To stay relevant, organisations need to understand how AI search works and how to build authority in this new landscape.
Fewer Clicks, More Direct Answers
Instead of generating a list of blue links, AI search systems create conversational responses. This means fewer clicks to websites and more reliance on AI’s interpretation of trusted sources.
Authority Over Volume
With AI, authority matters more than a wide range. Rather than indexing everything, AI prioritises sources it deems credible and consistent.
Shifts in Consumer Trust
When AI answers a question, users assume it’s drawing from the “best” knowledge available. Brands not cited in AI results risk invisibility, regardless of their past SEO performance.
Acceleration of Thought Leadership
AI favours structured, high-quality, and differentiated insights. Organisations producing unique perspectives stand a better chance of being amplified.
There are key differences between SEO and what is required by AI Search. A simple summary is provided below – but remember the game is changing every day!
| Feature | SEO | GEO |
| Target Engines | Traditional search engines | AI-driven search engines, chat |
| Focus | Ranking in SERPs | Content understanding by AI |
| Content Type | Detailed authoritative, trustworthy content written by experts showcasing experience in the subject with high keyword relevance. | Well structured and summarised natural language content written by authoritative brands and experts with high contextual relevance. |
| Optimisation | Technical optimisation, site structure, on-page content relevancy, backlinks | Site/content structure, semantic markup, relevance, authoritativeness and cross channel consistency |
AI models are trained to identify authoritative voices. To build credibility, brands should:
Publish evidence-based, expert-driven insights
Highlight credentials and subject-matter expertise
Maintain consistency of voice and knowledge across channels – this counts more in AI Search than SEO
Clear, well-structured content increases discoverability:
Use schema markup, FAQs, and explicit answers to key questions
Provide summary boxes for pages
Date stamp fact based content
Produce long-form content with depth and clarity
Break down insights into scannable, quotable elements
Optimise PDFs
AI search systems weigh reputation heavily. Organisations should:
Earn citations from other reputable outlets
Demonstrate transparency (authorship, sources, methodology)
Build third-party validation through media, journals, or trusted partners
Generic content is filtered out. What rises to the top are unique insights and perspectives that others reference. Differentiation is no longer optional, it’s the price of admission.
AI search doesn’t replace traditional SEO; it layers on top of it. Success will come from understanding both:
Continue optimising for search engines (keywords, crawlability)
Adapt content for AI-driven summarisation and conversational recall
Anticipate the questions AI (and users) will ask in your field
AI search is rewriting the rules of digital authority. In this new pattern, visibility depends less on technical SEO tricks and more on credibility, clarity, and distinct expertise. Brands that build authority now, by creating structured, trustworthy, and differentiated insights, will not only be surfaced by AI but also trusted by the audiences it serves.
The opportunity is clear: in the age of AI, authority is influence.
If you would like to know how well you are performing in AI search and determine your authority why not ask us to conduct an AI Authority Analysis?
This will tell you how complete and accurate the responses are for your key terms, and whether you are a cited source for this content.
We can also help you optimise your website content and coding to help secure greater visibility
Please get in touch – enquiries@blacksun-global.com
About Black Sun
Black Sun Global is a stakeholder advisory and engagement agency that's been driving transformation and positive change for ambitious brands for more than 20 years. With deep expertise in disclosure and reporting, ESG, sustainability, and digital engagement, we reshape how organisations connect with customers, investors, employees, and the wider world.
We are trusted partners to some of the most influential global organisations, sparking innovation and sustainable performance through our strategic insights, partnerships, and proprietary technologies.
As founders of the Positive Change Group, we are on a mission to create a new kind of stakeholder relations partner. Our world-class specialists work closely with executive leadership teams to protect reputations, inspire trust, and promote responsible business practices - building resilience and long-term value in a rapidly changing world.
For more information, please visit: www.blacksun-global.com
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