Marketers are getting AI search all wrong—and it’s hurting their bottom line

Christopher Nolan's epic "The Odyssey" served as a metaphorical mirror to the challenges marketers face in the world of AI assistants. The movie illustrates how AI apps operate by their own set of rules, constantly shifting the path and making navigation a challenging endeavor.

Marketers who shifted their media and content strategies to favor Reddit this year, solely due to its popularity as a ChatGPT citation, have faced severe consequences. This happened because Reddit's share of ChatGPT search citations plummeted by 86% between mid-July and mid-August.

This situation highlights the precarious nature of our AI obsession. We are overly reliant on software that is still learning about web browsing. Despite its small share of overall search volume, AI search still impacts brand visibility. However, optimizing for platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, or Claude can lead to alienating other algorithms, causing potential conflicts.

The solution isn't to chase after platforms but to focus on your audience. Create content that resonates with them, even if it results in "generic crap" that lacks uniqueness. For example, Duolingo set up a dedicated Reddit presence, but they ignored the potential of AI scraping their subreddits. They focused on understanding user complaints, confusing features, and how users discuss the brand on Reddit.

This approach not only helps in maintaining a strong brand image but also ensures that when AI search algorithms update or new platforms emerge, your brand remains relevant. In today's AI-driven world, fear is not a strategy. Instead, prioritize understanding customer behavior and create original, authoritative content to stand out.