Tag: Visibility

Mastering Pre-Search Visibility: The SEO Pyramid Guide

I’ve come to realize that my buyers often have a shortlist in mind even before hitting Google. It’s fascinating how these pre-search decisions form. Here’s my take on how I influence those vital conversations that put my brand on that list.

The customer journey used to kick off with a simple search, but it’s evolved beyond that point. By the time potential buyers type a query into Google, they usually have some brands in mind. They’ve watched Instagram Reels featuring a product repeatedly, read threads on Reddit with unanimous recommendations, and seen similar endorsements in Facebook groups.

Google is now more of a confirmation tool than a starting point. When someone searches, they’re looking to confirm their assumptions, not to browse aimlessly.

The key question is, did my brand make it onto their mental shortlist before they began searching? In most cases, being visible on comparison platforms is crucial for this.

So, where is this shortlist actually built? Peer-driven decisions are made in various industry-specific environments

By the time these interactions prompt a Google search, choices are often boiled down to specific comparisons like “brand X review” or “brand X vs. brand Y.” Being mentioned in those off-SERP discussions is usually more influential than ranking for a head term.

It’s worth noting that platforms like Reddit won’t hold the spotlight forever as visibility there is inherently temporary. Yet the basic behavior remains constant: people ask their peers before consulting search engines. My strategy focuses more on participating in these conversations rather than just chasing trending platforms.

Dig deeper into strategies to ensure pre-search visibility and why your brand might not be included in AI recommendation sets.

The two objectives of search everywhere optimization, or SEvO, form the backbone of my campaigns:

Direct visibility ensures my brand appears where buyers are narrowing options, measurable by direct search traffic and specific branded queries. Engine comprehension, on the other hand, leverages each brand mention next to relevant problems or solutions to enhance AI system recommendations.

Steve Jobs famously said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.” I can’t see how these efforts gel until they start appearing in AI responses and the buyer conversations.

To measure effectively, I keep tabs on things like brand mention volume and trends in branded searches. These indicators suggest that pre-click visibility is working.

When it comes to Search Everywhere Optimization, the strategy I use is all about getting discovered where my buyers spend time, even before they think to search for brands like mine.

The Search Everywhere Optimization Pyramid organizes my efforts:

The groundwork is Audience Platform Research, guiding me to where my customers are likely making their decisions.

Setting up effective alert systems is key to knowing when relevant topics surface, helping me know when my brand should join the conversation.

Next up comes credibility through industry publications, earning my brand recognition in places potential buyers trust.

Then I focus on distribution, ensuring my content reaches my audiences effectively and keeps them engaged.

Finally, I create and refine my own content to support everything from below, nudging my brand into view when buyers are in that crucial decision-making phase.

Understanding that conversation is ongoing helps me navigate future shifts, even as specific platforms rise and fall in popularity.

If my goal is making it to the buyer’s shortlist, I need to ensure visibility not just on SERPs but across all the web spaces they engage with. Through consistent and deliberate steps, the pyramid ensures that my brand is more than just a search result — it’s part of the discussion.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 21, 2026
Boost Your Brand’s AI Recommendations with Clarity and Relevance

Over the past few years, I’ve been inundated with advice on generative engine optimization (GEO) – everything from AI citation checklists to technical guides for structuring content for large language models.

Most GEO guidance revolves around a key premise: To be visible in AI-generated answers, your content must be structured, authoritative, and easy to extract.

In my view, this advice, while valuable, falls short if your brand isn’t yet eligible for consideration in AI-generated results.

The underlying assumption is that ticking those boxes makes your brand eligible for AI-generated answers. However, many brands overlook the fact that they aren’t even being considered.

To get past this hurdle, we need to address an underappreciated factor that many GEO enthusiasts miss.

Traditional SEO has taught us to seek visibility through rankings, believing that higher rankings translate into more clicks and better outcomes. Many have now adapted this mindset to AI, aiming for citations or inclusions in AI-generated answers.

However, AI systems don’t just rank; they filter and select entities based on signals, determining eligibility before weighing options.

Without eligibility, many brands risk being excluded from the AI recommendation set right from the start.

Brands often misprioritize, focusing on extractability before establishing clarity, which results in missed opportunities.

