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Brand management and search have long enjoyed a steady relationship with clear expectations. That was the old search. Today, AI has changed the status to "It's Complicated."
At the recent Ragan Communications AI Horizons Conference, Brian Snyder, Global President of Digital at Axicom, brilliantly articulated how technology has transformed search engines into answer engines. As he spoke, I watched the audience nod with recognition, wondering how this will impact their brands.
My take? This is a new relationship dynamic in which authentic expertise will outweigh polished marketing – creating challenges and opportunities for forward-thinking brands.
The New Rules of Engagement
AI search doesn’t just rank links, it delivers answers. It pulls from authoritative, well-structured, frequently updated, and widely cited sources, meaning if your content isn’t optimized for AI’s retrieval process, your brand’s story could be shaped more by third parties than by you.
Instead of simply directing users to your content, AI now interprets, synthesizes, and presents information in response to queries. While it doesn’t ignore your brand’s messaging, it prioritizes what’s widely available and verifiable, regardless of how carefully you’ve crafted your narrative.
This creates a new challenge: if AI tells your brand’s story, does it align with your vision and values? That depends on the quality, consistency, and credibility of the information AI finds about you online.
This shift isn’t just an SEO problem, it’s a brand management issue. It requires a strategic, leadership-driven approach to ensure AI-generated content reflects your brand accurately and positions you as an authority in your space.
In a rush? Download the Cheat Sheet right now!
Five Strategic Adaptations
1. Map Your AI Presence
Understand how AI currently perceives your brand by conducting a comprehensive audit:
- Ask various AI search tools specific questions about your brand, products, and industry positioning
- Document whether information is factually correct and captures your brand's nuances
- Identify gaps, mischaracterizations, or areas where important context is missing
This assessment isn't about finding negative information to suppress but identifying incomplete or inaccurate representations that need addressing.
2. Speak Both Languages
Create content that serves both human and AI needs by prioritizing:
- Structured data using schema.org markup
- Clear hierarchical information with proper HTML headings
- Tables with labeled columns and rows
- Explicit definitions with consistent terminology
- Semantic HTML that identifies content types
3. Optimize Your Images for AI Search
AI-driven search doesn’t just process text—it reads and interprets image alt text to determine relevance and context. Descriptive, keyword-rich alt text can improve discoverability in AI-generated results if your brand relies on visuals like infographics, product images, or executive headshots. To optimize effectively:
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Be specific and strategic – Instead of generic labels like "CEO speaking at event," use a more descriptive phrase like "Cybersecurity expert discussing AI-driven threats at the 2024 Tech Leadership Summit."
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Align with your brand’s key themes – Ensure alt text reinforces the same messaging and expertise reflected in your other content.
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Keep it concise yet meaningful – prioritize key details in the first 125 characters.
Refining how your brand’s images are labeled increases the likelihood that AI-generated search results accurately represent your expertise.
Pro Tip: Have generative AI draft your alt text to ensure it fits the optimized character count. Here's the alt text for this post's hero image: 'Neon pink sign reading 'IT'S COMPLICATED' on a gray wall, symbolizing complexity in decision-making, relationships, or technology.'
4. Correct and Contribute
When you identify factual errors about your brand in AI-generated content:- Document the specific inaccuracy with evidence
- Correct misinformation on your controlled platforms
- Reach out to third-party platforms where appropriate
- Consider creating dedicated "Fact Check" pages that address common misconceptions
Simultaneously, position your organization as the authoritative voice by:
- Identifying your genuine areas of expertise
- Empowering internal experts to publish specialized content
- Creating opportunities for contribution to industry publications
- Documenting your unique methodologies
Remember that addressing factual inaccuracies fundamentally differs from suppressing unflattering truths—the former strengthens credibility, while the latter undermines it.
5. Establish Ethical Boundaries
While existing brand governance policies define messaging consistency and reputation management, they may not fully account for how AI platforms interpret, modify, or misrepresent brand identity. To maintain accuracy and integrity:
- Monitor AI-generated brand representation by reviewing search results, knowledge panels (The information box on the right side of Google search results on desktop or at the top on mobile), and automated content summaries for inconsistencies or mischaracterizations.
- Adapt governance policies to explicitly address AI-driven brand representation, ensuring they include clear guidelines and a reporting process for identifying and correcting inaccuracies.
- Start with a workshop – Gather legal, communications, marketing, and ethics teams to evaluate how AI represents the brand, define acceptable AI-driven brand positioning, and create escalation protocols for misinformation.
- Document AI-specific governance in an "AI Content Influence Framework" – Outline governance updates, monitoring responsibilities, and response strategies tailored to AI-driven representations.
- Establish quarterly AI brand reviews – Since AI-generated content evolves rapidly, regularly assess search-driven AI outputs, sentiment shifts, and emerging AI-generated content trends to refine policies.
By extending governance to AI-driven brand representation, your organization can ensure that AI portrays the brand accurately, responsibly, and in alignment with corporate values, just as human-controlled messaging does.
Turn Disruption into Advantage
This relationship status update may feel challenging, but it offers an opportunity to distinguish your brand through substance rather than style. While AI capabilities continue to develop, certain principles remain constant: authentic expertise, factual accuracy, and genuine value creation ultimately win out over polished messaging alone.
Organizations that adapt thoughtfully will build stronger, more resilient brand narratives while finding new audiences.
Want Help Adapting to This New Relationship Status?
About Expera Consulting
At Expera Consulting, we help organizations turn their AI ambitions into reality. Led by AI strategists Catherine Richards and Bob Mitton, we specialize in AI strategy, implementation, and governance—ensuring organizations of all sizes adopt AI in a secure, responsible, and high-impact way. With deep experience in cybersecurity, privacy, and regulation, we focus on practical, results-driven AI solutions that drive business value.
AI Search & Brand Management: Quick FAQ
How does AI search impact brand visibility?
AI search doesn’t just rank links—it delivers direct answers by pulling from widely available sources. If your brand’s content isn’t optimized for AI search, others may shape your brand’s story instead of you controlling the message.
How can I check how AI perceives my brand?
Ask AI-powered search tools (Google SGE, ChatGPT, Perplexity AI) direct questions about your company, products, and industry positioning. Compare the responses to your brand messaging and identify any inaccuracies or gaps.
What can I do if AI search presents incorrect information about my company?
First, document the inaccuracies. Then, correct them on your owned platforms (website, press releases, etc.) and trusted third-party sources (Wikipedia, industry publications). AI updates its responses over time based on authoritative content.
How do I optimize my content for AI search?
Structure your content using clear headings (H1, H2, H3), schema markup, alt text for images, and well-defined product or service descriptions. AI prioritizes structured, authoritative, and frequently updated information.
What’s the best way to take control of my brand’s AI presence?
Download the AI Search Brand Audit Cheat Sheet to assess, measure, and optimize how AI presents your brand. Need expert guidance? Visit Expera Consulting to explore how we can help.
AI search is already shaping your brand’s story—let’s make sure it’s the right one. Expera Consulting helps organizations become discoverable, credible, and AI-ready. Let’s talk.