AI search—sometimes called GEO by VCs—is becoming the latest obsession in digital marketing. At its simplest, it’s the act of people asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini for answers instead of typing into Google, a new layer built on top of traditional search. The mechanics are fascinating: when a user asks an AI a question, the model explodes that query into dozens of derivative searches, scrapes the web (usually pages already ranking on Google 1–3), pulls thousands of results into its context window, and then synthesizes an answer. That’s why marketers are seeing strange, 50-character-plus queries pop up in Search Console—evidence that it’s the AI, not humans, doing the searching.
For now, it’s fair to call AI search both hype and opportunity. Google searches are still rising, AI chat searches are growing, but volumes are tiny in comparison. Yet the buyers it produces are gold. They’re so well-researched by the time they land on a vendor site that conversion rates skyrocket from the typical 1–2% to 10–40%. This makes AI search particularly valuable for categories with long purchasing decision cycles—software companies, local services like roofing or HVAC, or niche e-commerce brands with cult-like followings or high-ticket items. For low-consideration, impulse buys, the value is negligible.
Winning in AI search isn’t about tricking algorithms—it’s about surface area and mentions. If AI is scraping a thousand pages and your brand appears in 40% of them, you’ll be recommended far more often than if you’re on half a percent. That means getting onto every listicle, every “best tools for X” roundup, and ensuring your name shows up across the sites AI leans on. Agencies can step into this gap right now: track which URLs AI is referencing with tools like PromptWatch or Profound, then run outreach campaigns to secure brand inclusions. It’s expensive—placements can cost $500 a link—but the payoff is twofold: immediate visibility in AI answers and stronger backlinks that boost classic SEO.
For agencies, this opens up a new revenue stream. Clients already ask about “AI optimization” without knowing what it really means. Agencies that can demystify the process—mapping where AI pulls from, negotiating inclusions, amplifying mentions, and balancing spend with domain authority building—will position themselves as indispensable partners. This is especially powerful because AI search optimization delivers results much faster than traditional SEO. Done right, agencies can show impact in 24 hours, not 6 months, making it an attractive upsell alongside ongoing SEO retainers.
Of course, there are risks. AI search remains tiny compared to Google, and traffic can vanish overnight with a model update. It’s platform-risk territory, just like social algorithms or influencer deals. The smart play for agencies is not to replace SEO or PPC with AI search but to add it as a specialized, high-conversion layer. Think of it as influencer marketing—except the influencer is an AI model deciding who gets visibility.
So, is AI search the new Google? Not yet. But it’s not noise either. For agencies, it’s a chance to ride the wave early, secure wins for clients with research-heavy products, and prove they understand where the future of search is heading. Those who adapt now will be the ones setting case studies tomorrow.