Brand visibility in AI search: how to be found when no one’s searching for you

Brand visibility in AI search is fast becoming one of the biggest challenges facing modern marketers. As AI Overviews, LLMs and social platforms reshape how people discover information, the idea of a single, linear search journey is disappearing. That was the focus of our Discovered. New York event, where we brought together leaders from brand and performance to tackle a pressing question: how do you stay visible and trusted when discovery is fragmented across dozens of platforms? Our Global VP of Digital PR, Beth Nunnington, explored why brand visibility in AI search is slipping, and what marketers must do to regain control. Below, we break down the key shifts in the search landscape and the strategies brands need to stay discoverable in 2025 and beyond.  

What’s changed in the search landscape?

Over the past year, the rules of search have shifted. AI Overviews are changing how results are served, clicks are down, Google’s algorithms are more volatile than ever. And consumers are no longer following a neat, linear path. From TikTok trends to Reddit deep-dives, search journeys now sprawl across dozens of touchpoints that are messy, unpredictable, and anything but controlled. That fragmentation is the new reality. And it’s exposing a core truth: people don’t just search for brands, they search around them. They validate, compare, and explore, so if you’re not showing up with the right message, in the right places, across platforms, formats, and moments, you’re simply not part of the conversation.  

Brand visibility in AI search is no longer won at the top of the SERP

There was a time when good rankings meant trust. Today, trust is built across an ecosystem, in mentions, in conversations, in how others talk about you. Consumers use Google for intent, LLMs for explanation and social and forums for proof. Though if your brand only shows up in one of those spaces, it’s not showing up enough. Visibility isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what others say about you. And that demands consistency, relevance and recognition across channels you don’t directly control. Trust now has to be earned everywhere.  

You can’t hack SEO anymore

Let’s be clear: lazy SEO doesn’t work in 2025  (nor did it work in 2024 but many attempted it!). Link-spamming, keyword stuffing, pumping out templated AI content, it’s not just ineffective, it actively damages your brand. Google’s focus has shifted and it’s no longer just about what’s technically optimised, it’s about what’s authoritative and authentic. This means your brand’s entity, how often and where it’s mentioned, cited, and referenced across the web, is now one of the biggest drivers of search visibility. Think of it as your brand’s online digital footprint. The upside? If you’re building that entity well, you’re not just winning on Google. You’re winning in ChatGPT, in SGE and you’re future-proofing yourself across the entire discovery ecosystem.  

Measurement has changed

SEO success used to be measured in links and traffic. But in a multi-platform, AI-first world, that’s no longer enough. We need a wider lens, and that’s where frameworks like DARRE come in. It breaks down a brand’s digital footprint into five measurable pillars: Demand, Authority, Relevance, Reputation, and Engagement. We’ve run this analysis across 60 industries, and found a clear pattern. Brands with strong digital signals (mentions, sentiment, authorship, topical relevance) don’t just rank better. They show up more often in AI Overviews, answer boxes, and LLM responses. This is brand visibility as performance, but the best part? It’s earned, not bought.  

Digital PR isn’t an add-on: it’s your edge

When done right, digital PR is the bridge between brand and performance. It earns trust signals that algorithms value and consumers notice, gets your brand featured where your audience is already looking and it drives the kind of measurable growth that brands can actually take to the boardroom. Our client, a leading US insurance brand, saw a 508% lift in non-branded traffic and more conversions in two months than the entire previous year by leaning into an expert-led digital PR strategy. For our client Inspired Taste, its ranking increased by 440 positions all by running a smart, socially sharable campaign tied to real product searches.  

If you’re not building brand equity online, you’re falling behind

The platforms and algorithms are changing. But the direction of travel is consistent: trust, relevance, and earned visibility are the new levers of growth. That’s why digital PR, entity optimisation, and holistic brand building aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore, they’re survival strategies. So ask yourself: how strong is your brand’s online entity? Where are you earning trust, and where are you invisible? If you’re unsure, we offer a free DARRE (Demand Authority Relevance Reputation) audit to benchmark your brand visibility in AI search and uncover growth opportunities. In a world where every search result is a recommendation engine, being top of mind and easy to find is no longer optional, it’s your competitive advantage.  

Connect with the team

If you’d like to explore how these insights could work for your brand, get in touch with our team.