Imagine being a fly on the wall, hearing what people really say about your business when you’re not in the room. That’s the promise of AI-driven SEO today.
I sat down with Michael Buckbee, a marketing and tech veteran, to talk about how tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are reshaping brand visibility. This isn’t your standard SEO conversation, it’s a peek behind the digital curtain to discover what AI thinks about your business. Trust me, it’s more revealing than you might expect.
Whether you’re refining your brand, trying to figure out your target audience, or stalking your competitors (in the most professional way, of course), AI can offer surprisingly honest and useful feedback. If you know what to ask.
Key Takeaways:
- AI tools reflect public perception: AI platforms synthesize massive amounts of data and offer a “consensus view” of your brand. This feedback can be shockingly accurate, or totally misaligned with your goals, but either way, it’s insight you shouldn’t ignore.
- Your content influences AI responses: AI can hallucinate when it lacks clear information, often making up details to fill in gaps. You can reduce misinformation by creating targeted, well-written content that clarifies key facts about your business.
- Use AI for brand audits and competitive research: You can (and should) ask ChatGPT and similar tools what they think of your competitors. Discover what they're doing well and where they’re falling short.
- Low-volume search content now matters more: Traditional SEO focused on high-volume keywords. Today, many questions are answered directly in AI tools, making long-tail, intent-driven content more valuable than ever.
- Empathy and intent are your SEO secret weapons: Instead of chasing trends, focus on what your ideal customer is trying to accomplish. Answer their real questions with real solutions, and both humans and AI will reward you.
What can you do today?
- Type your business name into ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini and ask: “What do you know about [your company name]?” and “Who is their target audience?”
- Ask ChatGPT to perform a SWOT analysis of your business — you might be surprised by what it sees as strengths or weaknesses.
- Look up a competitor in the same way to uncover gaps or areas where your brand could shine brighter.
- Review your content library. Are you answering the right questions? If not, prioritize content that clarifies your expertise and speaks directly to your audience’s needs.
- Don’t just write for Google anymore. Make sure your website is accessible to AI bots, and focus on content that solves problems clearly and helpfully.
AI doesn’t have to be a mystery. it can be your mirror, your marketing consultant, and your competitive edge. You just have to ask the right questions.
About Michael Buckbee
Michael has worked at the intersection of marketing and technology for nearly two decades. Past clients include the US Navy, Fortune 100 companies, YC startups, presidential candidates, federal agencies, rock bands, and foreign governments. Today, he's the co-founder of Knowatoa, a service that tracks brand visibility, rankings, and sentiment within AI search services like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini.
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