Does AI Search Still See Your Brand?
AI is transforming the way we search the web. From now on, the rule is: if you're not showing up as an AI-generated answer, your brand is becoming invisible. How should you respond?
Trust is the currency of brands. With the rise of AI-driven search, the question of trust is being redefined—especially in the digital space. A recent study shows: brands that do not appear in AI-generated answers can lose up to 60% of their traffic and become less visible. The winners are those brands that Google deems trustworthy. But how does the trust game work? And what can you do as a brand to stay on top?
Zero-Click
In 2024, Google rolled out AI-generated answers in the U.S., and by the end of March 2025, in Germany. According to a study by SEO expert Kevin Indig and UX researcher Eric Van Buskirk, this change can reduce click-through rates by up to two-thirds. Some companies are reporting traffic losses of up to 60 percent. The study shows that 70 percent of users read only the top third of the AI-generated box. To appear in those answers and remain visible, Google must consider a brand highly trustworthy.
Become a Trusted Source
How can my brand become so trusted that AI selects it as an answer? According to Google, there is no single numerical “trust score” for websites. Google uses a combination of algorithms and signals—such as content quality, link quality, and user behavior—to determine how trustworthy a page appears. Google favors content from sources that have built a reputation for reliability over time—for example, established news outlets or official websites of governments and educational institutions.
What Else Can I Do as a Brand?
In general: publish content with concrete study citations. Ensure your website is technically clean (HTML instead of JavaScript, clear headings, structured data). Make sure others are talking about you—through media coverage, industry portals, and directories. Develop content based on real experiences and authored by subject matter experts. Present your brand’s uniqueness, USPs, and quality in a way that makes it easier for AI to recognize—thereby increasing visibility.
Conclusion
Brands should invest in building digital trustworthiness. That way, the likelihood increases that Google will cite them as a source in AI-generated answers.
— Author Frank Wache is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at JUNO.