There is no doubt that AI is transforming the world of marketing, but what does that really mean for how people search, click, and buy online?
In Verkeer’s first AI in Search webinar, we explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping digital strategy and what businesses can do to stay competitive. We hosted the session early in the UK morning so that our clients and partners in the UAE could join live and take part in the discussion.
This blog covers the key insights, statistics, and practical steps you can start applying today to keep your brand ahead in an AI-driven search landscape.
AI is not just changing the tools and tactics we use; it is transforming consumer behaviour, platform algorithms, and the way people make decisions in everyday life.
Consider these powerful stats:
These shifts aren’t just technical. They’re emotional, cultural, and behavioural. The way people research, choose, and engage with brands has fundamentally changed.
Traditional search behaviour is giving way to AI-driven discovery. Instead of typing specific queries into a search bar, people are now encountering content through AI-powered feeds, smart recommendations, and voice assistants.
For marketers, this means:
From product suggestions to video recommendations and social media algorithms, AI is deeply embedded across every touchpoint of the customer journey. You’re no longer competing just for clicks; you’re competing for algorithmic visibility.
The idea that AI will kill creativity or automate marketers out of existence is, frankly, outdated. Yes, a recent study showed that 92 million jobs may be displaced by AI and automation globally by 2030, but 170 million new roles are expected to be created.
The takeaway? It’s not about replacement. It’s about evolution.
You should think of AI as a junior team member, capable of speeding up tasks, generating ideas, and offering new perspectives, but still requiring human oversight, ethics, and judgement. Some practical examples she shared include:
And crucially: AI is only as creative as the humans training it.
Poor inputs = poor outputs.
Stay curious. The worst thing we can do in the world of AI is stand still. This is not a passing trend or something that only applies to others. The only way to stay ahead is to keep testing, keep improving, and keep learning every single day. It is not about waiting for change to happen, but about being part of it and evolving with it.
AI is transforming how SEO, paid search, and digital visibility operate, reshaping both strategies and measures of success. Let’s take a closer look.
35% of Gen Z and 19% of millennials now use AI platforms like ChatGPT as their first stop for research. Google is still dominant, but it’s no longer the only gatekeeper.
And the Google we do know? It’s evolving fast. With AI Overviews now taking up 42% of desktop screen space and 48% on mobile, traditional listings are being pushed down, often below the fold.
The result?
We have seen a decreasing click through rate for organic results. But. the thing is, we are starting to see that people who click, the quality of those clicks, is better because people are engaging more with the content.”
For many brands, this has become a double-whammy: declining SEO traffic and higher paid media costs.
The answer: not at all, but it has changed.
The old tricks that once let marketers game Google’s system are long gone. Real SEO has always been about delivering value to searchers, and that hasn’t changed, but the way people search, and the platforms they use, has. Search is no longer concentrated in one place, so the challenge now is showing up wherever your audience is looking.
We’re now entering the era of GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation.
GEO is a framework that builds on SEO fundamentals but shifts focus toward being referenced by AI-generated answers, rather than just ranking for them. That means:
Paid search still matters, but it’s changing too. Google’s latest campaign type, AI Max, promises results based on user intent rather than keywords. If it delivers on its promise, it could radically change how paid media is planned, but it requires testing and learning time to train the system effectively.
Smart strategies for paid in an AI-first world:
The brands that win in this new environment won’t just show up on Google. They’ll be visible everywhere discovery happens.
That means showing up:
Search is no longer a gateway. It’s just one touchpoint in a dispersed discovery ecosystem. Your strategy needs to reflect that. We need to expand our mindset, expand our reach, and check all the new platforms where people are searching.
Here’s what every marketer needs to remember:
AI won’t replace you. But someone who knows how to use AI to deliver more might.
If you missed the webinar or want to explore how these trends apply to your business, get in touch with us, and we’ll chat through the changes with you. We’re always happy to talk tactics, test new ideas, or help you reimagine your search strategy for the AI era.