AI Search Gatekeepers Prompt Agencies to Launch Specialist Units for Brand Visibility

Generative AI Agencies Launch Specialist Units to Help Marketers Manage AI Search Gatekeepers

Marketers face a new challenge: how to work effectively with AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini that act as intermediaries between brands and consumers. In response, agencies such as Jellyfish, Wpromote, and Kepler have introduced or expanded teams focused on AI search expertise to help clients understand and influence how their brands appear within large language models (LLMs).

One example is consumer healthcare company Haleon. They are testing Meta’s Llama model to see how it represents their Advil and Emergen-C brands in AI-generated search results. Marissa Florindi Solan, director of U.S. earned and social media at Haleon, highlights how this insight has helped the company better grasp brand perception through LLMs.

Changing Consumer Search Habits

Consumers are increasingly turning to AI tools for search. According to eMarketer, 35.8% of Americans regularly use ChatGPT. Meanwhile, a study from Capgemini Research Institute found that 58% of consumers have replaced traditional search engines with AI-powered options.

This shift has marketers looking for ways to measure how AI affects brand visibility and influence. Agencies Jellyfish and Collectively introduced Chorus, a tool that measures how creator marketing impacts AI search results. Since LLMs draw heavily from social media content, creator and social marketing directly affect how these models represent brands.

Natalie Silverstein, chief innovation officer at Collectively, points out that social content can’t be treated separately from LLMs anymore. “Understanding how your social content influences AI models is a fresh way to refine your marketing strategy,” she says.

Practical Applications for Brands

Haleon uses Chorus to improve the accuracy and positivity of brand attributes in AI-generated answers. This has led them to adjust creator briefs and review their influencer strategies, though it’s too early to share concrete commercial results.

Jellyfish’s Jack Smyth explains that Chorus helps identify which creators are influential from the AI’s perspective, what types of content perform best, and how social dynamics are shifting. Currently, the tool supports Facebook and Instagram, with plans to add Reddit and TikTok.

Jellyfish also rolled out One Search, used by Swarovski to guide their search strategy. Meanwhile, Wpromote has established a cross-functional AI search practice incorporating paid search, SEO, social, and PR teams. They combine third-party tech like Profound with their own Polaris software dashboard.

Christine Schrader, Wpromote’s head of content, urges CMOs to act now. “Waiting until AI search habits settle means missing out on early advantages,” she warns. Travelpro, a luggage brand, saw a 154% rise in AI-assisted search appearances after piloting Wpromote’s approach.

Indie media agency Kepler launched its AI search offering in April, using proprietary tech and API access to LLMs for brand equity tracking. Ten clients are piloting the service, according to Camm Rowland, Kepler’s chief creative and AI officer.

Optimizing Brand Presence for AI Models

Beyond measuring brand representation, agencies help clients improve their standing within LLMs. This often involves SEO audits and revising website content. Some brands add specialized metadata files like llms.txt or llmd-full.txt to signal key brand information directly to AI crawlers.

Tech company Yoast recently updated its WordPress plugin to support llms.txt files, giving marketers a simple way to guide AI models to their best content. Carolyn Shelby, principal SEO at Yoast, describes it as offering LLMs “a treasure map to your best content.”

New Gatekeepers in Search

LLMs such as Claude and Gemini are becoming gatekeepers between brands and consumers. Understanding how these AI models process information and represent brands is essential for marketers looking to maintain visibility and influence.

Agencies building AI search expertise help brands adapt to this new dynamic by blending traditional marketing tactics with AI-focused strategies. This combination allows marketers to better engage with consumers who increasingly rely on AI-driven search tools.

For marketers seeking to sharpen their AI skills and keep pace with these developments, exploring specialized AI courses can be beneficial. Resources like Complete AI Training’s marketing-focused courses offer practical guidance on integrating AI into modern marketing strategies.