Search is changing fast—and so are the ways people find answers online. While Google and Bing still dominate, a new kind of tool is entering the mix: AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others that respond with direct, conversational results.
For businesses, this shift brings new questions about how your brand shows up and how people discover your services in a rapidly evolving search environment. It’s not just about organic rankings anymore—it’s about staying visible wherever today’s customers are looking for answers.
We’re not AI search engineers—but as media buyers who work closely with clients every day, we’re paying close attention to how these tools are reshaping consumer behavior. This isn’t a distant future issue—it’s happening now, and it’s something every marketer should be aware of.
Here’s a look at what’s happening, what it means, and what you can do to stay visible.
What Is an AI Answer Engine?
Unlike traditional search engines that return a list of links, AI answer engines generate direct responses—often blending search results, summaries, and AI-generated text into a single answer. Some are purely conversational (like ChatGPT), while others are hybrid tools that combine real-time data with AI summaries (like Perplexity or Google’s SGE).
You’re probably seeing these tools more often, even if you’re not seeking them out. A few examples:
- Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is experimenting with AI answers directly in search results.
- Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) uses AI to synthesize information from Bing.
- Perplexity.ai offers a more traditional search feel, but with cited, AI-generated summaries.
- Even ChatGPT now includes real-time browsing, which means these experiences are increasingly merging with traditional search.
Why It Matters for Businesses
Your potential customers aren’t just typing questions into Google—they’re interacting with AI platforms that give immediate answers. When someone asks, “What’s the best [product/service] in [city]?” they may get a paragraph summary instead of a list of links.
That makes visibility more complex, but no less important. As media buyers, we understand that reach isn’t just about placement anymore—it’s about presence. If your business isn’t showing up in these spaces, someone else is.
Whether through paid channels or organic content, the goal is the same: show up where your customers are searching, learning, and deciding.
How to Stay Visible in the Age of AI Search
We partner with clients to think strategically about how their digital footprint supports the broader media strategy. Here are a few helpful tips we recommend:
- Simplify your site content. Clear, readable copy helps both people and machines understand what your business offers. This focus on high-quality, trustworthy content—often called E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)—is what AI models look for when determining which brands to cite.
- Focus on common questions. Content that answers real customer concerns is more likely to be surfaced and summarized. You can even use an AI tool yourself to find out what people are searching for. Just ask it to pretend to be a customer and generate questions for you.
- Structure your content. Use headings, bullet points, and FAQs. The way your content is formatted affects how easily AI tools can digest and summarize it. You can further help them by implementing structured data (Schema markup), which explicitly tags key information on your pages.
- Optimize your presence across platforms. AI engines may pull from sources like Yelp, news articles, or review sites. Make sure your business’s listings are accurate and consistent.
- Stay flexible. This space is still developing. Tools and algorithms will keep evolving—and that’s okay. You don’t have to overhaul your entire digital strategy, but you should stay informed.
The New Reality of Search: A Tale of Two Volumes
While traditional search engines like Google still handle the vast majority of search queries, AI-powered search is on an explosive growth trajectory.
To put it in perspective: Google processes billions of searches a day, while AI answer engines like ChatGPT handle hundreds of millions of prompts daily. The sheer scale of traditional search is undeniable. However, this is only part of the story. Reports indicate that AI search traffic is increasing at a rate that is 165x faster than organic search traffic.
This rapid growth signals a major shift in how people get information. Even if AI tools don’t generate the same volume of traffic today, their influence is expanding at an unprecedented rate, creating a “zero-click” phenomenon where users get the answer without ever visiting a website.
Final Thoughts
AI-powered search isn’t a passing trend—it’s a shift in how people find and trust information. As the landscape changes, so should the ways businesses think about reach and relevance. This includes staying flexible with paid channels as they integrate with new AI search formats.
At Marshall Advertising, we’re closely tracking how AI is changing the digital landscape—and helping our clients adapt accordingly. We bring decades of media expertise and a strong understanding of how businesses reach their audiences. As AI-powered tools continue to evolve, it’s important to keep your website and SEO teams informed and flexible. Staying visible will require a coordinated effort across digital strategy, and we’re here to help you stay ahead—no matter how the search experience continues to shift.