It’s critical to understand the difference between qualification (being eligible to join the candidate set) and selection (being chosen from that set).

AI-driven search changes the game. While traditional SEO ranks pages, AI selects entities, such as branded products and concepts, interconnected in a web of knowledge.

This shift means we must prioritize entities over pages. An entity might excel in traditional search yet remain ambiguous in AI-generated answers.

Common issues lie in clarity and relevance. AI systems ask: Can I identify and associate this entity accurately?

If definitions are inconsistent across platforms or names vary, brands struggle to pass this threshold.

Clarity is the cornerstone. When AI or search engines see your brand, clarity allows them to understand exactly who you are.

For example, when I noticed my common name, Mariana Franco, was causing confusion, I changed it to “Maryanna.” This helped ensure that my identity was distinct and recognizable to AI systems.

By consistently using this unique name variant across all my online assets, I reduced ambiguity within a week, making it easier for systems to recognize me as an entity.

Relevance is another crucial factor. Does the web associate your brand with relevant topics consistently and strongly?

This involves appearing alongside related entities, demonstrating expertise through in-depth content, and being referenced by well-known entities in your field.

Once qualified, a brand becomes part of the candidate pool, applying GEO strategies to increase the chance of selection.

Credibility becomes vital at this stage. You need corroboration from reputable sources to enhance your credibility.

Multiple credible mentions and appearances in media, reports, and podcasts bolster your visibility and reliability.

Extractability, or how easily an AI can generate answers from your content, is crucial once in the candidate set.

To ensure extractability, organize your content clearly, prioritizing concise, context-independent answers.

Testing your brand’s appearance in AI tools can reveal whether you’re recognized or recommended. A search using ‘best [your category]’ illuminates inclusion gaps.

If AI recognizes your brand but doesn’t recommend it, focus on building selection signals — credibility and extractability.

For comprehensive visibility, prioritize clarity and relevance to ensure eligibility, then focus on credibility and extractability to strengthen your standing.

Start by ensuring name consistency and clarity — the foundation of being recognized as a distinct entity.

Your About page should explicitly define your brand, utilizing schema to integrate into AI systems.

In AI’s expanding landscape, qualified entities will thrive, making consistent clarity and corroboration more critical than ever.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 13, 2026
Boosting Brand Authority: The Key to Winning in AI Search

I’ve discovered a fascinating truth about search in the age of AI: brand authority often outshines topical authority. The landscape of search has shifted, and it’s time for us to adapt.

While topical authority remains a beloved concept among SEO consultants pitching content, brand authority holds the reins in today’s AI-driven search landscape. Marketers have long discussed brand authority, though it was often dismissed or left to brand teams post-sitemap adjustments.

AI’s emergence has upended the traditional approach, revealing underlying issues. Search is crucial for the global economy, and the industry’s marketing approach needs re-examination. More content doesn’t automatically confer authority. In fact, AI search champions brands gaining notable visibility, mentions, and real demand.

Too many SEOs overlook the reasons people choose, trust, and remember brands. In this new world of AI search, such ignorance stands out even more. That’s why brand authority prevails—but not in the way our typical SEO tools might suggest.

Previously, the meaning of topical authority was intended to highlight genuine expertise through useful work, citations from others, and a growing associated reputation. This builds your brand’s association with a topic, which in turn, creates authority and fosters brand development.

However, the industry often marketed topical authority commercially, emphasizing volume over value. Technical SEO became a niche, links were outsourced or repackaged, but content was the consistent agency engine.

Pre-AI, this made sense. Creating good content involved rigorous processes and offered substantial value, earning rankings and supporting commercial interests. In contrast, topical authority introduced the misguided idea that mere keyword coverage equated to expertise, diluting the concept’s original intent.

Another intriguing aspect of authority is understanding what others say about you, rather than solely focusing on self-published content. Google’s Jun Wu highlighted the importance of ‘mention information’—how search engines discern topics, identify sources, and map relationships.

Our modern term for this is brand co-occurrence. Being consistently mentioned by authoritative sites and communities solidifies your brand’s association with a topic, elevating market perception and authority.

Many might pitch the concept of topical authority as building a comprehensive keyword strategy, but actual authority requires originating valuable data and sharing insights that engage audiences and capture media attention.

