5 "Growth Hacks" for Brands to Game AI Search (Rather Than Be Decimated By It)
Google Search Is Falling Fast. But That Doesn't Mean Advertisers Can't Succeed in Our New AI Search World. Here's How.
Good morning! Time for your weekly “brAIn” dump. First, the “mAIn event” — 5 “growth hacks” that brands use to goose their success in our increasingly AI search world. Next, the AI video of the week — my recent advertising-focused AI panel at Digital Hollywood. Then, the “mosAIc” — a collage of curated AI stories and podcasts (including helpful new infographics that show how people are using generative AI). Finally, the “AI Litigation Tracker” — updates on key GenAI-focused IP cases by McKool Smith (access the full “Tracker” here). Critically, the Judge in one of the most consequential cases (Kadrey v. Meta) will soon make his pivotal “fair use” decision (read a great preview and analysis of it all in the “Tracker”).
But First, I’d appreciate your feedback …
Last week (and today), you received this newsletter Tuesday, 8 am Pacific/11 am Eastern. Previously, you always received it very early Monday mornings at 4 am PT/7 am ET. Which do you prefer?
And last week, I posed this question: “Do you agree with famed Titanic director James Cameron that copyright scrutiny should only take place on AI outputs (and not on content inputs used for AI training)?” Only 27% of you agreed with him.
I. The mAIn Event - 5 Growth Hacks for Brands to “Game” AI Search (Rather Than Be Decimated By It)
Introduction: Welcome To Our New AI Search Reality
I recently wrote about how AI-powered search like ChatGPT and Perplexity are fundamentally disrupting traditional Google search right before our eyes (in a post titled, “AI’s ‘Holy Sh*t!” Moment (AI Search, 96% Less Website Referrals”). Gartner predicts that AI search will eat 25% of traditional search’s lunch by next year. Yup, as in, 2026. And that’s likely a conservative estimate.
In my “Holy Sh*t!” article, I laid out the potential existential consequences of that still very-much-under-appreciated reality — including that AI search reportedly leads to 96% fewer website referrals. Just chew on that factoid for a bit, since that likely means significant direct harm to you, you, and you (and your clients too) reading this — virtually all of whom are dependent on ad-based search to break through and be heard. That’s all website publishers — not just media and entertainment companies.
But Potential Upsides Exist Too
But how about the flip-side to that story? Have any brands “figured out” this new AI world order and found ways to get AI search to work for them? In other words, have any brands been able to “game” AI chatbots and search engines to break through, build engagement, and drive significant success and ROI?
The answer apparently is “yes.” Microsoft reports 1.5x better click-through rates using AI search compared to traditional search (it’s a report worth checking out). Advertising expert Courtney O’Brien goes further, reporting that AI chat-based search traffic converts up to 6.8X higher than organic Google search. Why? According to O’Brien, it’s “because people arriving via LLMs are already curious, informed, and ready to act.”
So, with that, here’s how five major brands have succeeded using five different AI search strategies.
5 AI Search “Growth Hacks” (& Success Stories)
(1) Strategy: Maximize Topical Authority & EEAT — The Mayo Clinic
Not only is The Mayo Clinic smart and innovative with its healthcare. It also is when it comes to AI-infused marketing. The venerable institution reportedly scores high in health-related AI search responses/outputs due to its consistent updating of its medically-reviewed content. AI search tools, just like Google search, rely on signals of “expertise, experience, authority and trustworthiness” (EEAT). That means that brands with strong domain authority (as manifested by high quality content, backlinks and citations) are favored.
(2) Strategy: Optimize Content for Featured Snippets & Zero-Click Results — Investopedia
In our increasingly zero-click AI search world, financial site Investopedia reportedly outperforms competitors in AI search results for countless financial terms, due to its structured layout (which AI models extract directly for financial definitions and “how-to” content).
(3) Strategy: Optimize Content for Long-Tail AI Search Queries — HubSpot
CRM specialist HubSpot optimizes its content to achieve significantly higher placement in AI search responses/outputs by embracing AI search’s conversational natural language queries. Brands that create content tailored to specific user intents and question-based searches can appear more often in AI search responses/outputs. HubSpot, in its own AI marketing strategies, instructs us to “create content that directly answers user queries in a clear, concise, and engaging manner, focusing on providing immediate value rather than keyword density.” (Note: you can download HubSpot’s “5 Practical Strategies” for optimizing for AI search engines via this link.)
