Most business leaders focus on how their teams use AI tools. But far fewer people are thinking about how AI is shaping the way people view business.
That’s wrong.
Almost half of New Zealanders under the age of 45 use AI tools when researching businesses, products and services. Additionally, over a third (37.66%) of Kiwis in this age group have changed their opinion of a business based on information provided by AI.
It’s clear that New Zealanders are already being heavily influenced by AI algorithms.
Is this a concern? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean AI will stop growing.
Companies that don’t recognize the impact of AI on the way we get information will quickly be left behind.
Top executives are already realizing that they have some control over what AI spits out in response to the billions of questions asked every day. They are updating their brand and reputation strategies with activities that take into account how AI is changing the way people consume information.
New era: “Google it” vs. “Ask AI”
AI search across all generation platforms is predicted to surpass traditional search by 2028.
Google’s dominance is being questioned for the first time in decades, but it’s already repositioning itself for the transition. Its AI Gemini automatically answers many questions searched on Google, and a prominent “AI Mode” tab now appears when you perform a regular search.
Google’s main competitor, ChatGPT, is currently the fifth most popular website in the world and is doing everything it can to grab a bigger piece of the pie. The company has launched its own AI-powered browser ChatGPT Atlas.
Along with many other competitors, battle lines are being drawn. It’s the Wild West right now, but I predict the future will be more controlled, filled with advertising and exclusive source content partnerships.
Where will AI’s answers come from?
AI algorithms obtain information from a vast range of sources.
This includes government and academia, knowledge platforms such as Wikipedia, industry publications, national and global media, branded websites, syndicated content, social media platforms, and review sites.
AI tools work hard to provide users with the most useful answers possible. This builds trust and keeps people asking questions. The algorithm is built on this, so the more reliable and authoritative the source, the more likely it is to be cited in the AI’s answer.
Traditional citable media often performs well, as do government and educational sites. High-traffic sites that publish unique content that are not fully controlled by brands, such as YouTube and Reddit, are also regularly cited.
The type of question is also an important factor.
Factual questions are typically answered by AI training data. For example, the periodic symbol for iron is Fe. There is no possibility of changing that answer.
Opinion-based answers may be influenced. Questions about fashion trends and emerging startups are likely to come from fresh online content and social media, while health-related questions prioritize the most trusted and long-standing sources.
New rules for websites
While it’s important to get people talking about your brand, it’s also incredibly important to keep your home organized.
According to some studies, business websites typically contain less than 10 percent of AI citations, but that’s constantly changing depending on the industry and prompt. Either way, it’s still a decent slice of a very large pie.
So how can you optimize your website to be attractive to AI?
The basic principles of search engine optimization (SEO) still apply. Many of the things that will help your website appear on the front page of Google will help you get included in AI’s answers.
However, there are changes you can make right away to increase your chances.
Most importantly, make sure citations are enabled. If AI can’t access your website, you won’t get much done. Once you have this set up, research the questions your audience might ask and make sure the answers are clearly written on your website.
Technical requirements such as strong schema markup and structured data further increase the possibilities. But remember, you can’t just cram keywords and answers into every nook and cranny of your website. AI is too smart for that.
AI search is the future
Research tackling the emerging field of influencing AI answers doesn’t even have a widely accepted name yet. The most common terms are generative search optimization (GEO), answer engine optimization (AEO), or AI search.
Whatever you call it, I believe GEO/AEO is one of the most important areas of development in marketing.
We all know that AI search is the future. Companies that stay ahead of trends will have a distinct advantage.
