How to Show Up in AI Search Results

As marketing professionals and business executives know, being visible in search has long been about ranking in Google results. But a new frontier is opening: AI-powered search. More and more people are using conversational interfaces and generative-AI platforms (think ChatGPT, Perplexity, and search engines with embedded AI) to ask questions and get direct answers.

Why this matters now

• AI search traffic is growing rapidly, rewriting how people discover brands, products, and services.
• In a recent McKinsey report, the authors argue brands must “decide to invest in GEO [Generative Engine Optimization] as a core capability” because consumers are increasingly using AI-powered search as part of their decision journey.
• Unlike traditional “ten blue links” search results, AI search produces answer-style summaries, reduces click-throughs, and emphasizes citations and context over pure ranking.

Steps to show up in AI search results

Here are practical steps your organization can take to maximize visibility in AI-driven search environments:

1. Build authoritative content and brand signals

AI answer models draw from a range of sources including news articles, expert reports, corporate websites and blogs, and databases/directories – creating opportunities for marketing professionals to boost their AI search presence through earned, owned, and paid strategies.

What should marketers do? Produce expert-driven content, get quoted in reputable publications, and make sure your brand’s digital footprint signals credibility and domain authority.

2. Optimize for how AI models like to work

Rather than just keywords, AI search systems look for structured, clear, authoritative responses to questions. This means:

• Use clear headings, anticipate questions your customers will have and incorporate those questions and their answers into your content, and provide data.
• Ensure your site is crawl-able and your content is easily parsed.
• Maintain brand consistency. Your brand name and value proposition should appear clearly in anywhere AI might pull from.

3. Monitor what’s shaping AI search results and your competitors

AI search has a more transparent “source layer” than many marketers think. Agencies like Marino can track how often your brand appears in AI answer engines, how you are cited, and how you rank relative to competitors.

What should marketers do? Use tools to map your visibility in AI search, see which keywords or phrases trigger you (or competitors) in AI answers, and understand the “pathways” by which AI models select sources.

4. Integrate owned, earned and paid media strategically

Because AI search visibility is not solely about organic ranking, your strategy should combine:

• Owned media: your website, blog posts, email marketing, and social media.
• Earned media: citations in reputable news outlets, mentions in expert round-ups, guest contributions.
• Paid media: content amplification, partnerships, paid databases, or sponsored content in outlets likely to be cited by AI models.

5. Track new KPIs and refine over time

Because visibility in AI search may not always lead to a click (there may be zero-click answers), tracking needs to adapt. Look at KPIs including mention share in AI answer engines, citation frequency, how often your brand is surfaced in AI responses, and downstream conversions.

What’s the opportunity?

Many organizations are still in the early stages of adapting for AI search. That means first-mover advantage for businesses that act quickly. By building your AI-search visibility now, you can get ahead of competitors who treat only traditional SEO as their focus. The shift from search engines to generative AI for discovery is underway — and brands that prepare will benefit.

Why work with Marino for AI search intelligence

At Marino, we recognize that “showing up in AI search results” demands a strategic and integrated approach. That’s why we offer AI Search Intelligence – part of our Marino Intelligence platform – helping our clients with:

• A benchmark of how they currently appear in AI-powered search results compared to competitors.
• Analysis of what sources and signals drive those results.
• A strategic plan rooted in earned, owned and paid media to increase visibility in AI answer engines.
• Ongoing measurement, refinement and optimization of AI search presence.

If you're ready to move beyond traditional SEO and position your brand to show up when potential customers ask AI assistants for help — Marino can guide you.