A digital advertising expert who previously scaled Google Ads outlined a new AI search strategy for businesses, emphasizing adaptation to AI assistants that prioritize direct answers over traditional search engine rankings.
The shift in AI search from merely ranking links to composing direct answers, as seen with tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Mode, necessitates an overhaul of conventional SEO and marketing approaches, the expert said. These AI assistants frequently cite sources that rank low in traditional search results, often position 21 or lower, indicating a significant disconnect.
The expert identified six key signals for AI visibility: Brand Authority, Content Freshness, Entity Recognition, Extraction-Ready Structure, Cross-Platform Consensus, and Earned Media.
Brand Authority refers to third-party mentions and endorsements, while Content Freshness indicates how recently information has been updated. Entity Recognition involves AI understanding specific concepts and their relationships, the expert stated.
An Extraction-Ready Structure means content is formatted for easy parsing by AI, and Cross-Platform Consensus highlights consistent information across various digital channels. Earned Media, such as press coverage, also plays a vital role in AI visibility, the expert reported.
The recommended strategy involves a 90-day sprint, broken into three phases. The first 30 days focus on an Audit and Foundation, establishing the current state and necessary groundwork.
Days 31-60 are dedicated to Experimentation, testing new content and distribution methods tailored for AI. The final phase, Days 61-90, focuses on Scale and Systematize, integrating successful experiments into ongoing operations.
This new strategy places a strong emphasis on public relations and broader brand work, alongside disciplined performance marketing, rather than solely optimizing a company’s own website.
The expert noted that traditional SEO strategies, which primarily aim for high search engine rankings, are becoming less effective as AI assistants directly provide information, often bypassing the need for users to click through to external sites.
Danny Sullivan, a public liaison for search at Google, previously acknowledged the evolving nature of search, though not specifically endorsing this particular strategy.
Companies like Semrush, Profound, Otterly.AI, Peec AI, and G2 are among those that could potentially benefit from or adapt to such a strategic shift in their digital presence.
Source: Search Engine Journal
