Like it or not, a big shift is happening in online marketing.
People expect faster responses. The immediacy of AI-driven tools means users often favor platforms that provide quick answers, reducing the patience for navigating multiple search results or sifting through lengthy articles.
There’s a growing comfort level with AI as a source of information. Users are more willing to accept AI-generated content, often viewing it as reliable, especially for general inquiries or simple tasks.
Users have increasingly gravitated towards conversational AI for information retrieval. Many prefer the interactive, dialogue-based format of chatbots, as it feels more engaging and personalized compared to traditional search engines.
A big shift that most haven’t noticed yet but, for the reasons mentioned above, people are using chatGPT to recommend local businesses.
Curious how that works? Me too, so we tested it out for a client and used this prompt:
Can you recommend the top plumbers in Boca Raton?
Here’s the response:
Here are some of the top plumbers in Boca Raton, known for their reliable service and customer satisfaction:
- Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Palm Beach County – Offers a range of plumbing services and has a solid reputation for quality work.
- Ez Care Plumbing Repair & Services – Known for excellent customer service and quick responses to plumbing issues.
- Handyman Services Inc. – Provides a variety of services, including plumbing, and is appreciated for their versatility.
- Petrillo’s Plumbing – Offers both residential and commercial plumbing services, handling everything from small repairs to major renovations.
- Payless Plumbing LLC – Focuses on delivering high-quality service at competitive prices, ensuring customer satisfaction.
For more detailed information, customer reviews, and to request quotes, you can visit platforms like Porch and Boca Guide
…End of Response
It’s a good list of results but you will notice that there is no contact information so I followed up with another prompt: what is the contact information for Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Palm Beach County? And of course it was provided.
We also tried another prompt: Can you recommend the top 10 plumbers in Boca Raton and include their location and contact information? And of course all the information was provided.
This made me more curious. Where is the information coming from and how can companies rank on chatGPT answers? Well, who better to ask than chatGPT, duh.
PROMPT: People are now doing searches for local business recommendations on chatGPT. How can I get my clients’ company to rank in chatGPT queries?
Here’s the exact response I got from chatGPT:
To get your company featured in local business recommendations on platforms like ChatGPT, focus on improving your online presence and ensuring your business information is optimized across digital channels. Here are some strategies:
- Improve Online Reviews and Presence: ChatGPT’s recommendations often draw from high-authority sites like Google, Yelp, and business-specific directories. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and respond to feedback, showing engagement and reliability.
- Optimize for Local SEO: Ensure your website and business listings include targeted local keywords (e.g., “Best plumber in Boca Raton”). Use consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across your website, Google My Business, and other directory listings. This consistency signals legitimacy and relevance.
- Claim and Optimize Google My Business (GMB): Google My Business is critical for local searches. Complete your profile fully with hours, photos, services, and customer reviews. The higher your GMB ranking, the more likely ChatGPT is to recommend your business, especially if it shows up in local “3-pack” search results on Google Maps.
- Engage in Content Marketing: Regularly publish content related to your industry that highlights your expertise and local relevance, such as blog posts or social media updates on projects or testimonials. This content increases visibility and helps ChatGPT identify your business as a local authority.
- Earn Backlinks from Reputable Local Sources: Listings and backlinks from respected local websites (like local chambers of commerce or industry publications) help boost your credibility and ranking for local queries.
By enhancing these areas, you can improve your online authority and, over time, increase the chances of your business being featured in local recommendations on AI platforms.
…End of Response
Well that was a somewhat unsatisfying response. It’s basically relying on Google and other similar Google algorithm factors. I guess I was hoping for some magical discovery.
This will make it even more difficult for businesses to be found. ChatGPT gives about 5 results unless you prompt it for more which most people won’t do. Forget about it if you don’t rank in the top 10. This may change but that’s where it’s at now.
I looked into this further and found this…
In a recent press release from Gartner predicted, “By 2028, brands’ organic search traffic will decrease by 50% or more as consumers embrace generative AI-powered search.”
For now, we recommend continuing the same SEO practices to get to the top of Google.
The Gartner survey of 263 consumers between July and August of 2023 found 53% of consumers believe the current state of social media has decayed compared to either the prior year or to five years ago. The top reasons for this perceived decline were the spread of misinformation, toxic user bases, and the prevalence of bots. Concern about the impact of anticipated GenAI use in social media is high: over 7 in 10 consumers agree that greater integration of GenAI into social media will harm user experience.
