show up in these AI-powered gift guides and shopping recommendations?
It's not just about having good SEO for Google anymore. You need to figure out how to be visible across a whole range of AI search tools. And right now, there's no clear playbook for doing that.
The Problem of Tracking Brand Mentions in AI Search
Okay, so we know AI search is important. But how do you actually track how well your brand is doing in these new channels? It's not as simple as it used to be.
Why old-school SEO metrics fall short
With traditional search engines, we got used to tracking things like:
But AI search throws a wrench in all of that. Here's why:
AI's brand name obsession
Here's an interesting quirk of AI search tools: They love mentioning brand names, even when the user doesn't ask for them specifically.
This is a huge opportunity for some brands. If you can become one of the go-to names that AI assistants frequently recommend, you'll get a ton of free exposure.
Enter Profound: A new way to track AI search
With traditional metrics falling short, new tools are emerging to help brands understand their AI search performance. One standout is Profound.
Instead of focusing on individual keywords, Profound looks at broader topics. Here's how it works:
This gives you a bird's-eye view of your brand's performance in AI search, even if you can't track every possible query.
Shifting From Keywords to Topics in AI Search
To succeed in AI search, we need to change how we think about content and optimization. It's time to zoom out from individual keywords and focus on owning entire topics.
Why topic clusters are the future
Smart SEO folks have been using topic clusters for a while now. The idea is to create a bunch of related content pieces that all link back to a main "pillar" page on a broad topic.
This approach works great for AI search because:
How Profound makes topic tracking easier
Remember Profound, the AI search tracking tool we mentioned? Here's how it puts topics to work:
This gives you actionable data to improve your content strategy and PR efforts for AI search.
Building your topic list
Not sure where to start with topics? Here are some tools that can help:
The goal is to create a comprehensive list of subjects that matter to your brand and your customers. This becomes the foundation of your AI search strategy.
Case Study: Tracking Brand Visibility for Toy Brands
Let's see how this topic-based approach works in the real world. We'll look at an experiment tracking toy brands during the holiday shopping season.
Setting up the experiment
Here's what we did:
Key findings
After running for a week, some interesting trends emerged:
The power of third-party content
One of the biggest takeaways? The AI tools weren't usually citing the toy brands directly. Instead, they pulled info from:
This is huge. It means your own website content might matter less than what others are saying about you when it comes to AI search visibility.
Actionable insights
If you're a toy brand (or really, any brand), this suggests a clear strategy:
It's almost like a new form of digital PR, tailored specifically for AI search.
The Volatility of AI Search Citations
Now, don't get too comfortable. One of the trickiest things about AI search is how quickly things can change.
Why AI search results are always shifting
Unlike traditional search engines with relatively stable rankings, AI search results can vary a lot. Here's why:
Spotting trends in the chaos
Even with all this volatility, you can still identify important patterns if you zoom out. In our toy brand experiment, we saw:
The double-edged sword
This volatility creates both opportunities and challenges:
Building an Agile AI Search Team
To succeed in this new world of AI search, you need the right people and processes in place.
The new marketing trifecta
Your AI search efforts shouldn't exist in a vacuum. They need to work closely with:
Setting up for success
Here's what you need:
Adaptability is key
The world of AI search is going to keep evolving rapidly. Your team needs to be ready to:
The brands that can move fast and adapt will have a huge advantage.
Final Thoughts: The AI Search Opportunity
We're at the beginning of a major shift in how people find information and make decisions online. Here's what you need to remember:
The inevitable growth of AI search
While tools like ChatGPT might seem niche now, their usage is growing faster than many expected. As these AI assistants get smarter and more integrated into our daily lives, they'll play an increasingly important role in product discovery and purchase decisions.
Why you need to act now
The brands that figure out AI search visibility early will have a massive head start. By the time it becomes obvious that this is important, it'll be much harder to stand out.
Your action plan
The future is conversational
As people get more comfortable with AI assistants, the way they search will become more natural and conversational. Brands need to shift their thinking from targeting keywords to answering real questions and solving problems.
Keep learning and adapting
The world of AI search is going to keep changing rapidly. Stay curious, keep testing new strategies, and be ready to pivot when you discover what works best for your brand.
The opportunity is huge for those willing to embrace this new frontier of search. Will your brand be at the forefront, or playing catch-up?
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