The research in our Brand Discovery Index reveals a disconnect between how marketers believe their brands are performing and the reality of today’s discovery landscape. It uncovers a confidence gap, where marketers feel confident in delivering against their goals, but, actually, high media attention has been failing to lift demand for their brands. Also, diminishing returns, fragmented customer journeys and issues getting recognized by AI are revealed as key challenges for marketers today. As Senior Director of Organic Strategy, I’m diving into the Brand Discovery Index research, in the era where traditional SEO is giving way to AI discovery, to show US brands how to build an organic strategy that ensures they are found, understood and chosen.
In the new discovery era, search has changed. It used to simply mean ranking first on Google SERPs. Now, marketers should be focusing on how they appear across different organic touch points throughout the media landscape.
Search is also becoming increasingly conversational, with consumers asking questions and describing their needs instead of just searching for a product or service.
The Brand Discovery Index demonstrates how, in the US, the different channels AI models use to recommend brands include brand websites, social platforms, forums and earned media. This means the challenge is no longer ranking for a keyword, it’s ensuring your brand is found wherever customers are looking for answers.
The brand Discovery Index reveals that 95% of US marketers are optimizing for LLMs and AI search, yet only 52% have a dedicated AI search strategy. A further 43% are still experimenting.
The data is highlighting how many in the US recognize the importance of AI, but don’t have a clear strategy of understanding and addressing it. The true meaning of optimizing for AI is understanding each channel which LLMs utilize to recommend brands, whether that’s owned or earned.
One of the biggest myths I still hear from marketers is that adding FAQs to a landing page will help their brand get cited in AI responses. These baseline tactics, while important, aren’t enough on their own. The brands doing AI optimization properly are looking beyond individual tactics and considering how their entire organic presence contributes to discovery overall.
One of the biggest challenges for brands right now is not being understood by AI correctly. The Index found that 38% of US marketers say getting recommended by AI is their biggest challenge.
From an organic perspective, this can be because of inconsistent messaging. AI models become confused when messaging is different across multiple channels, meaning authoritative messaging and value propositions can get lost in the noise.
A clear proposition on your own website can still translate to a diluted value proposition through AI responses. This is where being understood becomes the biggest constraint within the Discovery System for many brands. It’s also their greatest opportunity.
With 68% of search queries ending without a click, a brand can influence a consumer’s decision without generating a traditional organic visit. For CMOs still judging organic performance primarily on traffic, this presents a key challenge.
Organic teams need to review traffic across multiple sources, including traditional organic search, social, direct and AI referrals. But they also need to do more. They should look at their brand’s share of AI: Share of Voice and Citations across the top LLMs like ChatGPT and Google-owned models.
The challenge is to move beyond simply asking whether a brand is getting traffic, and instead understand whether it is being discovered, accurately understood and recommended in the moments that matter.
Attribution has always been a challenge for organic teams. With the Index highlighting that 83% of US marketers say channel teams claim sales prematurely, it’s clear demonstrating true contribution to business growth is increasingly difficult.
Unlike paid media, where data can be readily available and easier to dissect, organic performance can be more difficult to measure.
The Index shows 75% of US marketers audit Share of Model at least monthly, yet 64% make performance decisions without adequate competitor visibility. Therefore, connecting the Share of Model with share of search, we can see across analytics, and merging organic, direct and AI attribution, can provide a more complete picture of how well messaging across AI responses are resonating with consumers.
By bringing these different sources together, organic teams can begin to make their contribution more visible overall, moving beyond isolated channel metrics towards a more holistic understanding of discovery.
The BDI shows that 43% of US marketers say algorithmic adaptability is their top operational priority for the next year and brands that are serious about this need to make a plan. Even before a 12-month roadmap is set in place, brands should take an honest look at their overall organic presence.
People are searching more conversationally. Rather than looking for a specific product or service, they are asking questions and describing a need. Brands must respond by turning product and commercial-related content into a solution. Describe what your product or service does, and how it helps your audience solve a specific need. This is how brands can build content that is relevant to the way consumers are discovering and evaluating their options.
The discovery confidence gap outlined in the report is a reminder that confidence in visibility does not translate to being found, chosen and understood.
When planning out the next 90 days, the first thing any CMO should do is look at how AI is interpreting their brand:
This is the baseline, from here you can audit your messaging across channels to help build authority. Then you can begin auditing your message across channels, identifying inconsistencies and building the authority needed to ensure your brand is truly discovered.
