The world of search has changed. What used to be about ranking web pages in the results of Google is now about being visible across AI assistants, chat queries, marketplace engines, video platforms and community forums. The term “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)” still applies — but only if we expand our definition. What if SEO should really mean “Search Everywhere Optimization”?
Consider this: a major study found that in the U.S., 58.5% of Google searches ended with zero clicks — the user got their answer without visiting another website. sparktoro Meanwhile, in a dataset of 300,000 keywords, the presence of an “AI Overview” result in Google’s page correlated with a 34.5% drop in click-through rate (CTR) for the top ranking page. Ahrefs
If you’re still treating SEO as “old-school link building + keywords”, you’re missing a paradigm shift. This article outlines why that shift matters, how it’s already happening, and what smart brands must do today to stay visible.
1. What “Search-Everywhere” Really Means
Traditional SEO efforts focus largely on: crawlability, meta tags, keyword targeting, link building, and ranking in SERPs. That still matters. But what matters more now is visibility in the places people actually search — and they’re using far more than search engines.
Here are the new frontiers:
AI search and chat agents (e.g., ChatGPT, Perplexity)
Marketplace search and shopping discovery (e.g., products inside Etsy or other ecommerce engines)
Community forums and Q&A platforms (Reddit, Quora) whose content is feedstock for AI models
Video platforms (e.g., YouTube) whose transcripts and content are increasingly surfaced by LLMs
SERPs where “AI Overviews” or answer boxes deliver information without a click
What this means: your brand needs to be findable wherever the user begins the journey — not just on the top 10 links.
2. Why The Shift Matters Now
Let’s dive into some hard data:
Over half of Google searches in major markets end with zero clicks. sparktoro.com
AI Overviews are increasingly common and correlate with lower clicks to external sites. Ahrefs
Brands with strong web-mention profiles (not just backlinks) are far more likely to be cited in AI Overviews. Ahrefs
In practical terms: even if you rank #1 in Google, you might still lose traffic if you’re not showing up in AI-driven experiences. What used to be “if you rank you’ll get the click” is no longer guaranteed.
Therefore: visibility = presence in the algorithmic and AI-driven discovery ecosystem.
3. How AI Platforms and Marketplaces Change the Rules
Different AI discovery systems pull from different sources. For example:
ChatGPT and similar models tend to reference large, authoritative content like Wikipedia, academic sources, or large corpora of text.
Other models (e.g., Perplexity) may reference community forums, YouTube transcripts, Reddit threads.
Shopping marketplaces integrating AI (e.g., Etsy partnering with AI tools) mean discovery and purchase may happen inside the AI interface itself — bypassing traditional website visits entirely.
Because each system has its “source bias”, brands must ensure they appear in those source pools. If you’re only creating blog posts on your website, you risk missing out on where the AI is drawing information from.
4. Tactical Playbook: How to Capitalise Now
Here’s what smart brands (and marketers) should do now:
| Step | Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Run sample queries in ChatGPT, Perplexity, marketplace bots. Log which domains/sources are cited. | You’ll know which source banks dominate in your niche. |
| Presence beyond your site | Create or claim profiles/pages on key sources: Wikipedia/WikiStyle profiles, YouTube explainers with transcript, Quora answers, Reddit participation, review sites. | These feed the AI models. |
| Create “answer‐style” content | Publish concise, direct answers (50-150 words) optimized for query and snippet format, then support with long-form content behind. | Increases odds of getting cited in AI Overviews. |
| Video + transcript | Post 3-6 minute video on YouTube which answers a core question. Include transcript on your site. | Many AI systems draw from video transcripts. |
| Optimize marketplace/merchant feeds | If you sell products/services, ensure your merchant listings, review scores, structured data are correct. | AI shopping bots will pull from these. |
| Monitor brand mentions & AI visibility | Use tools (e.g., Ahrefs Brand Radar) to see how many times your brand appears in AI Overviews or other sources. Ahrefs | You’ll measure real visibility shifts. |
5. Case / Experiment You Can Run
If you’re looking to “put a stake in the ground” and experiment, do this:
Pick a high-intent keyword in your niche.
Publish a short written answer on Quora or Reddit (50-150 words) directly addressing that query.
Create a 3-5 minute YouTube video answering the same question, include a transcript on your site.
Then host a long-form article (800-1,200 words) on your blog that expands on the answer and links to both the Quora/Reddit answer and the video.
Monitor over 30 days: search impressions, CTR, AI citation mentions (via Ahrefs/Brand Radar).
You’ll test the “visibility across channels” hypothesis and the impact of AI-driven discovery.
Conclusion
The rules of search have shifted. No longer is it enough to rank. You must be visible in every place your target audience begins their query — whether that’s a chat interface, YouTube, a marketplace, or a forum. If you ignore these channels, you risk being invisible in the era of “Search Everywhere”.
Start today. Run your audits. Publish your answer-style content. Track your brand mentions. Because by the time everyone wakes up to this shift, the winners will already be far ahead.