Unveiling the Keys to Brand Visibility in Artificial Intelligence Searches
AI search has become the latest challenge for marketers, requiring yet another aspect of optimization. According to Jenna Kamal, content marketing lead at GWI, brands should be aiming to show up in every place their audience is searching, but this requires a new approach called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This strategy views GEO as an integral part of traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
While AI search engines work similarly to their traditional counterparts, understanding how consumers interact with them is essential. These interactions typically involve two types of searches: category (or unbranded) search and branded search. According to Michael Brito, global head of analytics at Zeno Group, users often start with a broad category search, such as asking AI for options for affordable standing desks. However, if a user knows a specific brand they like, their search will be more focused.
In the case of branded searches, AI tools crawl various sources, including company websites, press releases, earned media, owned media, and social media platforms like Reddit. Some brands may attempt to increase their visibility anonymously or through Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions on Reddit. While these strategies can be effective, they come with a risk. Reddit is home to a lot of trolls, and their comments may appear in AI search results when a user performs a brand search.
Brands can improve their presence in AI search results by optimizing their websites with structured data such as FAQ pages, specs, tables, and lists. Without this, negative feedback from Reddit may indicate that the AI is not indexing information from the brand's website. In addition, 90-94% of citations from a branded query in AI search are earned media, making brand mentions crucial for success.
According to Kamal, firing up conversations rather than just optimizing webpages or advertising on forums is the key to success. This can be achieved through digital PR efforts, generating organic third-party conversations on platforms like Reddit or blogs, and encouraging customer reviews. Brands like Airbnb, for example, have gained visibility by saved the day for a TikTok scam victim or by creating a viral 10-minute TikTok.
In conclusion, optimizing for AI search involves a combination of traditional SEO and GEO strategies, with a strong emphasis on earned media and generating brand mentions across the internet. By adopting these strategies, brands can improve their visibility and influence in the increasingly AI-driven search landscape.
Main image by Ahmet Yüksek on Unsplash
- To ensure a brand's visibility in AI search, it is crucial to optimize not only webpages and advertise on forums, but also to engage in digital PR efforts, generate organic third-party conversations, and foster customer reviews.
- A successful AI search strategy requires a focus on earned media, as 90-94% of citations from branded queries are earned media, making brand mentions essential for success.
- In the AI-driven search landscape, brands can benefit from a combination of traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and leveraging insights from media interactions and technology to improve their presence and influence.
