Ranking among Google’s regular search results offers diminishing returns. Ads, AI Overview, and other search engine results page (SERP) factors push organic links down the page.
As the search landscape changes, how should brands adapt to ensure they are represented in AI-powered responses?
The more you know about how AI search engines use your product information and when they cite it, the better you can use search AI to your advantage. With that knowledge, you can go beyond AI models knowing your product and start building your AI visibility strategy.
The collapse of the click economy
It is imperative that more brands understand AI search and start building an AI SEO strategy as soon as possible. While a full transition from organic to AI search appears to be years away, AI SEO may replace traditional SEO.
Google already relies heavily on AI search. As CEO Sundar Photosi said in an April article from The Verge:
- “Search had a strong quarter with AI experiences driving usage, all-time high queries, and 19% revenue growth.
At the same time, users adapt to AI search features. When users encounter an AI-powered shortcut in search results, they click the blue link just 8% of the time, a Pew Research study found. If they don’t encounter AI shortcuts, they click on blue links 15% of the time.
Although AI search traffic is still limited, it tends to have a higher conversion rate than organic search traffic. AI traffic had a conversion rate of 11.4%, compared to 5.3% of natural search traffic, in a similar web survey.
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Brand presence within AI engines: Usage versus citation
Brands can exist in AI systems in two different ways: consumption and citation.
AI engines import information about your product and use it when answering search queries. This is similar to how Google usually indexes pages before ranking them and serving them in search results.
When AI engines use your content, they may also mention your product as an unlinked citation. This can drive discovery and may prompt users to search and interact with your product.
A citation occurs when an AI engine directly references your product as a source of information. This can be a link to your web page, a link to your public profile, or a clickable phone link that allows users to call you.
Within OpenAI, usage and citation depend on different technical levels. As the OpenAI documentation explains, there are four different users, OAI-SearchBot and GPTBot implemented separately. Other AI systems have similar controls and measurements that point to similar differences.
Why citations are only part of the AI visibility equation
AI engines often answer questions directly without referring to web sources. This is not a new phenomenon. Before the AI overview, Google tried the same with featured snippets.
ChatGPT returns almost exactly the same number of quoted URLs (~16.57) and unquoted URLs (~16.58) to generate an average response, according to Ahrefs research. Yet Reddit accounts for more than two-thirds (67.8%) of anonymous URLs. As a result, comparing quoted and unquoted URLs is essentially a comparison between search results and Reddit API output.
This shows that many AI systems are biased in the unspecified information they provide to users. Certain platforms and websites are better than others at helping types of AI responses appear. Brands that try to force themselves into AI models without understanding where those models get most of their information will be in a different predicament.
How to improve the use of AI and citation for your product
Start by tracking your product’s status and progress over time. Enable the selection of an order representative by using the AI visualization platform and check the sources of quotation. Where do they live, and what does that tell you?
There are many emerging AI quote tracking platforms to choose from. Established platforms like Semrush and Ahrefs have also integrated AI tracking features.
Measure your follow-up and research efforts as much as possible. This can be difficult because AI fast tracking often relies on API calls and is more expensive than traditional search ranking tracking.
As long as your sample is broadly representative, most tracking platforms will pull multiple responses and calculate some sort of average. Although the data volume is small, it is usually quite rich.
Don’t forget to read AI and data broker courses. They are important sources of information because they show where AI engines are extracting information.
Constant vigilance and adaptability are essential. Over time, you can place your product within the sources that AI engines rely on the most.
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Should you bother with regular search rankings?
Yes, you should continue to pursue traditional search rankings, but not for the reasons you might think. The link between organic rankings and performance has become more transparent.
However, Ahrefs research suggests a correlation between AI citations and Google rankings, at least for Google AI Overviews. A July 2025 study found that 76.1% of pages cited in AI Overview were ranked in the top 10 Google search results. With an overview of AI, which may be a major force in AI search in the coming years, traditional standards still seem important.
AI engines rarely mention generic content that repeats what other sources have already said, an April study from Semrush found. Content that earns citations adds unique value.
This is in line with Google’s helpful content guidelines, which encourage brands to publish authentic content. Producing content that is unique, reliable, and scientifically based can also help improve Google rankings.
Since many strategies for getting high organic rankings can also benefit from AI citations, there is no reason to abandon traditional SEO strategies and content strategies.
The growing visibility of AI and the end of traditional SEO
Both usage and citation require ongoing tracking and analysis. To increase the likelihood that AI engines will use your product information and content, include your product in the sources that each AI model relies on. To earn quotes, always crawl, rate organically, and say something original.
Classic SEO still gains its keep because strategies that win organic rankings often get AI citations. But returns are diminishing, and AI SEO may one day replace traditional SEO entirely. That’s still a long way off, so for now, keep level, start tracking, and track both.
Contributing writers are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are selected for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the supervision of editorial staff and contributions are assessed for quality and relevance to our students. Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush. The contributor has not been asked to speak directly or indirectly about Semrush. The opinions they express are their own.
