Brand Signals Will Decide Your Visibility in AI-Powered Search; Where to Double Down.

AI-powered search is reshaping how people discover and choose brands. Google’s AI Overviews, AI Mode, and chat-based platforms are changing the landscape of organic visibility, and brand signals are becoming the deciding factor in who gets recommended.

In this session, James Brockbank unpacks what it means to become a “trusted entity” in the age of AI, why third-party validation matters more than ever, and how brands can influence the sources that train AI to understand who you are and what you do.

You’ll learn why traditional SEO foundations still matter, how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) layers on top, and which tactics; from product PR and proprietary research to expert insights, reviews, and forum mentions, actually move the needle.

Expect a practical, forward-looking roadmap for building AI-era visibility that turns mentions into meaningful search impact.

Transcript

1. Brand Signals Will Decide Your Visibility in AI-Powered Search; Where to Double Down. James Brockbank, Digitaloft.
2. Hi, I’m James. Managing Director & Founder, Digitaloft. ➔ 16 years doing SEO, 12 years running an agency. ➔ Currently deep in research & innovation in this new era of search. ➔ You might have seen me speaking at events like Brighton SEO and SMX. Working with brands like:
4. Nobody has it all figured out right now.
5. Organic clicks are being lost.
6. Most of these clicks are going nowhere. AI Overviews
7. Most of these clicks are going nowhere. AI Overviews AI Mode
8. Most of these clicks are going nowhere. AI Overviews AI Mode AI Chatbots
9. People are discovering brands in new ways.
10. People are discovering brands in new ways. The top of the funnel is fragmenting.
11. ChatGPT is not replacing Google.
12. Google will win at AI search.
13. Google has the infrastructure & the audience to win. Jason Barnard SEO in the age of AI: Becoming the trusted answer
14. It’s still early, but change is coming whether we like it or not…
15. It’s still early, but change is coming whether we like it or not…
16. Could the future of Google search be modular?
17. The foundation of AI search visibility is becoming a trusted entity.
18. trusted entity /ˈtrʌstɪd ˈɛntɪti/ noun Definition of trusted entity 1. A brand that is clearly understood; who it is, what it does, and why it matters, and whose authority is trusted by people and machines alike. 2. (Marketing) A brand that shows up with consistency and credibility across every channel. Trusted entities are recognised, relied upon, and surfaced because their expertise and reputation make them the safe choice.
19. The brands mentioned the most by AI search are those with strong brand signals.
20. You can’t be recommended by AI as the best if you’re the only one saying it. What you say about yourself.
21. You can’t be recommended by AI as the best if you’re the only one saying it. What you say about yourself. Your website's content Structured data
22. You can’t be recommended by AI as the best if you’re the only one saying it. What you say about yourself. What other people say about you. Your website's content Structured data
23. You can’t be recommended by AI as the best if you’re the only one saying it. What you say about yourself. What other people say about you. Your website's content Structured data Press coverage Reviews Social Discussion Forums
24. You just need more brand mentions. Ahrefs - An Analysis of AI Overview Brand Visibility Factors
25. You just need more contextual brand mentions. Ahrefs - An Analysis of AI Overview Brand Visibility Factors
26. [who you are] + [what you do] Mentions need to clearly reference…
27. You need to be featured in the sources that influence AI answers.
28. How does Google generate AI Overviews? Source: Ahrefs
29. How does Google generate AI Mode? Source: iPullRank
30. How does Query Fan-Out work? Source: Aleyda Solis “AI Mode uses our query fan-out technique, breaking down your question into subtopics and issuing a multitude of queries simultaneously on your behalf. This enables Search to dive deeper into the web than a traditional search on Google, helping you discover even more of what the web has to offer and find incredible, hyper-relevant content that matches your question.”
31. The sources that AI typically cites are… ➔ Timely and authoritative news websites. ➔ Reputable industry publications. ➔ Review platforms. ➔ Discussion forums. ➔ Relevant search results.
32. 86% of AI Overview citations rank in Google’s top 10. 54% of AI Mode citations rank in Google’s top 10.
33. It’s not just about your site ranking amongst the results AI search pulls from, but being mentioned across the corpus.
34. This sounds a lot like PR…