Discovery has outgrown traditional SEO
In the new discovery era, search has changed. It used to simply mean ranking first on Google SERPs. Now, marketers should be focusing on how they appear across different organic touch points throughout the media landscape.
Search is also becoming increasingly conversational, with consumers asking questions and describing their needs instead of just searching for a product or service.
The Brand Discovery Index demonstrates how, in the US, the different channels AI models use to recommend brands include brand websites, social platforms, forums and earned media. This means the challenge is no longer ranking for a keyword, it’s ensuring your brand is found wherever customers are looking for answers.
Do you have a clear AI strategy?
The brand Discovery Index reveals that 95% of US marketers are optimizing for LLMs and AI search, yet only 52% have a dedicated AI search strategy. A further 43% are still experimenting.
The data is highlighting how many in the US recognize the importance of AI, but don’t have a clear strategy of understanding and addressing it. The true meaning of optimizing for AI is understanding each channel which LLMs utilize to recommend brands, whether that’s owned or earned.
One of the biggest myths I still hear from marketers is that adding FAQs to a landing page will help their brand get cited in AI responses. These baseline tactics, while important, aren’t enough on their own. The brands doing AI optimization properly are looking beyond individual tactics and considering how their entire organic presence contributes to discovery overall.
Is AI getting your brand wrong?
One of the biggest challenges for brands right now is not being understood by AI correctly. The Index found that 38% of US marketers say getting recommended by AI is their biggest challenge.
From an organic perspective, this can be because of inconsistent messaging. AI models become confused when messaging is different across multiple channels, meaning authoritative messaging and value propositions can get lost in the noise.
A clear proposition on your own website can still translate to a diluted value proposition through AI responses. This is where being understood becomes the biggest constraint within the Discovery System for many brands. It’s also their greatest opportunity.
More than just traffic metrics
With 68% of search queries ending without a click, a brand can influence a consumer’s decision without generating a traditional organic visit. For CMOs still judging organic performance primarily on traffic, this presents a key challenge.
Organic teams need to review traffic across multiple sources, including traditional organic search, social, direct and AI referrals. But they also need to do more. They should look at their brand’s share of AI: Share of Voice and Citations across the top LLMs like ChatGPT and Google-owned models.
The challenge is to move beyond simply asking whether a brand is getting traffic, and instead understand whether it is being discovered, accurately understood and recommended in the moments that matter.
Who’s really driving the sale?
Attribution has always been a challenge for organic teams. With the Index highlighting that 83% of US marketers say channel teams claim sales prematurely, it’s clear demonstrating true contribution to business growth is increasingly difficult.
Unlike paid media, where data can be readily available and easier to dissect, organic performance can be more difficult to measure.
The Index shows 75% of US marketers audit Share of Model at least monthly, yet 64% make performance decisions without adequate competitor visibility. Therefore, connecting the Share of Model with share of search, we can see across analytics, and merging organic, direct and AI attribution, can provide a more complete picture of how well messaging across AI responses are resonating with consumers.
By bringing these different sources together, organic teams can begin to make their contribution more visible overall, moving beyond isolated channel metrics towards a more holistic understanding of discovery.
Your organic strategy to win the next 12 months
The BDI shows that 43% of US marketers say algorithmic adaptability is their top operational priority for the next year and brands that are serious about this need to make a plan. Even before a 12-month roadmap is set in place, brands should take an honest look at their overall organic presence.
- Understand if they are found across the places AI cites from: social, forums, owned sites, earned media.
- Action on and off-site optimizations, while developing a content calendar of both owned and earned media messaging that consistently talks about your brand's value to consumers.
People are searching more conversationally. Rather than looking for a specific product or service, they are asking questions and describing a need. Brands must respond by turning product and commercial-related content into a solution. Describe what your product or service does, and how it helps your audience solve a specific need. This is how brands can build content that is relevant to the way consumers are discovering and evaluating their options.
The next 90 days: See your brand through AI’s eyes
The discovery confidence gap outlined in the report is a reminder that confidence in visibility does not translate to being found, chosen and understood.
When planning out the next 90 days, the first thing any CMO should do is look at how AI is interpreting their brand:
- Are you accurately represented across the channels that AI cites the most?
- What do AI results say about you?
- About your competitors?
This is the baseline, from here you can audit your messaging across channels to help build authority. Then you can begin auditing your message across channels, identifying inconsistencies and building the authority needed to ensure your brand is truly discovered.
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