The changing economic landscape of AI means that traditional advertising methods through content must evolve. With AI offering direct answers, the value of certain traditional SEO practices is diminishing. Users, like my AI-liking father, prefer quick, synthesized information over cumbersome web browsing.

The rise of AI citations in search metrics has become a focus, but they differ from authentic human endorsements. Real influence is reflected through human testimonies, where your brand is discussed, cited, and recommended.

If measuring brand authority, brand searches present a clearer indicator of growth. If more people search specifically for your brand, it signals rising demand and market presence—a more accurate reflection of impact than solely relying on AI citations.

Traditional SEO still plays a role, ensuring you’re found where it matters—be it in search rankings or marketplaces. Yet, brand authority distinctly drives recommendations, and AI search is starting to favor consolidated options, often mentioning specific brands and solutions.

The future echoes the demand for meaningful engagement and widespread brand visibility. Though SEO isn’t dead, a simplistic keyword-centric approach is fading. A holistic approach integrating positioning, PR, reviews, and content as interconnected elements is pivotal.

In an era where fitness and visibility are equal determinants of success, brands must excel in products and services while ensuring their market presence is robust and omnipresent. After all, brand authority is what truly wins, confirming that mediocrity no longer warrants attention.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 4, 2026
Boost Visibility: Build Trust for Lasting Impact

Every day, I notice how our attention becomes more fragmented as new information platforms emerge.

With entrants like AI search and proprietary spaces on social networks, we’re bombarded by noise from every direction.

In this deluge of information, trust is slipping, even in previously reliable sources like search engines and social media.

In times of uncertainty, we revert to the most timeless source of trust: other people. To be visible, I must appear across multiple platforms, especially those led by people.

Search is a trust experience

Rachel Botsman, a trust expert, defines trust as “a confident relationship with the unknown.” It’s the element we rely on when facing uncertainty.

As humans, I search for information when uncertain, relying on three layers of trust: self-trust, platform trust, and source trust.

The entire search process hinges on trust, and the most effective support comes from other humans.

An example of my own search journey to find a trusted answer

Recently, I decided to buy new shoes. My search began with AI tools, where I conducted low-trust research using ChatGPT and Claude.

Seeking high trust in pricing and delivery, I turned to Amazon for reviews and pricing, then to Google for deeper insights from Reddit and YouTube.

Bombarded by low-trust social media ads, I finalised my decision with high-trust recommendations from friends and a local running shop.

Search journeys now span dozens of platforms and sources

Research by Yext found that 75% of consumers use more platforms now than a year ago, but only 10% trust the first result. Reflecting on my 65-source journey, most were people-led, matching a trend in professional decision-making.

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer reinforces that amidst rising uncertainty, people seek advice from those they trust most.

So how do you turn trust into visibility?

To influence someone’s search journey, I aim to appear on all information-searching platforms and in as many people-led sources as possible.

Start by earning mentions in people-led spaces and build genuine trust. This naturally leads to visibility on major platforms.

For instance, Adidas Terrex was visible at every touchpoint in my journey, reflecting its active engagement and trust-building with consumers.

Through events and community initiatives, Adidas fosters engagement, enhancing visibility through hashtags and social platform mentions.

Where to go to earn people’s trust
Building relationships lays the foundation for trust. I start by engaging in communities, events, social media, and forums where genuine conversations occur.

Select places with active, two-way communication where you can authentically connect and build a trustworthy presence.

How to engage in trust-building spaces

The priority is helping, not selling. I listen first to understand what people need, then engage meaningfully to build trust.

Start by listening, not talking

Before jumping in, I learn what ‘helpful’ means in the specific space and identify how I can support the community’s needs.

Engage to build trust

Building trust takes time and involves personalized interactions and consistent presence as a genuine individual, not as a brand representative.

Turn conversations into scalable trust

Using insights from personal interactions, I create scalable assets that support people’s aspirations, reinforcing trust on a larger scale.

For example, a guest-posting program for professionals looking to amplify their personal brand can be a powerful tool for fostering trust.

What does this actually look like in action?

In my journey from marketing to community building, I experienced firsthand how focusing on helping rather than selling leads to building trust and achieving visibility.

