The right marketing strategy isn't simply about achieving AI visibility, but rather about creating the most effective advertising mix possible. Why?
Achieving AI visibility requires a tremendous amount of work, and even if your site is cited in the answer to a query, the likelihood of the user clicking through to your page is very low.
Although tools for measuring AI visibility are being developed—with solutions like QuoteMarker already available—numerous studies indicate that click-through rates for AI-cited content are lower than those historically seen with Google Ads.
Here is, for example, the SISTRIX research, in which the situation in Germany was researched. They came to this result:
"AI Overviews are displayed for around 20% of keywords in Germany
The CTR at position 1 drops from 27% to 11%, a loss of almost 60%
AI Overviews cost 265 million organic clicks per month in Germany
The average click loss across all keywords stands at 6.6%
The impact varies greatly by industry: from 1% to over 24% click loss
Biggest absolute loser in Germany: Wikipedia with 31.6 million clicks per month
Biggest proportional losers in Germany: Specialized health portals with over 30%"
How have search habits changed?
I have a system administrator friend who used to have a negative opinion of AI. Then, one day, he admitted that he had grown to love AI-generated summaries because they instantly tell him what a component does, saving him from having to sift through foreign-language search results to find the right one.
I also have a relative who is a medical researcher; initially, while he acknowledged the convenience of an AI search tool instantly retrieving the specific professional article that used to require a lengthy search, he actually enjoyed the process of searching itself. A year later, however, he was enthusiastically explaining how much faster and easier the AI search tool made his research work.
The bottom line is this: people have become accustomed to using AI because it allows them to gain deeper knowledge more quickly.
So why is the CTR lower?
Because, in most cases, the summaries provide users with sufficient answers.
It follows that they do not search any further—unless...
What will take the place of GEO?
GEO is a trendy practice these days, but it is becoming increasingly futile. There are two reasons for this:
- 1. AI search summaries are getting better and evolving nicely.
- 2. The links do not draw attention to themselves; they are positioned so discreetly that they escape notice.
How can you capture attention through AI search results?
Only through advertising. Since this field is still in its infancy, it is difficult to find reliable data comparing the click-through rates (CTR) of ads placed in ChatGPT or the new Google Ads against the click-through rates for content linked within search engine responses; however, one thing is certain: visual ads always attract more attention than text-based ones.
So, why is it worth switching to an advertising mix?
When advertising is the chosen strategy, it is worth investigating whether advertising on previous online platforms might be more effective. Every company must find the answer to this question for itself. Although industry-wide statistics exist, they may not yield the same results for your specific product as the broad averages found in such research.
If you have been active online for some time, you likely have statistics that you can analyze to determine the most effective advertising mix. However, if you are working with a limited budget, you have a great opportunity.
How to advertise if the budget is small?
How do you advertise on a small budget? An old method is set to make a comeback. You need to create something for social media that spreads virally—a very difficult task. Advertising agencies aren't the right fit for this; it requires an idea and a moment of inspiration. It follows, then, that the most realistic approach is to factor advertising costs into your pricing strategy right from the start. Whether this will drive up the prices of digital products and services is a topic for another a post.
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