“Social media remains the top investment channel for digital marketing, but consumers are actively trying to limit their use,” said Emily Weiss, Senior Principal Researcher in the Gartner Marketing Practice. “A significant slice says that, compared to a few years ago, they are sharing less of their own lives and content. As the nature of social media use and the experience of the platforms changes, CMOs must refocus their customer acquisition and loyalty retention strategies in response.”
Other Gartner predictions to help marketers respond to the changing landscape in 2024 and beyond include:
By 2027, 20% of brands will lean into positioning and differentiation based on the absence of AI in their business and products.
A Gartner survey of 305 consumers in May 2023 found 72% of consumers believe AI-based content generators could spread false or misleading information. In addition, a Gartner survey of 320 consumers in February 2023 found consumers’ perception that AI-powered experiences and capabilities are better than humans is eroding.
“Mistrust and lack of confidence in AI’s abilities will drive some consumers to seek out AI-free brands and interactions,” said Weiss. “A subsection of brands will shun AI and prioritize more human positioning. This ‘acoustic’ concept will be leveraged to distance brands from perceptions of AI-powered businesses as impersonal and homogeneous.”
Brands today face a new reality:
- Traditional advertising no longer captivates consumers as it once did.
- Google baseline ad cost went up 13% in the last year even when you’re not bidding against competitors
- With shorter attention spans and greater control over the media they consume, customers now tune out the usual noise. I’m sure many have noticed that TV doesn’t hold the attention of most young people. They might be in a room with a Television but only look up from the phone if something like a sound or unusual event happens on the TV.
- To truly connect, brands need creativity and relevance at every touchpoint.
- Today’s consumers can spot cheap advertising tactics from a mile away—they expect authenticity and storytelling.
In short, you can’t just pour money into ads and expect returns; engaging customers now requires a thoughtful, creative approach.
The whole influencer approach to marketing has become hit and miss. It still works for some companies but the current trend seems to be leaning towards micro-influencers. People are trusting them more than some of the hi-paid influencers as consumers are feeling that those people will say anything they are told to say for a price. Trust in micro-influencers will likely fade as well.
Building a trusted brand is your best shot.
Building trust has always been the foundation of effective branding and now it is even more vital.
- While attention may be fleeting, trust is lasting—and it drives powerful, word-of-mouth growth.
- In a world where ads often go unnoticed, trust becomes a brand’s strongest lever for growth.
- Achieving this trust means delivering consistent, positive experiences across every brand interaction, from social media and web design to customer support.
- Consistency is key: when people recognize your brand, they should connect it with the same values and emotions each time.
- By meeting their expectations repeatedly, you create familiarity and trust that translate into organic exposure, repeat purchases, loyalty, and referrals.”
In the post-advertising era, the focus should be on building trust through intentional design across all brand touchpoints. But how do you earn that trust?
- Give value for free.
- Give away the majority of the value and sell the implementation or solution and build a long term relationship that will provide long term profits.
Good design boosts your bottom line.
Many business owners underestimate the financial impact of design, viewing it as a “nice-to-have” rather than a growth driver. But thoughtfully designed brands generate more revenue.
Design unlocks growth in two key ways:
- Increasing revenue by boosting brand awareness, conversion rates, and customer lifetime value through better engagement.
- Strategic design makes your brand more appealing, usable, and memorable, shortening sales cycles.
- Things like amazing lead magnets, enticing landing pages, and intuitive website architecture demonstrate expertise and credibility, leading to higher conversions.
- Good design builds trust and affinity, securing repeat purchases and referrals for sustainable growth.
- Reducing costs by streamlining systems, multiplying team output, and cutting waste.
- Investing upfront in solutions like brand style guides, design automation tools, and consistent web layouts massively amplifies the productivity of in-house and external teams.
- This cuts costs by reducing project timelines, eliminating duplicative work, and multiplying output.
In summary, strategic design unlocks immense growth potential by boosting sales and reducing marketing costs. Businesses need to take design seriously as a critical growth driver in the post-advertising era.
The key takeaways are:
- It has become much harder to get Advertising ROI.
- Good design adds to the long-term bottom line by building brand trust and recognition.
It is time for a Brand Audit?
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