(4) Strategy: Implement Structured Data & Schema Markup — Williams Sonoma
Meanwhile, seemingly staid consumer brand Williams Sonoma packs an outsized powerful AI punch by implementing structured data (like FAQ’s and bullet points) and product schema and markups across its e-commerce pages. That leads to strong results via Google’s “Search Generative Experience” (SGE). The end result is more prominent exposure during AI-generated product comparisons and recipe queries, for example.
Relatedly, and in yet another challenge to Google, OpenAI just launched a new shopping feature inside ChatGPT search. It generates its results using structured product data (rather than promotional agreements).
(5) Strategy: Integrate with AI Search Plug-Ins — Expedia
Here’s one more for you. Expedia created ChatGPT plug-ins to enable users to interact with their platform directly via AI chats, making them top results for AI search queries like “book a hotel in Paris.”
Consider me your AI Search Whisperer! I’m here to help!
What do you think? Feel free to send me your feedback to peter@creativemedia.biz.
II. AI Video of the Week — AI & Advertising
I recently moderated a great marketing and advertising-focused AI session for Digital Hollywood’s virtual AI Advertising Summit. My expert panel and I discussed the key business and legal issues that face all brands, advertisers and agencies. You can watch it here by clicking on the “play” button below. Lots of great “news you can use.”
III. The mosAIc — My “Must Read,” “Must Listen” Playlist
(1) AI-nfographics of the Week - How People Use GenAI
Here’s data compiled by the Harvard Business Review.
And here’s how AI usage has shifted over the past year (from 2024 to today).
(2) A New AI Licensing Solution?
London’s Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) certainly thinks so. It plans to roll out a new AI training licensing “system” for AI developers in Q3, enabling them to “purchase one-stop training authorization” for a broad spectrum of text-based content. But the CLA essentially punted on the most pressing issue — i.e., actual content licensing numbers. So, how helpful is its new “schema” really?
(3) Listen to My Interview with Nancy Wilson of Heart
I interview the great Nancy Wilson of legendary band Heart about the band’s classic song “Barracuda.” It’s all part of new Season 4 of my “The Story Behind the Song” podcast (you can find it on all major podcast platforms). What do these music interviews have to do with AI? They remind us of the power of human creativity and personality in an increasingly AI world. You can both listen to (or watch) my interview with Nancy (via the buttons below).
And if you like my interview with Nancy, you’ll love my 60+ interviews with other legendary artists that range from Don McLean (American Pie), to Debbie Harry of Blondie (Rapture) and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac (Tusk), to Billy Idol (White Wedding) and the Cure, Tears for Fears, The Killers, The Shins, Run DMC, Rick Astley, Boy George, and so many more. All my guests are icons and legends. And all of their stories are timeless and fascinating. Here’s the link to my podcast series.
Brands & Agencies, Want to Work with Me & My Firm Creative Media?
Reach out to me at peter@creativemedia.biz. This is just some of what we can do.
IV. AI Litigation Tracker: Updates on Key Generative AI/Media Cases (by McKool Smith)
Partner Avery Williams and the team at McKool Smith (named “Plaintiff IP Firm of the Year” by The National Law Journal) lay out the facts of — and latest critical developments in — the key GenAI-focused IP litigations below. All those detailed updates can be accessed via this link to the “AI Litigation Tracker”. McKool is a leader in both copyright and patent-related AI litigation.
(1) Kadrey v. Meta
(2) Ziff-Davis v. OpenAI
(3) The New York Times v. Microsoft & OpenAI
(4) Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence
(5) In re OpenAI Litigation (class action)
(6) Dow Jones, et al. v. Perplexity AI
(7) UMG Recordings v. Suno
(8) UMG Recordings v. Uncharted Labs (d/b/a Udio)
(9) Getty Images v. Stability AI and Midjourney
(10) Universal Music Group, et al. v. Anthropic
(11) Sarah Anderson v. Stability AI
(12) Raw Story Media v. OpenAI
(13) The Center for Investigative Reporting v. OpenAI
(14) Authors Guild et al. v. OpenAI
NOTE: Go to the “AI Litigation Tracker” tab at the top of “the brAIn” website for the full discussions and analyses of these and other key generative AI/media litigations. And reach out to me, Peter Csathy (peter@creativemedia.biz), if you would like to be connected to McKool Smith) to discuss these and other legal and litigation issues. I’ll make the introduction.
About My Firm Creative Media
My firm and I represent media companies and rights-holders for generative AI content strategy and licensing, with deep relationships and market insights and intelligence second to none. We know the key players inside AI tech and pride ourselves in reaching THE key decision-makers and influencers in record time to execute. Not just talk. We specialize in breakthrough business development and M&A and cost-effective legal services in the worlds of media, entertainment, AI and tech.
Reach out to me at peter@creativemedia.biz to explore working with us.
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