AI Adds Pre-Awareness Stage to Marketing Funnel
37% of searches start in AI tools where buyers build shortlists invisibly—add a pre-awareness stage atop your funnel using topic authority and Semrush to outrank competitors before Google.
Buyers Build Invisible Shortlists in AI—Target Pre-Awareness First
Buyers now use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity to research options, compare pros/cons, and create personalized shortlists before touching Google, creating a 'pre-awareness' stage absent 3-4 years ago. SparkToro data shows 37% of searches begin in AI tools, while 60% of Google searches yield no clicks since answers appear directly in results. This splits visibility: brands dominating traditional SEO vanish in AI recommendations, and vice versa, leaking revenue as B2B deals stretch to 272 days with 81% of decisions made pre-sales (up from 70% last year). Marketers own this expanded funnel—track multi-channel awareness across Google, reviews, Reddit, LinkedIn, forums, and AI overviews, as prospects arrive warmer after AI vetting.
Spot AI Visibility Gaps with Semrush Topic Analysis
Traditional keyword SEO misses AI's topic-based queries; use Semrush's AI Visibility Toolkit and dashboard to compare brand presence across Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and ChatGPT versus standard search. For queries like 'accounting software for construction contractors,' audit competitor recommendations you lack, such as expense management or budget tools where Procore scores low. Identify 'topic opportunities'—areas competitors dominate in AI but you don't—and prioritize closing gaps, since AI pulls from holistic online authority, not just your site. Branded searches grow competitive at decision stage; protect conversions by ensuring consistent messaging everywhere.
Earn AI Recommendations via Authority Signals
AI recommends brands with demonstrated topic authority: produce expert-led, position-taking content with clear structure, embed conversion paths (e.g., buy buttons on blog posts), and derive topics from customer surveys/personas rather than assumptions. Amplify with digital PR—secure editorial mentions, 'best-of' lists, and third-party features in publications, as AI favors independent validation over self-published pages. Align all channels (site, LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, YouTube) on core messages like 'innovative' to override AI's data-driven perceptions. This single strategy boosts both traditional SEO and AI without separate campaigns, compressing cycles in zero-click environments.
The Ordinary's 395% ROI Proves Unified Strategy Wins
For skincare brand The Ordinary, Exposure Ninja used customer surveys for personas, refocused brand-led blog to customer pain points/questions, added direct-buy paths, and optimized for AI visibility. Results: 395% ROI, 555% blog session growth (amid industry organic declines), 451% blog-driven revenue lift, 14% hero product sales uplift in 6 months. One content overhaul served the full funnel, growing recommendation 'surface area' across AI and traditional search—replicate by auditing gaps, building authority, and measuring topic dominance.