Many have dubbed 2024 the year of AI. This is especially true in the world of SEO, where generative AI tools and search features have transformed how users discover information and interact with brands online.
From tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.ai to Google’s AI Overviews, AI-driven search has taken hold in a way never seen before. These disruptive changes have left many marketers asking: How will AI impact my visibility and ability to reach customers?
Dale Bertrand recently sat down with Kevin Lee to share actionable strategies that will help brands navigate these challenges and stay agile. From updating outdated content to differentiating yourself in a competitive market, here are five key insights to help you future-proof your web presence and stay relevant in the right conversations:
1. Understand Your Chatbot Visibility: What Conversations Are You Part Of?
When optimizing for AI, the first step is recognizing the difference between traditional search rankings and conversational visibility. Chatbots and generative AI tools prioritize providing users with direct, conversational responses rather than a list of ranked search results.
The goal: Be part of the right conversations.
For example, when Dale Bertrand analyzed Fire&Spark’s chatbot visibility, he discovered outdated information about old strategies from 5–10 years ago that is still surfacing. This highlighted the need to audit and update online content. Brands should evaluate what information is being pulled into chatbot responses and ensure it reflects their current strategies, values, and offerings.
If your brand’s chatbot visibility includes outdated or inaccurate details, it’s time to refresh your web content. Erasing or updating irrelevant data ensures a more accurate representation of your brand in AI-driven search results.
2. Users Are Turning to a Constellation of Search Engines
As generative AI and other search capabilities evolve, users are diversifying their search behaviors. Google is no longer the singular destination for all search queries. Instead, users complement Google by turning to Amazon for product searches, YouTube for video tutorials, AI tools like Perplexity.ai for research, and other specialized platforms.
This shift calls for marketers to rethink their content distribution strategies. For instance, if you’re producing a YouTube video, consider repurposing it into blog posts, infographics, and social media snippets to maximize its reach across various platforms.
The versatility of search platforms requires marketers to have a nuanced understanding of how their customers are discovering their products. To do so, Dale recommends the following:
- Monitor Shifting Behaviors: Stay agile as search preferences evolve. Regularly analyze your analytics and gather feedback from customers to identify emerging trends and platforms that your audience is adopting. Agility is key to staying ahead in this rapidly changing landscape.
- Engage Directly with Your Customers: Don’t just ask your customers, “How did you find us?” Instead, dig deeper with questions like, “Where did you search for us” and “What specific terms did you use?” This approach provides valuable insights into the platforms and search behaviors shaping your audience’s journey.
Implementing these recommendations will help brands meet their customers where they’re at and leverage conversion opportunities.
3. Conversational Search Is The New Normal
The way users frame their searches is becoming more conversational, mimicking natural language. Instead of searching “ lunch in Seattle”, users now say, “I’m going to Seattle and need a budget-friendly lunch spot to impress a client.”
Generative AI tools enable this shift, offering users more personalized answers. For brands, this means creating content that aligns with conversational intent rather than traditional query structures.
4. Small Businesses Need to Be Remarkable to Compete
For smaller companies competing against industry giants, standing out has always been a challenge. In the age of generative AI, where user expectations are higher than ever, being “good” is no longer enough—you need to be remarkable.
Here’s why: When users search for insurance, they expect to see Geico. If it’s absent, the experience feels incomplete. That’s why Google will always rank larger companies with more prominence at the top of search results for competitive keywords. Smaller competitors must go beyond standard practices to gain visibility and trust.
To differentiate themselves, Dale recommends that small businesses:
- Offer a standout product or service that differentiates you from competitors.
- Ensure your website delivers an excellent user experience, from intuitive navigation to compelling design.
- Provide remarkable value beyond search—whether through community engagement, stellar customer service, or innovative offerings.
5. Leverage AI Tools Without Losing the Human Touch
While generative AI is a game-changer, it’s not a replacement for human expertise. The sweet spot lies in pairing expert writers with AI tools to create high-quality, cost-effective content. AI can streamline content creation, but a human touch ensures authenticity, creativity, and strategic alignment.
When companies rely solely on AI to generate content, they risk losing originality and brand voice. AI-generated content is also vulnerable to errors, which can damage the credibility of the company publishing that content.
Instead, companies should hire skilled writers proficient in AI tools. This ensures high-quality content that is not generic or lacking nuance. Additionally, content marketers should use AI for tasks like research, outlines, or drafts, but rely on human editors to polish and refine.
Conclusion
The era of generative AI is here, and it’s reshaping SEO, search behavior, and digital marketing as we know it.
Brands that focus on being part of meaningful conversations, understanding customer behavior across platforms, and offering exceptional value will thrive in this new era. By staying agile and leveraging the right mix of AI tools and human expertise, you can future-proof your web visibility and set yourself apart in your industry.
Let Fire&Spark help you adapt to generative AI search…
- Schedule an SEO strategy session: Talk to a strategist at Fire&Spark about your organic customer acquisition campaigns and how to reposition your existing strategy for generative AI search. Schedule a strategy session.
- Dive deeper into SEO for Revenue: Fire&Spark’s SEO for Revenue Guide explains how to update your SEO strategies to optimize for sales and conversions, not just rankings and traffic. This mindset shift is crucial for adapting to generative AI search. Get the guide.
- Request a generative AI search audit: Our team would be happy to take a look at your site and help you forecast the effect of generative AI search and Google’s AI overviews on your organic traffic. Request an audit.
