How the AI-browser race is impacting your brand

Introduction

(00:00) This video is slightly bigger picture than the usual videos and it’s about how today’s AI browser race echoes the early days of search and why it matters for your business or marketing strategy.

Evolution of SEO

(00:11) Now things are moving fast in search right now, we all know this, and this matters for your business because the way people discover and interact with information online is changing and it is changing fast. It reminds me, actually, of the early days of my career in SEO. Back in the late 90s, yes, that long ago, and the early 2000s, SEO was new. It was disruptive, and to be honest with you, a bit like the Wild West. There were dozens of search engines, and there were loads of browsers competing for attention, budgets, and no one really knew who would win. Then almost overnight, we ended up with two or three that shaped the next 20 years, and this is where we are today. And what we’re seeing today with these new AI browsers you may have read about, like Atlas and Comet, if you want to Google a few, it feels like a fresh version of that moment 20 years ago. These AI-powered web browsers represent different approaches to integrating artificial intelligence into browsing, and they’re essentially becoming our personal assistants. And there’s almost this burst of experimentation in there with huge investment in a real sense. So the old order is open to challenge.

AI search vs traditional search

(01:21) But the thing is, the stakes are even higher because these browsers don’t just show the internet like old browsers have. They talk back and decide what actually gets surfaced and what you get told. And that shift means the economics of visibility is changing. Those traditional web pages and advertising models aren’t enough when answers come directly from from AI. The ad sort of funded model that shaped the past 20 years is under pressure and brands can’t rely on traditional visibility anymore or they won’t be able to soon.

Risks & opportunities in AI search

(01:53) You can be cited one day and disappear the next if you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re not monitoring it. for anyone working in SEO and marketing that creates pressure but also a huge opportunity which is what excites me.

AI search fundamentals

(02:06) What I’ve learned over the last 25 years in search is that these disruptive phases always come back to the same fundamentals which is why I’m excited but also it’s key to understand. What you need is clear information Strong technical foundations, real legitimate authority and useful content. And that is what earns its place underpinned with that technical foundation I mentioned.

Understanding the pattern

(02:31) Those principles matters in 1999 and they matter even more now. At Varn, we’ve seen these cycles play out before. When you look at the timelines from early web, you can see how quickly the chaos settled into what I’d class as almost a new normal. And that will be quicker this time, as always seems to be the case. But understanding that pattern helps us guide clients through the noise, of which there is a lot of, and keep them visible in whatever comes next. So please don’t panic. Generally, I think it’s going to be fun, although you’re going to get used to constant change. But we all need to focus on either creating a quality brand and service or product and delivering an AI and search-optimized marketing strategy. Or if that feels too much for right now, you can just sign up for our newsletter, which has got all the latest insights of what’s happening and some tips. Or contact me with any questions.