AI is fundamentally changing how people search for information. Instead of using Google to find what they need, consumers are increasingly turning to ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other large language models (LLMs) for answers.
SEO isn’t dead. But AEO (answer engine optimization) is on the rise, and agentic commerce is moving from early adoption to mainstream faster than most businesses realize. And it won’t be limited to consumers looking for retail items at the best price. B2B companies and nonprofits are going to need to get ready, too—or risk being left behind.
If you think it’s tough to be seen now, just wait.
Marketing Strategy: Revisit for the AI Era
AI makes it possible to develop marketing strategies faster than ever. But faster doesn’t mean better—and it doesn’t mean you need expensive AI tools. What you need is to ensure your marketing fundamentals are solid.
Here’s where to start:
Marketing budget: Audit your spend. Auditing your marketing budget annually is a good practice, but now you’ll need to take an AI lens to it as well. You may find that you need to bolster your digital assets. Likewise, now may be the time to consider other strategies for getting in front of your audience, such as email campaigns, local advertising, or opportunities for in-person engagement.
Competitive intelligence: Know where you stand. In the AI-search era, competitive intelligence isn’t just about tracking competitor websites. You also need to know which topics and questions they’re dominating in the minds of your customers. What pain points are they ignoring that you could address? If you haven’t conducted a competitive audit recently, it’s time to reexamine the landscape.
Take Matandy Steel, a Hamilton, Ohio steel processor, as an example. They recognized an advantage around a specific topic their customers were searching for: American-made steel solutions. By creating a dedicated ‘Building America’ campaign hub with SEO-optimized content, they now capture search traffic (both traditional and AI-powered) from prospects asking specific questions about domestic steel sourcing.
Customer profiles: Lock them down. Search is becoming highly personalized, which means businesses will likely need to expand their ideal customer profiles (ICPs) and make them more specific. Why? Because LLMs respond to the specific questions your customers are actually asking, and you can’t anticipate what they’re searching for if you don’t know who they are.
Your value proposition: Make sure it’s defined. What’s your story? How do you stand apart from the competition? Why should a customer choose you over anyone else? It can’t just be because of your people (everyone says that!). You need to dig in and determine how your products or services improve lives, systems, processes, budgets—whatever it is that fuels your purpose—and clearly articulate that information in ways that appeal to your ICPs.
Sales and marketing alignment: Get on the same page. If your sales and marketing teams aren’t working together, you’re wasting money and missing opportunities. Are both teams working from the same ICPs? Do they agree on what makes a qualified lead? Is there a clear process for how marketing hands off to sales? In an AI search environment, buyers will be much further along in their journey before they ever contact your sales team. That makes it more important than ever that marketing and sales are telling the same story, tracking the same metrics, and supporting each other’s efforts.
Content: You probably need more of it. After decades of responding to declining attention spans with less content, the tide is turning. LLMs give priority to content that positions you as an expert. For many organizations, that means more content and deeper content. Start digging for metrics, case studies, and content that specifically addresses customer pain points. Read our blog on how AI is transforming search marketing for more on this topic.
Digital strategy: It’s more than a website. A website is not a digital strategy; it’s a component of a digital strategy. Are you showing up in the right places? Where do you need to be as information is surfaced in different ways? How can you bolster your position as an expert beyond your website? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, now is the time to partner with a digital marketing expert.
The Window Is Closing
AI search is already changing how your prospects find solutions. Within months, not years, it will be the dominant way they make decisions.
The good news? You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. But getting the fundamentals right matters to everything that comes next. The landscape is shifting rapidly; fortunately, basic marketing principles still hold true. Tactics may change, but you’ll be better able to adjust if your foundations are standing on solid ground.
Need Help with Next Steps?
If you don’t have the right staff or resources to support your shift to AI search, don’t worry. You can pull in a fractional CMO or work with a company like TMC. We can partner with you to develop a sound strategy and see it through, too. Want to learn more? We’d love to chat about how we can help prepare your marketing strategy for the AI revolution.
Key Takeaways
- Focus on marketing fundamentals before investing in AI tools
- Strengthen customer profiles for personalized AI search results
- Align sales and marketing teams for longer buyer journeys
- Act now—the window for competitive advantage is closing
About Mary Guanciale
Digital Art Director
About Mary Guanciale
Digital Art Director
