Google is facing growing competition from changing search habits, as 45% of customers are likely to use and trust an AI tool to find more information about a brand, 51% now use social media and 28% turn to voice assistants.
This is according to research from Yext, a digital presence platform for multi-location brands. Amidst changes to the search landscape and the rise of new platforms, Yext conducted third-party research to better understand customers’ preferences, needs, and pain points when searching for products, services and information about brands.
Yext’s report shows that 64% of customers still start their search journey on a traditional search engine, highlighting the continued need for strong search engine visibility. However, customers use an average of three tools or channels when looking for information about products or services such as ″Italian restaurant near me″ or ″hotel in New York City” – meaning that most aren’t just “googling it” anymore. The vast majority (94%) of customers look for brand information on websites other than Google, Bing, Facebook, and Apple, and among Gen Z, 71% choose Instagram and 66% go to TikTok.
The research shows that AI’s rise influences the traditional search space too, as 49% of respondents reported that they are likely to trust an AI-generated response on a search engine, such as Google’s AI overviews.
Anthony Rinaldi, senior director of insights at Yext, said: “Google impressions have dropped 8-20% in the past two years, pushing marketers to adapt as search behaviour shifts with AI-driven overviews, chatbots and social media searches. Instagram and TikTok have become favoured alternative search engines, particularly for younger consumers.
“As consumers use a blend of different tools and channels to discover brands and make purchase decisions, the future of search will scrutinise intent over keywords and rankings. These changes are reshaping marketing strategies built on Google algorithms and traditional SEO, and many are unprepared to meet consumers ‘where they are.’ As how we search fragments, the cost of inaction or missteps from marketers is steep.”
AI: accurate information is brands’ responsibility
Over half of customers (56%) are frustrated by outdated information when searching for accurate information about brands online. As consumers’ trust in AI-generated responses grows, ensuring the accuracy of the information they uncover is critical for brands; 57% of customers say accurate and detailed information influences their decision to trust a brand. Inaccuracies also negatively impact customer conversions – nearly two-thirds (64%) of customers report that encountering incorrect or missing information when researching a product or service would lead them to consider other brands.
Rinaldi said: “AI is redefining how we search, discover, and connect, disrupting decades of investment and business reliance on traditional SEO and SEM. Already, customers are rapidly adapting to and preferring GenAI’s ability to customise and contextualise recommendations to the individual.
“However, ensuring the accuracy of this information is essential. It’s brands’ responsibility to ensure the diverse sources AI tools draw from to generate responses are correct, and it’s no longer enough to prioritise just a few top-ranking pages and keywords. Companies need to work with AI tools and organise their most-important data in a means that ensures they show up accurately, authoritatively wherever their information appears, and their customers find them.”
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