You Googled Yourself. But Have You Asked ChatGPT?
The Founder’s Guide to Being Found in an AI-First World
Let’s Make This Simple
If the world of AI and algorithms feels like it’s moving faster than you can catch up, you’re in good company. AI is rewriting how visibility works, and most founders are still learning how to turn that shift into strategy. My goal here isn’t to add to the noise; it’s to bring clarity. You don’t need to master every tool or trend. You just need to understand how visibility works now, and how to lead with strategy.
Summary
This edition of Thavma Insights explores how the evolution of search is reshaping visibility. Traditional SEO is no longer enough as AI (artificial intelligence) tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity begin to influence how your brand is represented online. We unpack the relationship between SEO and AI discoverability, outline how both must work together to sustain credibility, and show you how to make your message machine-readable without losing authenticity.
This edition reinforces Thavma’s Strategy-First philosophy: helping founders, CEOs, and commercial leaders connect visibility with strategy, so their reputation grows with intention, not noise.
Previously in The Visibility Shift (Part 1)
If you missed Part 1: SEO for Founders — Visible or Forgotten, here’s the short version:
Visibility used to mean ranking on Google. Now, visibility means proof, showing up with credible signals that both people and AI systems can trust.
The founders who win the new SEO game aren’t chasing clicks. They’re building credibility that compounds.
That was the foundation. This is the evolution.
AI Changed Search. Your Strategy Still Matters.
Visibility no longer starts and ends with SEO. AI now decides how your brand is summarized, trusted, and shared. BUT strategy is still what keeps you seen.
The search has changed, but your strategy doesn’t have to. Nearly 60 percent of Google searches now end without a click as users find answers directly on the results page or through AI summaries. When AI-generated results appear, click-throughs drop sharply, from roughly 15 percent to under 10 percent, according to recent industry data. The top of the funnel isn’t shrinking. It’s collapsing.
Even so, Google remains the single largest driver of web traffic. It still handles about 14 billion searches per day and accounts for nearly half of all website visits worldwide. For many businesses, around 90 percent of search-driven conversions still come through Google. That scale is unmatched, and for early-stage companies or those building awareness, it continues to be the most critical visibility channel.
At the same time, AI-powered search is growing fast. Half of U.S. consumers now use tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity, and 44 percent say AI is their preferred way to find information. ChatGPT alone now processes roughly 800 million search-style queries each day.
Here’s the key difference. Google still wins on scale, but AI wins on intent. Visitors from AI search convert around four to five times higher than traditional search traffic. The audience may be smaller, but the intent is exponentially stronger. These are users further along in their decision-making journey.
SEO is structure, and AI visibility is storytelling. SEO helps you get found in search engines, while AI ensures you’re summarized accurately when you are. Traditional SEO relies on signals such as keywords, structure, and backlinks; AI visibility depends on context, clarity, and proof. They’re not rivals. They’re layers of the same system. SEO builds your foundation. AI builds your reach. Together, they define a new kind of discoverability that balances human relevance with machine understanding.
(Insights drawn from Thavma Consulting’s 2025 AI + Search Behavior Report, combining data from SparkToro, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and proprietary analysis.)
Your Message Is Still Your Strategy
AI may have changed how visibility works, but the foundation hasn’t. You don’t need to reinvent your marketing. You just need to make sure your credibility signals are machine-readable and human-resonant. The clearer your message, the easier it is for both people and algorithms to understand, summarize, and trust you.
Here’s how to keep your message working for you:
Proof: Show, Don’t Tell. AI favors evidence. Share case studies, reviews, or outcome-based stories. Proof speaks louder than promotion and it scales trust faster than any ad campaign.
Consistency: Say It the Same Way Everywhere. Your message should sound familiar across your site, social channels, and media. Consistency builds recognition. Clarity beats cleverness every time.
Clarity: Use Human Language. Your customer’s words are your keywords. If they say “veterinary diagnostics,” don’t say “innovative health-tech ecosystems.” The clearer your message, the more likely both humans and machines are to believe it.
