The New Rules of Brand Discoverability
A Q&A with David Erickson
(This article was first published on November 25, 2024 on my LinkedIn profile.)
Transcript
Patrick Milan (PM): Welcome to Tunheim’s podcast about being understood. I’m Pat Milan, Tunheim’s Creative Destruction Officer, and with me today is the head of our digital services and AI, David Erickson.
David, the first time you shared your perspective on what’s happening with discoverability, it set off alarm bells for me—but in a good way. Everything we know about capturing and engaging audiences on digital and social platforms seems to be changing rapidly.
Let’s start with this: What’s driving this disruption in discoverability?
David Erickson (DE): It comes down to two major factors: search and social behavior. These have always been the primary digital channels for discoverability, but we’ve been seeing changes for a while—since 2014 or even earlier. Now, with the rise of AI, those changes are accelerating.
AI is fundamentally altering how people search, engage, and discover brands.
The Impact of Zero-Click Search on Discoverability
PM: Let’s break this down. Search behavior is shifting dramatically. You’ve talked about something called “Zero-Click Search.” What does that mean?
DE: Zero-Click Search is a concept coined by Rand Fishkin at SparkToro. It refers to how Google increasingly provides answers directly within search results—things like Instant Answers, People Also Ask, and Knowledge Panels.
These features mean users often don’t need to click on links to get the information they need.
For years, we optimized content to rank among the ten blue links on a Google search page, but now those links are less valuable. Google’s goal is to keep users on their platform, where they can sell more ad inventory.
The Social Media Algorithm Shift
PM: That feels like a major challenge. As a brand, I want people to click through to my site. It sounds like Google is actively preventing that.
DE: That’s exactly what’s happening. Google wants to control the audience’s experience, and by keeping users on their platform, they maximize their revenue. But it’s not just search—social platforms are doing the same thing.
PM: Let’s talk about social media. What’s happening there?
DE: Social platforms, especially Facebook, have been deprioritizing content with links for years. Back in 2014, we started noticing a decline in traffic from social platforms. If you include a link in a post, algorithms actively penalize it, reducing its reach and engagement.
Instead, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok prioritize native content—images, videos, and posts that keep users on their platform. They’re not in the business of driving traffic to your website; they’re in the business of selling ads.
Rethinking Social Media as a Brand Awareness Tool
PM: That’s incredibly frustrating. As marketers, we used to rely on social media to connect the dots—post content, track clicks, and build relationships. Now it feels like the chain is broken.
DE: It is a disruption. But it’s also an opportunity to rethink how we use social media. Instead of treating it as a direct response channel, we need to view it as a brand awareness channel.
The key is to create engaging native content that works with the platform’s algorithms, not against them.
Preparing for the AI-Driven Future
PM: So with all this disruption, what should brands focus on to remain discoverable?
DE: Discoverability requires a two-pronged approach:
Maintain a strong presence in traditional search: Google Search is still incredibly powerful, so SEO remains critical. Brands need to optimize their content for expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (what Google calls E-E-A-T).
Prepare for the AI future: AI is becoming a primary gatekeeper of information. Tools like ChatGPT rely on structured, credible sources, so brands need to position their content as sources of truth. This includes creating high-quality, authoritative content that feeds into AI systems.
How Brands Can Become Sources of Truth
PM: Can you give an example of how brands can prepare for the AI-driven future?
DE: One of the biggest challenges for AI is accuracy. Models like ChatGPT struggle with hallucinations—essentially making things up.
To combat this, AI developers are focusing on retrieval-augmented generation, which relies on credible sources of truth. Brands that position themselves as experts and provide structured, reliable content will become go-to sources for AI systems.
Additionally, we recommend conducting an AI brand audit. This involves assessing how your brand appears in AI results today and identifying ways to optimize your content for AI discoverability in the future.
Becoming Your Own Media Company
PM: You’ve mentioned that brands should think of themselves as media companies. What do you mean by that?
DE: The idea is simple: Instead of waiting for others to discover you or write about you, create your own content ecosystem. Being your own media company means consistently publishing valuable, engaging content that demonstrates your expertise and builds trust.
This approach aligns perfectly with the needs of both search engines and AI systems, which prioritize high-quality, authoritative content. It’s not about creating massive volumes of content; it’s about being strategic and meaningful in what you produce.
A Roadmap for Action
PM: This all sounds like a lot to take in. How do we help brands get started?
DE: It starts with three steps:
AI Brand Audit: Analyze your current digital presence and identify gaps in discoverability.
Discoverability Preparedness: Optimize your content for both traditional search and AI systems, ensuring it’s structured, credible, and engaging.
Thought Leadership: Establish your organization’s experts as trusted sources in your industry. This includes creating content, speaking at events, and building a reputation as a source of truth.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Discoverability
PM: It sounds like the rules of strategic communication are changing faster than ever. But with the right approach, brands can not only adapt but thrive.
DE: Exactly. The challenge of discoverability isn’t going away—it’s only going to get tougher. The brands that embrace these changes now will build a competitive edge for the future.
PM: Thanks, David. For those listening, if you’re ready to tackle discoverability and stay ahead of the curve, we’d love to help. You can reach out to us at Tunheim.com.