New Blog Series: How AI is Transforming Search and Consumer Behaviour
Navigating a world where zero clicks, AI Overviews, and Generative Engine Optimisation are rewriting digital visibility
Introduction: The New Search Reality
We’re witnessing one of the most profound transformations in how people discover, evaluate, and trust information online. And the engine driving that change? Generative AI.
Search is no longer just about keywords and blue links. Platforms like Google, Perplexity, and ChatGPT now synthesise, summarise, and present information directly in the results, often answering users’ questions before they ever click a single link. The effects are seismic: traffic patterns are shifting, visibility metrics are changing, and the rules of traditional SEO are being rewritten in real time.
At ClerksWell, we’ve been closely watching this shift. As a digital agency rooted in technical problem-solving and future-facing thinking, we’re exploring how generative AI is reshaping search, consumer behaviour, digital visibility, and the way that businesses can navigate this evolving terrain.
This blog series will unpack those developments. Here, we’ll explore the rise of AI-powered search, the new metrics that matter, and why “Generative Engine Optimization” may become the next frontier in digital strategy, especially as we hit the one-year mark since Google’s AI Overviews went live. Twelve months on, it’s clear: generative search isn’t a passing trend. It’s quickly becoming the new baseline. So, let’s dive in.
What will be covered in this series?
Over the next few posts, we’ll dig into the core themes transforming the SEO landscape. Here’s a preview of what’s ahead:
- From Keywords to Conversations: How AI Is Changing Consumer Behaviour
Search is becoming visual, verbal, and increasingly nuanced, 8+ word queries are up 7x. Users expect answers, not links, with over 80% relying on summaries for at least 40% of queries. - Redefining Visibility: SEO and GEO
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the new name of the game. AI platforms now choose who gets cited, based on what they deem credible, deep, and relevant, not just keyword matching. - What Drives Visibility in AI Responses?
AI favours trustworthy content: named authors, deep pages, and organic mentions from platforms like Reddit or LinkedIn. Even unlinked brand mentions can influence citation. - Metrics That Matter Now: Beyond Clickthrough Rates
Clickthrough rates are down, but impressions and user engagement are up. Citation frequency, platform diversity, and cross-query presence now play a bigger role in measuring impact. - How to Optimise for AI Visibility: 10 Actionable GEO Tactics
From creating hub pages to showing up in niche forums, we’ll explore practical steps to help brands earn AI citations and build visibility across generative engines. - A Note on Regulation & Trust
Governments are starting to respond, but regulatory clarity is still evolving. Meanwhile, brands must tackle attribution, fairness, and trust on their own terms. - The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Businesses
This isn’t just an SEO trend, it’s a redefinition of the web’s discovery layer. Visibility now means influence. Content is no longer just about clicks, but credibility.
Where We Go from Here?
As search enters this new AI-driven era, the questions businesses must ask are changing:
”Are we still discoverable? Are we still trusted? Are we still cited?”
Through this series, we’ll break down the trends shaping digital visibility, and offer strategies to stay not just seen, but sought after.
Stay tuned for the next post, and let’s explore changes in search, together!
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