By listening and engaging with genuine support, an SEO SaaS partner grew visibility in our community, resulting in substantial business impact.

Building trust is a long-term visibility bet

Trust persists as a critical factor in information seeking. By embedding trust-building into my business strategies, I ensure lasting visibility across current and future platforms.

Remember, prioritizing trust preserves visibility beyond algorithms, creating enduring presence in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 22, 2026
Evading AI’s ‘Bland Tax’: How to Maintain Brand Visibility
When I think about brand visibility today, it’s clear that being chosen by AI systems is crucial. Authority, unique insights, and consistent signals now determine if my brand makes the cut.

I’ve realized that AI isn’t just reshaping search; it’s deciding which brands are seen and which are ignored.

I learned from Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush, at the Adobe Summit that visibility is evolving fundamentally, and our brands risk being systematically filtered out by AI systems.

“The idea of standing out is no longer optional. There’s a real risk of sameness,” he pointed out.

With AI systems deciding what to highlight and what to ignore, I know I must compete more fiercely for visibility in AI-generated answers.

AI is Changing How Discovery Works

The change is evident in the data: 60% of Google searches now end without a click to a website. People are still seeking information but aren’t always visiting websites. They’re getting their answers directly from AI systems like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT.

These AI systems have become, as Warden described, the “new gatekeepers.”

This shift ushers us into the agentic era, where AI systems act as intermediaries, guiding users from inquiry to decision in one seamless interface.

Meanwhile, user behavior is evolving. People engage more in conversational environments, posing follow-up questions, refining queries, and surveying options within the interface, all resulting in fewer clicks but often attracting higher-intent users.

Warden noted that consumers using LLMs convert at least four times higher than those relying solely on search.

SEO is the Foundation

Despite some claims that AI could replace search, Warden reassured us that SEO is not dead.

SEO has become more foundational than ever. It’s essential to ensure my brand exists in the data layer AI systems rely on.

Warden emphasized, “SEO isn’t just for humans anymore. This is a training manual for AI right now.”

This involves ensuring:
- Crawlability
- Indexability
- Structured data
- Authority signals
Without these, my brand won’t appear at all.

Research backs this up: 94% of Google AI Overviews cite at least one top organic result, reaffirming that traditional search signals still support AI outcomes.

The Rise of the ‘Bland Tax’

One striking concept from the session was what Warden dubbed the “bland tax.”

AI conditions itself to overlook blandness, causing generic or repetitive content to vanish.

If I’m generic, Warden warned I’m perceived as average, and if I’m bland, I’m effectively invisible.

AI systems don’t reward sameness. Rather than highlighting my brand, they often condense similar content into a single, attribution-lacking response.

“This is an invisible penalty,” Warden noted.

The consequences manifest in several ways:
- My brand identity gets erased in AI-generated summaries
- My content is filtered out as low-value
- My work becomes training data for AI without offering visibility to my brand
“You also become a free training ground for LLMs,” he said.

What Visibility Depends On

Warden redefined brand visibility as a blend of:
- Discoverability: Can LLMs easily find me?
- Authority: Do they trust my brand enough to include it?
“You absolutely need both,” Warden asserted.

SEO ensures I’m discoverable. Authority determines whether my brand shows up in AI-generated responses.

Without authority, I risk turning into a “commodity that isn’t worth being mentioned.”

How to Win: Three Key Signals

Warden outlined three crucial areas determining whether my brand appears or gets filtered out:

1. Entity Authority

AI systems map entities and relationships, and they must recognize my brand as an authority on a topic.

One key signal is brand demand. If people aren’t seeking out my brand, neither will AI.

Strong brands emphasize their authority across various platforms—owned content, media exposure, and community discussions—demonstrating their niche.

2. Information Density and Originality

AI systems prioritize content that offers new insights. It’s vital to not just publish content but contribute something meaningful.

They emphasize new facts with proprietary data, original research, unique perspectives, and expert insights.

According to Warden, original insights can enhance visibility by 30 to 40%.

3. Signal Alignment

AI evaluates not just what I convey but also what others say about my brand.

This includes reviews, discussions on platforms like Reddit and YouTube, media mentions, and customer conversations.