Be Present Where AI Pays Attention
AI doesn’t browse. It collects, connects, and summarizes. To be found, your brand needs to show up where algorithms already look for credibility. Every signal you send either reinforces or confuses what AI (and your audience) believes about you.
Where AI Looks First
Every AI platform has its own way of gathering and ranking information. Understanding what each “prefers” helps you decide where to invest your time.
Together, these ecosystems shape how AI platforms “see” your brand. The goal isn’t to be everywhere, but to show up clearly and consistently where credibility is measured.
Clarity Is Still the Most Powerful Strategy
Strategy is what turns visibility into credibility and credibility into growth. The leaders who win aren’t reacting to algorithms; they’re leading with clarity. That’s the heart of Strategy First. It’s not about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things, in the right order.
When your visibility plan ties directly to your strategy, every piece of content has a job and every platform has a purpose. That’s what builds traction that lasts beyond the trends.
The truth about visibility is simple: the new competition isn’t for clicks, it’s for context. AI has become the new homepage, and what it says about you determines whether customers ever make it to your site. You don’t need to outspend algorithms; you just need to out-clarify them.
Take a Breath, You’re Doing Better Than You Think
You don’t have to master the mechanics overnight. The goal isn’t to beat AI; it’s to make sure your clarity and credibility lead the way. Stay grounded, strategic, and human. Because the leaders who do that, the ones who keep clarity at the center, will be the ones AI can’t ignore.
What to Do Next
You don’t need a new strategy, just a rhythm that builds trust on purpose.
Ask AI what it already knows about you.
Audit your trust signals. Are they visible and verifiable?
Create one new proof point this quarter. A story, a case study, or a testimonial.
Simplify your message. Remove anything that sounds like marketing jargon.
Revisit your online footprint monthly to keep it accurate, fresh, and credible.
Map your visibility to the customer journey. Make sure every stage, from awareness to advocacy, has content that builds trust and drives action.
The language around AI and SEO has gotten noisy. Every week someone promises a new shortcut or hack. This section is here to clear the confusion and help you understand what actually matters in plain language.
Straight Talk: Making Sense of AI and SEO
The language around AI and SEO has gotten noisy. Every week someone promises a new shortcut or hack. This section is here to clear the confusion and help you understand what actually matters in plain language.
Q: What is an LLM?
A: LLM stands for Large Language Model, the type of AI that powers tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. These models don’t just read websites; they summarize what’s already online. That means your content becomes part of the story AI tells about your brand.
Q: What does AI visibility mean?
A: It’s how clearly your brand appears in AI-generated answers. Instead of chasing clicks, think about making sure the story AI tells about you is accurate, credible, and consistent.
Q: What is schema, and do I need it?
A: Schema is structured data, small bits of code that label your content for machines. Think of it like putting tabs on a binder so AI can find the right page. You don’t have to be technical to benefit; your web developer can add it easily.
Q: Do I need to rewrite everything for AI?
A: Not at all. Focus on making your best content clear, structured, and supported by proof. Small, steady improvements beat big overhauls.
Q: Which platforms influence AI the most?
A: YouTube, Wikipedia, LinkedIn, and high-authority media sites feed into AI models. They’re the sources AI trusts most when it forms its answers.
Q: How can I tell if I’m visible to AI?
A: Ask it directly. Search your brand in ChatGPT or Perplexity. Then update your public content until what AI says matches what you’d say yourself.
Q: Is SEO dead?
A: Not at all. SEO is evolving. It’s still your foundation, but now it works hand in hand with AI visibility to make sure you’re understood by both humans and machines.
Coming Next in The Visibility Shift
Part 3: Proof at Scale, How to Turn Results into AI-Ready Reputation We’ll break down how to systematize trust signals so your credibility scales as fast as your growth.
Ready to build your Founder-Led Content Strategy?
Claim your Free Marketing Checkup with Thavma Consulting and start building a content strategy that compounds into credibility, traction, and growth.
Access our free strategy resources and learn more about Thavma Consulting.
Let’s connect: Fotine A Sotiropoulos | LinkedIn.
