Chances are, your brand is showing up differently than you think – and maybe not at all where it matters most.
AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Bing Copilot are changing how people discover and trust information. They're fast, smart, and increasingly the first place decision-makers go for answers. But here’s the kicker: if your brand’s insights aren’t in the sources these tools rely on – or if your content isn’t built for how AI "thinks" – you might not show up at all.
Search isn’t about traffic anymore. It’s about visibility, credibility, and staying part of the conversation in your space.
As search shifts from a game of keywords to a world of context and answers, it’s time for brands to shift, too. Getting your expertise in front of people (and the AI tools they trust) is the next big frontier for content strategy.
From SEO to LLMO: The New Rules of Discovery
The way people seek answers has fundamentally changed. What used to be a quick “let me Google that” is often becoming “I’ll ask ChatGPT” or another language model. Instead of searching for a link to click, people are having conversations — expecting direct, immediate answers without needing to visit a website.
This “zero-click” reality has changed the game for search. In 2024, more than 60% of searches concluded without a single click. If your content isn’t part of the answer AI delivers, you risk becoming invisible, especially for non-branded searches where people aren’t looking for your name, but for the problems you solve.
Your Visibility Strategy: 5 Moves to Make
- Write for Answers, Not Only Rankings
Search has shifted from navigation to resolution. People aren’t looking for a list of options; they want the best answer, fast. AI tools aim to provide that answer, pulling from content that’s clear, direct, and aligned with what people are really asking.
That changes how we need to write. Your content has to earn its place in those AI summaries by being accurate, helpful, and structured in ways that both people and machines can understand.
How to do it:
- Start with real questions your audience asks
- Answer clearly and simply (think: explain-it-to-a-friend style)
- Use clear headers, bullets, and smart structure
- Add schema markup to make your content machine-friendly
- Embrace FAQs and explainers over keyword stuffing
Helpful beats trendy. Content that actually solves problems and answers directly wins in this new search reality.
- Build Authority AI Can Trust
Visibility in AI-generated answers is about what you say, how you say it, and where else you’re being seen and cited. LLMs lean heavily on repetition and reputation. They look for patterns, and the more often your brand appears in credible contexts, the more likely it is to be considered trustworthy.
This is why both traditional and new media mentions, expert commentary, and consistency across platforms matter. You’re building a digital reputation not just for your target audience, but for AI curating knowledge at scale.
How to do it:
- Get featured in well-known industry publications
- Publish thought leadership from your internal experts
- Show up consistently across your digital footprint
- Prioritize being referenced, not just seen
Presence is critical and that authority is earned over time. In an AI-first world, word travels faster when you write it intentionally.
- Don't Overlook Social Signals
Social media plays a growing role in this authority-building ecosystem. In the B2B tech space especially, social platforms aren’t just for awareness – they’re where buyers discover, validate, and interact with brands long before a formal sales conversation ever happens. Here are a few other benefits your brand’s discoverability on social media helps with:
- A consistent, strategic social presence builds recognition and familiarity with decision-makers.
- Sharing industry insights, trends, and original perspectives positions your experts as trusted voices.
- Platforms like LinkedIn offer reach and authority, especially when executives and subject matter experts actively participate.
- Social sharing amplifies earned media and thought leadership, increasing your visibility footprint across channels AI models continuously monitor.
In many ways, your social presence becomes a proxy for credibility – not only with potential buyers but with the AI models scanning for patterns of trust and expertise.
- Ask the Models What They Think – Then Adjust
You don’t have to guess how AI tools are representing your brand – you can test it yourself. LLMs (like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Bing Copilot) are public-facing, and what they return reflects what they’ve learned. If your voice is missing, misrepresented, or outdated, that’s insight, not failure.
Use these tools the way your audience might. Ask real questions, observe what shows up, and close the gap with sharper, more visible content.
How to do it:
- Try out real customer questions in your LLM of choice
- See what shows up and what doesn’t
- Refresh underperforming content, reframe gaps, and publish where it counts
- Focus on channels and formats LLMs already lean on
This is where optimization becomes an ongoing practice. Visibility is more fluid than static and will evolve with every search. Keep listening, adjusting, and showing up in ways that matter.
- Big Picture: Influence the Answers
We’ve officially moved beyond the era of “being found” to having the opportunity to shape how we show up. As our targets are asking more complex questions, AI is responding with direct summaries that impact ideas and outcomes. The opportunity for brands lives in becoming a trusted part of the recommendations and results.
To get there, our content must align with how LLMs value information. Before you create a new resource, ask yourself if your content is:
- Discoverable: Easy for machines to find and parse
- Credible: Based on real expertise, not fluff
- Useful: Clear, actionable, and relevant
- Quotable: Built to be pulled into summaries and responses
Doing this will move your brand from being a signal to being a signature voice in your space.
You can’t control the conversation if you’re not in it.
Wondering how visible your brand really is in this AI-first world? We can help.
At Highwire, we help B2B brands audit their current visibility, build lasting authority, and create content that AI tools want to include.
Because in the age of instant answers, being overlooked means losing market share.
Let’s make your story the one AI wants to tell. Reach out to our team to start the conversation today.