Warden warned that conflicting signals could prompt AI to flag my brand as unreliable.

Consistency across these channels creates what he called a “consensus signal” that AI systems can trust.

Why Most Organizations Aren’t Ready

One of our biggest challenges is organizational, as visibility isn’t just a channel issue; it’s an organizational one.

Currently, responsibilities are fragmented. SEO teams focus solely on rankings, PR and brand teams manage messaging, and growth teams conduct experiments. This leaves no one clearly owning AI visibility.

This fragmentation leads to inconsistent signals and missed opportunities for us.

To truly compete, we need alignment across teams, working on a shared strategy about how my brand appears wherever LLMs gather data.

The Measurement Problem

Meanwhile, traditional performance metrics are unraveling.

Many marketers, including myself, notice a gap where rankings hold steady, but traffic declines. Meanwhile, leads might increase, yet attribution remains murky.

Warden explained that demand remains, but traffic no longer serves as its proxy. Our content is utilized, but not in ways directing users back to us.

This creates a growing disparity between impact and the ability to measure that impact accurately.

From Rankings to Relevance

The nature of competition has evolved. I’m no longer vying for a mere position; instead, I’m competing to be featured in a synthesized AI answer.

Authority, once easier to influence, now hinges on external validation—emphasizing what others say over what I publish.

Algorithms have shifted from being my allies to arbiters of meaning, marking a significant change in search dynamics since Google itself emerged.

The New Rules of Brand Visibility

AI has not altered what makes a brand strong but has transformed how that strength is measured and rewarded. The brands that win today will build real authority in a focused niche, publish original and high-value content, and ensure consistent messaging across every platform.

The need for consistent third-party validation across an ecosystem is paramount.

As Warden urged, I must make it impossible for LLMs to ignore my brand.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
April 21, 2026
Mastering AI Search: Elevate Your News Content Beyond Clicks

As someone deeply immersed in the world of SEO and content creation, I’ve seen firsthand how the landscape has shifted in 2026. It’s no longer just about racking up page views and clicks; brand awareness has become the star of the show. The game has evolved with the rise of multimodal search, and I’m excited to share how we can adapt to meet audiences wherever they are.

AI platforms are now a crucial traffic source that publishers like us must embrace. If we’re to stay relevant, we must engage with Google’s AI Overviews, chatbots, and other emerging technologies. Thankfully, utility news content still plays an essential role in connecting with audience needs.

So, what exactly is utility news content? It’s service journalism designed to provide simple, straightforward answers to top-line questions. Answer engine optimization (AEO) is a similar concept that’s gainign traction, encouraging readers to reflect on what a topic means and how it applies to their lives.

We must remember, simplicity is not stupidity. It’s about listening to the audience and crafting content that resonates. Gone are the days of setting evergreen content and forgetting it. Today’s strategies require more engagement.

To harness the full potential of utility news content, it’s vital to plan for evergreen targets with trend forecasting, track news closely, refresh explainers, create new content where gaps exist, and recirculate resources appropriately. Tracking performance and consolidating articles into libraries for review is also key.

Examples of traditional utility news content include checklists, FAQs, and “Everything to know about” guides. These formats prove that simple, straightforward content serves readers well by addressing their needs during critical windows.

During my time as SEO Director at ESPN, I led initiatives that put fan-forward queries at the forefront. This taught me valuable lessons in making utility content shine in a newsroom environment.

Lee Corso's impressive College GameDay record stands at 286-144, highlighting his expertise in game predictions since 1996.

In today’s world of zero-click search, some worry that service journalism may not seem as valuable. However, it’s not just about traffic—our responsibility is to provide accurate, credible information.

Performance metrics have shifted to emphasize overall brand visibility alongside page views and clicks. In 2026, search strategists need to focus on AI Overview placements, featured snippets, and other forms of visibility to ensure success.

Personalization features are becoming more prominent, and they offer publishers an opportunity to strengthen brand loyalty. By guiding readers to select your brand as a preferred source, you can enhance your visibility and engagement.

In summary, utility news content still wins by prioritizing audience needs and evolving in step with technological advancements. Let’s stay committed to delivering accurate and engaging information as the future unfolds.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 20, 2026