Navigating the New AI Landscape in Marketing

In recent months, artificial intelligence has significantly altered the way consumers search for information online, leaving many marketers feeling a bit bewildered. With traditional search engines like Google and Bing now showcasing AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, users are increasingly turning to large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s ChatGPT (https://www.openai.com/chatgpt) for their everyday queries and purchase guidance. This shift is causing a noticeable decline in website traffic and clicks that marketers have worked hard to cultivate through search engine optimization (SEO).

According to Mailchimp (https://mailchimp.com) , an email software platform, traffic to their website has steadily decreased as consumers find answers without needing to visit their site. Ellen Mamedov, the global director of search engine optimization at Mailchimp, indicates that the rise of AI-assisted search is prompting businesses to reconsider their online strategies. New terms like generative engine optimization (GEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO) are now part of the marketing lexicon, reflecting the evolving landscape.

To adapt, Mailchimp has been updating its site to cater to crawlers and bots that gather data for AI platforms. Mamedov notes that technical elements—like page load speed and tracking code snippets—are becoming more crucial than ever. These bots prefer sites optimized for machine consumption rather than human readability, indicating a shift in how websites will function in the future.

Chief marketing officers are also feeling the pinch, as many remain unaware that their websites are not optimized for AI platforms. A survey from Bain & Co. revealed that 80% of consumers resolve 40% of their online queries without clicking on any links. This phenomenon of zero-click search is reshaping how marketers approach SEO.

Interestingly, AI tools are not yet driving significant sales. For instance, while Back Market (https://www.backmarket.com) has seen a large increase in traffic from LLMs, it still accounts for only 0.2% of their total. However, Joy Howard, CMO at Back Market, is optimistic about the future, noting that LLM traffic has surged 470 times compared to last summer.

To keep pace, Back Market is adjusting its SEO strategies, focusing on individual product pages and adopting a more conversational tone in product descriptions. This shift aligns with LLM preferences, as they tend to favor everyday language over formal jargon.

As AI continues to reshape search, marketers will need to pay closer attention to how AI-generated summaries and responses align with their brand messaging. Nikhil Lai from Forrester emphasizes that traditional metrics like traffic and click-through rates may no longer suffice as indicators of success in this new landscape. Marketers must be proactive in adapting to these changes to stay competitive.

Cited: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-has-upended-the-search-game-marketers-are-scrambling-to-catch-up-84264b34?st=b14hfY