AI Encroaching on Search? Here Are 8 Ways to Fix It

Internet Discovery Has Changed

Over the last decade, marketers have carefully refined their website SEO strategy. From formatting to perfecting meta descriptions and choosing strategic keywords, SEO foundations were carefully built brick by brick. Then AI emerged onto the scene, upending traditional tactics and forcing marketers to evolve. 

Marketers have long demonstrated resilience in the face of change. The rise of ChatGPT and Gemini represents not a loss for search, but the emergence of a new opportunity.

How AI Is Shifting Search

There are three key ways that internet search and engagement has changed since AI exploded in popularity:

• Search and Summary. When AI is used to find information, users now expect a detailed summary of the content they need, not just a list of websites to click and read through manually. 
• Missing Information in Organic Reach. While your brand might be mentioned even more frequently with AI-powered search, it won’t always be linked, and these fragmented results can limit traffic and conversions.
• Costly Paid Acquisition. With more brands bidding for limited ad inventory and less precise targeting post-cookies, Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is climbing at a rapid pace.

8 Ways Marketers Can Overcome the New Era of Search to Drive Engagement and Retention

By enhancing your digital experience, from organic search to owned channels and beyond, marketers can not only preserve their organic traffic, but also increase their retention and customer lifetime value, a metric that means more for long-term growth and brand stability. 

Let’s dive into eight ways to not only survive AI’s latest shifts, but thrive within these new parameters. 

1. Double-Down on Owned Channels

Lean into owned channels, whether that be through email, mobile apps, SMS, or web:

• Owned channels cut out the middleman. No algorithms or intermediaries decide whether your message reaches customers; brands control the connection directly.
• These channels are fueled by first-party data, which provides richer, more accurate insights than third-party sources by showing exactly what already resonates with your audience.
• A strong owned ecosystem offers a solid foundation for retention and growth, no matter how internet discovery continues to evolve over time. 
  

When used strategically, owned channels serve as marketers’ most reliable safeguard amid constant digital change. The goal isn’t volume—it’s relevance. With the help of AI-driven content and automation, marketers can deliver timely, personalized campaigns that strengthen the customer relationship at scale.

2. Invest in First-Party Data Infrastructure

Owned channels are only as effective as the data that powers them. From creating real-time interactions to anticipating what customers want next, a resilient first-party data foundation is non-negotiable for long-term success:

• Make data collection a built-in objective of every campaign, whether that be through loyalty programs, gated content, or value-driven gamification.
• Keep customers in the loop with transparent and ethical data usage, and ensure that they’re aware of what they’re consenting to at all times.
• Eliminate silos by unifying data across systems and channels to deliver a consistent, connected customer experience.

3. Lean Into Smarter Personalization

With robust first-party data, brands gain the fuel needed to deliver personalization that goes far beyond basic targeting. Customers now expect individualized, contextually relevant experiences—and they will quickly tune out anything less:

• Use AI solutions designed for marketers to determine not only the content customers see, but also when and how often they hear from your brand. 
• Move beyond segmentation by leaning on automation to power 1:1, real-time personalization at scale.
• Leverage modular content templates to accelerate campaign production without sacrificing brand voice or creative quality.

4. Shift From Campaigns to Experiences

A campaign should never be just a box checked off a marketer’s to-do list. To drive impact, campaigns must be meaningful and relevant—otherwise, they risk being perceived as background noise:

• Avoid repetitive content by ensuring dynamic, interactive experiences are available in every channel. When a customer interacts on email, for example, it should be reflected across mobile and web.
• Prioritize journeys rather than one-off messages. While broad promotions have their place, they shouldn’t define the norm.
• Harness automation and behavioral signals to adapt content in real time, guaranteeing relevance at the precise moment of engagement.

5. Optimize for AI Discovery

The rise of AI’s impact on search doesn’t eliminate organic visibility—it redefines it. Marketers must evolve their content structures for a world where AI serves as an “answer engine”:

• Go beyond indexing by ensuring content is AI-readable with concise summaries and clear organization.
• Use structured data and schema markup, such as standardized tables, to improve discoverability.
• Shape messaging with large language models in mind, crafting content that AI can easily summarize without losing nuance.
• Monitor how AI outputs, such as ChatGPT or Perplexity, represent your brand to maintain accuracy and alignment.

6. Rethink Brand Visibility Beyond Clicks

AI-driven search requires marketers to broaden their definition of success. Traffic and clicks remain valuable, but visibility now extends into new dimensions:

• Even when direct links are absent, track brand mentions and sentiment within AI outputs as visibility still drives perception.
• Treat AI-driven discovery as part of your top-funnel mix, much like blogs or educational resources that build awareness without direct revenue attribution.
• Experiment with embedded brand touchpoints—apps, widgets, and microtools—that extend reach and create utility beyond traditional search listings.

7. Test AI-Generated Content

Generative AI is more than a novelty—it’s a force multiplier for creativity and efficiency. Instead of relying on it for entirely net-new outputs, use it to enhance and scale what your team already does best:

• Leverage existing creative libraries and allow AI to test variations of subject lines, creative elements, and content blocks to identify what resonates.
• Establish clear guardrails to maintain quality, tone, and brand integrity across all AI-assisted outputs.
• Use AI to free up capacity, giving marketers more time to apply uniquely human creativity and strategic judgment.

8. Prepare Your Team

AI’s impact on marketing isn’t just a technological shift—it’s an operational change. Equipping your team is as critical as adopting the tools themselves:

• Build AI literacy through hands-on training, experimentation, and data fluency.
• Redesign team structures to capitalize on automation’s efficiency, redirecting human talent toward higher-value creative and strategic work.
• Foster cross-functional alignment across marketing, data, and product teams to ensure a unified approach to AI adoption.

AI's Internet Impact Is an Opportunity

AI is reshaping how customers discover, evaluate, and interact with brands. For marketers who adapt, this shift unlocks unprecedented potential for engagement, loyalty, and growth.

Ready to get started? Activate these eight steps by discovering the powerful combination of Movable Ink Studio and Da Vinci for yourself.