Not long ago, brands could rely on the classic duo of SEO strategies and compelling storytelling to engage with their audiences effectively. Businesses would rank high for valuable search terms while weaving narratives that connected emotionally with consumers. However, the arrival of Generative AI (GenAI) has dramatically shifted this landscape. It disrupts both the search dynamics and the journey of the audience, increasingly serving as the primary means through which information is interpreted—be it through chatbots, voice assistants, or new retrieval channels. As a result, many brands are finding themselves back at square one when it comes to reaching key demographics.
In this new era, it is essential to ensure your brand narrative is crystal clear and consistent across all platforms. This is vital for AI systems to surface the version of your brand that you want audiences to see. So, how can brands navigate this AI-driven landscape? Let’s dive into the intricacies of today’s brand perception through the lens of generative intelligence.
Today’s AI-Driven Brand Perception
Generative AI is powered by large language models (LLMs) that can process and summarize extensive datasets. As a result, the concise and longer-form narratives created by these systems are becoming critical in shaping how brands are perceived. However, there’s a significant caveat to this emergent narrative landscape. Studies—like one from the Columbia Journalism Review—have shown that top GenAI tools can be inaccurate over 60% of the time when it comes to event recounting. This inconsistency implies that GenAI is only as reliable as the information it ingests, often leading to the propagation of outdated or misleading content.
The repercussions for brands can be severe, potentially resulting in marketplace misconceptions and reputational harm. To counter this, it’s crucial to maintain consistency in your brand narrative across all digital platforms:
- Your website.
- Your blog.
- Executive profiles.
- Social channels.
The more uniform your storytelling is across these assets, the more likely GenAI will cite them as authoritative sources. This, in turn, helps shape a more favorable brand perception and minimizes the risks of AI disseminating inaccurate narratives about your brand.
Dig deeper: GenAI is telling your brand’s story — with or without you
Strategic Control: How to Own Your Brand Story Within AI
Our client studies at Terakeet reveal that brands can significantly influence the narratives generated by AI. Here are some best practices for global brands looking to effectively manage these narratives.
Intent-Driven Content Strategy
Creating and optimizing content that anticipates consumer queries regarding your brand on AI platforms is essential. Just as traditional SEO focuses on matching user intent in organic searches, generative engine optimization (GEO) aims to do the same for GenAI. One effective approach is utilizing precise and straightforward language. GenAI tends to favor well-structured content, and employing this consistently across your owned assets increases the chances that the AI will cite you. These citations drive impressions, clicks, and enhancement of authority for your brand.
Technical Optimization
Research indicates that strong performance in Google rankings increases the likelihood of being mentioned by GenAI. Although this is not a direct signal for inclusion in AI systems, optimizing your technical site components can improve visibility in AI platforms. Elements that boost organic search include:
- Clear navigation.
- Internal linking.
- Mobile-friendliness.
- Schema markup.
Dig deeper: Why visibility is now the most important marketing metric
Monitoring and Iteration
Once you’ve implemented your strategy, tracking performance over time is crucial. Consider monitoring metrics related to your brand’s resonance in GenAI outputs:
- The frequency of brand-related searches within GenAI.
- The proportion of controlled sources used by GenAI in its narratives.
- The ratio of favorable versus unfavorable content surfaced by GenAI regarding your brand.
By keeping an eye on conversations surrounding your brand and its competitors, you can pinpoint inaccuracies in your brand story online. Addressing these gaps creates a continuous feedback loop for improvements, allowing for ongoing iterations to bolster your brand’s narrative.
Dig deeper: How to turn SEO wins into GEO dominance
Seizing the Opportunity
You can enhance your brand’s reputation, sentiment, and control by focusing on:
- Optimizing your brand story across owned assets.
- Refining technical performance.
- Monitoring results.
The search landscape may be evolving, but the visibility of your brand doesn’t have to diminish. Generative AI has transformed how consumers discover options and interact with businesses, yet you can maintain a competitive edge. Ultimately, success hinges on clear, consistent, and strategic storytelling.
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