AI Search Is Changing Brand Discovery—Here’s How to Stay Visible and Relevant

The Impact of AI on Brand Discovery

Google’s AI Mode is now live in the US, and ChatGPT is starting to provide product recommendations. These changes are shifting how people find brands. It’s no longer just about keywords; it’s about what your brand represents, how consistently it appears, and what others say about it.

As search evolves, fewer users are clicking through to websites. In the US and Europe, zero-click searches—where users get answers without visiting a site—are already around 60% and climbing. Studies show a two-thirds drop in desktop click-through rates when AI Overviews are displayed. This means brands must rethink how they show up and drive action.

The Importance of Brand Consistency

When users don’t leave the search page, your brand has to stand out through consistency. Consistency in messaging, tone, and how others describe you is crucial. Your website, social channels, product pages, and press mentions must all align.

Ask yourself: What do we want to be known for? Are we delivering that message everywhere? Brand communication can’t happen in silos anymore. Owned content, social proof, and earned media all feed into one collective perception. AI rewards this consistent, unified brand presence.

AI Search Models and Brand Visibility

AI search models like ChatGPT pull information from many places—Reddit, Quora, TikTok, YouTube, blogs, review sites, and social channels. If your brand isn’t being talked about on these platforms, it won’t appear in AI-driven results.

That means earned media and PR are more important than ever. Influencers, third-party reviews, and forum mentions build brand reputation and help with discovery—even if they don’t deliver immediate ROI. Cutting back on brand spend now risks losing visibility as AI search continues to grow.

SEO Isn’t Dead – But It’s No Longer Enough

Traditional SEO still matters—you can’t ignore technical optimization like core web vitals, schema markup, and site speed. But focusing solely on keywords won’t work. AI search prefers natural, conversational content that answers real user questions.

This shift has given rise to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), which focuses on building trust and crafting content tailored for large language models as well as public perception.

Google’s Advertising Push Around AI Search

Google is moving towards multi-channel, multi-format campaigns as click-through rates decline. Ads appearing above or below AI Overview panels are already active in Australia, and text and product listing ads within AI Overviews have launched in the US.

This trend suggests a possible shift away from cost-per-click to cost-per-impression pricing models. Google recommends using broad-match or keywordless targeting combined with smart bidding for ads to appear in AI Overviews.

With AI search models evolving rapidly, having expert guidance to manage your brand’s presence across platforms is crucial.

What Marketers Should Do Now

• Define your brand’s identity. Be clear about what you want to be known for. Build all communications to support this vision.
• Listen to how the internet perceives you. You are what online conversations say about your brand. Engage communities, nurture ambassadors, encourage social reviews, and invest in PR.
• Strengthen your owned assets. SEO adds value beyond search results. Optimized product feeds boost discovery across platforms. Creative content on owned and paid channels will have greater impact than ever.

AI-led search favors brands that are trusted and well-known. Investing in storytelling, consistency, quality content, and community now prepares your brand for a future where search is about earning a spot in AI’s answers, not just ranking.