The way people search online is changing. According to Ofcom, 30% of UK online searches now show AI overviews, with half of adults (53%) saying they often see these summaries.
People no longer type a query, scan blue links and click through to a website. They use summaries to get quick answers before deciding whether to visit a site. And they get AI tools to compare options for them.
This means SEO tactics that worked before won’t necessarily work now. AI search is arguably one of the biggest changes to search behaviour since mobile-first browsing reshaped how people found, read and acted on content. This change could have implications for your content. If you’re finding your content has almost disappeared from search results, the changing nature of search could signal it’s time for a review and a refresh. We suggest starting with a content audit.
Top five pitfalls a content audit can uncover
With an AI content audit, you can identify quickly where your content strategy needs to shift. Here are five issues we often come across when auditing content.
1. Top for SEO, but not for GEO
You might rank well in traditional search and still be missing from AI-generated answers. AI tools draw on multiple sources, summarise information and decide which brands, products or perspectives to include in the answer.
Research by UK analytics firm Authoritas, found that a site previously ranked first in Google search could lose around 79% of its traffic for that query if its result appeared below an AI Overview. Even if it’s still ranking first for organic results.
GEO – generative engine optimisation – is a vital part of content strategy today. It focuses more on the elements that AI tools want to see, helping to keep your brand visible.
2. Users might never click on your site
AI search is especially powerful at the top of the funnel. At this awareness stage, people are looking to understand a topic, glean ideas from others or start building a shortlist of options. Previously, that might have meant visiting several websites. Now, an AI summary can give them the gist in one place.
Someone’s first impression may happen before they land on your site. They might learn what your company does, how you compare with others and whether you seem credible, all from a generated answer.
Summaries are very short. They can be as little as 100 words, which means people could be forming an opinion from a very brief snapshot. If that summary is incomplete, or missing your strongest message, you may not get the chance to correct it. Adapting your content to give you the best chance of appearing in those summaries is essential.
3. Mismatched content about your company
AI search works by drawing together information from across the web. That might include your website, but it can also include review sites, directories, media coverage, forums, comparison articles, social content and third-party commentary.
The story AI tells about your company may not be the one on your homepage. It might be out of date or out of context, with old positioning that reflects a past version of your business. Or it might combine several sources in a way that creates a slightly mismatched picture that misses the nuance of why your approach is different.
Brands that have launched new services or changed their market focus are most at risk of being misrepresented by AI search.
4. Poor ranking alongside other companies
With AI search, your company might appear in “best of”, “top 10” or “alternatives to” lists. Or it might not appear at all, even if you are a leader in your category.
Sometimes, the evidence around your brand is not easy enough for AI systems to find and reuse. Competitors may have a clearer proposition that is easier for AI tools to summarise. Or they may have more third-party mentions or awards and appear in more comparison content.
5. Accurate but off-brand
AI-generated answers can flatten a brand’s voice. They might describe your work in generic terms or use language you would never choose yourself.
Businesses often stand out from competitors through their approach and personality. You want to give people an idea of what it is like to do business with you through your tone of voice and written identity. If AI search becomes a key first touchpoint, your brand needs to be recognisable there too.
What is an AI content audit?
This type of audit reviews how your brand appears across AI search environments. It looks at the questions your audience is likely to ask, AI’s responses, which sources they are prioritising for information, where your brand is included or excluded, and whether the message is accurate, current and on brand.
It also identifies gaps in your content. That might include missing explainers, unclear service pages, outdated messaging or a lack of proof points. Clear structures and well-defined propositions help AI extract the right information and make it easier for human readers to engage with your content, too.
Controlling the narrative
An AI content audit is the first step to revamping your content strategy for AI search. It helps you understand the content people may be seeing before they reach your website, where your brand is being represented well, and where the story needs tightening.
AI search has made brand visibility less linear. You cannot control every source an AI tool uses, but you can improve the quality and consistency of signals available. A good content strategy evolves as the environment around your company changes.
Find deeper insights on how your brand can stay visible with AI search in our Don’t Get Lost Guide, here.
