AI Is Changing Search. Will it Choose Your Content as the Answer?

AI didn’t knock politely; it kicked down the door. AI rewrote the search playbook and left traditional SEO scrambling in its wake. 

Are you still chasing clicks and keyword rankings in your content development? If yes, you’re not falling behind—you’re falling off the map.  

Search Is No Longer About Links. It’s About Answers 

Now, consumers aren’t browsing; they’re asking questions. And AI isn’t sending them to your website, it’s pulling answers from it. 

Welcome to the age of conversational search. 

People are turning to AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity to solve problems, vet vendors, and make buying decisions, and they’re doing it without clicking a thing. According to Bain, 80% of users now complete 40% of their searches without ever touching a link.  

That’s not a tweak in behavior — it’s a seismic shift that demands a new strategy. 

Your Website Is Now a Data Source 

Think of it this way: you’re no longer building pages for people to browse; you’re building assets for AI to crawl, understand, and cite. Sites like Mailchimp aren’t losing traffic because their content lacks value, they’re losing it because AI is serving the value without the click.  

Meanwhile, businesses everywhere are scrambling to keep up — chasing new acronyms like GEO (generative engine optimization), AEO (answer engine optimization), and AIO (AI optimization). Here's the reality: none of that matters if your content isn't built for the way AI thinks. 

Be the Brand AI Trusts 

What does this new shift mean now? AI favors clarity over keyword stuffing. Smart brands are moving toward real resources packed with stories, data, and proof.  

Take CHR Solutions, a leading broadband engineering services and software provider. Together, we helped CHR refine their content strategy with their customers—and AI— in mind. Their blogs are written with their customer in mind: no jargon or tech speak, just useful insights and practical guidance. We broke down complex broadband topics into plain English, launched a LinkedIn newsletter to carry that voice forward, and developed short-form videos to explain key concepts.  

In this video, CHR discusses the importance of creating a "culture of cybersecurity" for mid-sized providers in under a minute. In another clip, a CHR executive goes fishing to demonstrate how “phishing” attacks happen. CHR has established thought leadership on the ground at trade shows and in the press. Now, when people search for telecom cybersecurity, CHR shows up first. 

Why? Because AI models favor clear, natural language over keyword-stuffed corporate speak. AI favors real resources packed with insights, use cases, and proof points. 

RTK Environmental Testing takes a similar approach. With our help, their blog content on mold, indoor air quality, and asbestos is consistently clear, accurate, and helpful—so helpful, in fact, it’s regularly cited by third-party media. As a result, when people search for those topics, RTK consistently ranks at the top. 

Elevate Your Content 

This is the moment to lean into what makes your content uniquely yours.  That means prioritizing depth over fluff. For example: 

• Client stories 

• Case studies 

• Testimonials 

• Surveys and original research 

• Explainers / how-tos 

• Webinars and event recaps 

• Visual content: infographics and data storytelling 

  
  

And don’t overlook the visual shift. Top executives are building personal brands, growing their followings, and even monetizing their presence—all through short-form video content. 

So What Should You Be Doing?  

• Write like a person. If your content doesn’t sound like a conversation, AI won’t surface it. 

• Own your authority. AI prioritizes trusted voices, so make sure your brand’s expertise is front and center. 

• Be Authentic. Drop the buzzwords. Say what you mean in a consistent brand voice. 

• Show up where AI looks. User generated and authentic review platforms like Reddit and TrustRadius — are the new players in the buyer’s journey.  Media outlets and high-authority content hubs are key, too.    

  
  

B2B Buyers Are Already There 

Think AI is just for consumers? Think again. According to Forrester, 90% of B2B buyers are already using generative AI tools. And 6Sense found they spend 83% of their journey researching on their own. 

The result? AI-powered recommendations — including from ChatGPT — are now driving a 436% increase in conversions.  If your content isn’t optimized for AI discovery, you’re not even in the consideration. 

Traditional SEO Is Dead. Long Live E-E-A-T. 

In a recent blog, my colleague Jennifer Galluzzo put it best: SEO isn’t dead — it’s just expanding.  Search doesn’t live in just one place anymore.  Google isn’t the only engine and it’s not even the “most trusted” in some circles. Search now happens on YouTube, Spotify, LinkedIn, TikTok and social platforms. That’s because AI platforms are prioritizing Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT). 

You don’t earn that with clickbait. You earn it with content that informs, supports, and answers the questions your buyers are actually asking. 

So no, the solution isn’t more content. It’s better content. Strategic content. AI-smart, buyer-driven, authentic, high-trust content. 

Final Word from Harry Marketing: Adapt or Disappear 

This isn’t about chasing algorithms. It’s about aligning with how people — and machines — find and evaluate value today. 

Embrace the new model: 

• Start with intent 

• Speak like a human 

• Deliver real utility 

• Be the signal in the noise 

Then, make it tactical.  

Here’s Four Ways to Win in the Age of AI Search 

If you want to stay visible — and valuable — in an AI-first world, here’s what to focus on: 

• Write like you talk: Ditch robotic keyword copy. Use conversational language that reflects how your audience actually speaks and searches. 

• Structure for discovery: Make your site easy for AI bots to crawl. Use clear headings, clean code, and schema markup where possible (ie FAQ, event, etc.) 

• Double down on authority: Publish thought leadership. Get your brand cited on trusted platforms like media outlets and high-authority content hubs including Reddit and third-party review sites. Cite sources, link internally to related topics and provide context around facts. 

• Answer the real question: Focus less on stuffing in search terms and more about solving the actual user problem behind the query. 

Brands that do this will earn trust, drive discovery, and win in a market that’s only getting smarter.   

Need help making the shift? Let’s talk. Contact us at hello@harry.marketing. 

Wendy Schechter is an Account Director at harry. Reach out at wendy@harry.marketing.