35. This sounds a lot like PR… …sat atop of great SEO.
36. You can’t be recommended by AI as the best if you’re the only one saying it. What you say about yourself. What other people say about you.
37. Product PR. ➔ “Best” or “Top 10” roundups. ➔ Product reviews & features. ➔ Deal & discount highlights. The fastest way to influence AI-powered shopping recommendations.
38. Product PR. +46% in AIO visibility in 3 months. Surfaced by ChatGPT when asking for recommendations of a mattress. #1 recommendation by AI Mode as the best mattress in a box.
39. Proprietary research. ➔ One of the most valuable things your brand can do right now. ➔ Unique and original data gets cited disproportionately by AI. It brings something new that no one else has and that AI cannot replicate. ➔ Be the brand creating data studies and industry reports. ➔ This type of content earns mentions and links, keeping the flywheel spinning.
40. Proprietary research. Own data & research presented in a way that makes it easy for others to cite. Fun but on-brand research for Caring.com reveals The Happiest States for Seniors.
41. Proactive & reactive expert insights. ➔ Get your subject matter experts quotes alongside key topics that you want to be surfaced for. ➔ Journalists need expert insights more than ever; it’s their way to add something that AI couldn’t to their stories. ➔ [Person], a [job role] at [brand] says… ➔ Comment on what’s relevant and be selective.
42. Proactive & reactive expert insights.
43. Forum mentions. ➔ Reddit & Quora feature as some of the most cited websites in AI search. ➔ Being talked about on forums isn’t optional. Build an expert-led strategy that’s based on adding value to these platforms.
44. Product & brand reviews. ➔ AI search presents new reputation management challenges. ➔ Product & brand reviews feature prominently as citations. Ask ChatGPT or AI Mode: “Is [brand] a trusted brand?”
45. PR for SEO vs GEO: What’s different? ➔ Affiliate partnerships have huge influence. Load your PR team up with deals (& setup an affiliate scheme if you haven’t).
46. PR for SEO vs GEO: What’s different? ➔ Affiliate partnerships have huge influence. Load your PR team up with deals (& setup an affiliate scheme if you haven’t). ➔ Contextual relevance of coverage matters more than anything else. Irrelevant coverage can distort the AI’s understanding of who you are and what you do.
47. PR for SEO vs GEO: What’s different? ➔ Affiliate partnerships have huge influence. Load your PR team up with deals (& setup an affiliate scheme if you haven’t). ➔ Contextual relevance of coverage matters more than anything else. Irrelevant coverage can distort the AI’s understanding of who you are and what you do. ➔ How (and whether or not) you appear on the sources that AI summarises is as critical as your own content being relevant, including places like Reddit & Quora.
48. You can’t focus on AI visibility at the expense of traditional search. GEO is a layer that sits atop of this.
49. You need to be everywhere people are talking about your category… in the right context.
50. [who you are] + [what you do] Train the AI to understand…
51. Key takeaways. ➔ Brand signals will decide your visibility in AI-powered search.
52. Key takeaways. ➔ Brand signals will decide your visibility in AI-powered search. ➔ You can’t just rely on what you say about yourself; third-party mentions matter more than anything else.
53. Key takeaways. ➔ Brand signals will decide your visibility in AI-powered search. ➔ You can’t just rely on what you say about yourself; third-party mentions matter more than anything else. ➔ Proprietary research, expert insights, product PR, reviews, and forum mentions are key drivers of AI citations.
54. Key takeaways. ➔ Brand signals will decide your visibility in AI-powered search. ➔ You can’t just rely on what you say about yourself; third-party mentions matter more than anything else. ➔ Proprietary research, expert insights, product PR, reviews, and forum mentions are key drivers of AI citations. ➔ The context and credibility of coverage influence how AI understands who you are and what you do.
55. Key takeaways. ➔ Brand signals will decide your visibility in AI-powered search. ➔ You can’t just rely on what you say about yourself; third-party mentions matter more than anything else. ➔ Proprietary research, expert insights, product PR, reviews, and forum mentions are key drivers of AI citations. ➔ The context and credibility of coverage influence how AI understands who you are and what you do. ➔ We’re still early. It’s time to double down on building brand signals.
56. Thank you ! Follow me on social: @BrockbankJames /in/james-brockbank Get in touch: james@digitaloft.co.uk Want a FREE AI brand audit? Email me!