illustration: DALL-EFor companies, this means one thing: classic SEO is no longer enough. Users no longer need to browse dozens of pages and compare reviews. Today, it’s enough to ask ChatGPT, Claude, or Google AI Overview. The answer? A condensed analysis of brands, models, prices, and features - tailored to budget and needs. McKinsey’s study shows that:
- 50% of users consciously choose AI as their main shopping tool,
- 44% name it as their preferred source of information (by comparison: only 31% choose traditional search engines).
This shifts the decision-making point much earlier - before the consumer visits a website or clicks on an ad.
Time for GEO, not just SEO
Classic positioning is not enough. Companies must invest in GEO - gen AI engine optimization. It’s a new approach to visibility in a digital world that is changing faster than ever. McKinsey recommends four actions:
- Presence analysis - checking where the brand appears in AI results and what it’s missing.
- Content adjustment - creating materials not just for the website but also for external publications.
- Language optimization - clarity, specificity, timeliness - that’s what AI expects.
- GEO team - companies should appoint a dedicated team combining marketing, SEO, and data.
For now, only 16% of companies track their visibility in AI. This is a huge opportunity for those who start now. The report`s authors - Elizabeth Silliman, Kelsey Robinson, and Julien Boudet - emphasize: AI has already changed consumer behavior. Soon, it may be making purchase decisions on its own. Brands that invest in visibility will gain an edge. Those that don’t - will vanish from users’ radar.
Visibility in AI is not a coincidence
AI does not work like a classic search engine. Algorithms draw from a wide range of sources - including forum content, articles, affiliate sites, and user reviews. As a result, even market leaders may not appear in AI-generated answers at all. According to McKinsey’s report:
| Type of content source | Share in AI results |
|---|---|
| Brands’ own content | 5-10% |
| External content (forums, reviews, affiliations) | 90-95% |
Lack of presence in these sources poses a real risk of losing customers. It’s worth noting that in many industries - such as finance, hospitality, or electronics - even the biggest brands do not appear in Google AI Overview answers, despite dominating in SEO.
Full analysis available at www.mckinsey.com
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