The use of AI tools continues to impact user search behavior through the utilization of AI Summaries and other SERP (search engine results page) features. In 2025, over 27% of all U.S searches ended without a click, a 12.5% increase compared to 24% the prior year (Search Engine Land). Meanwhile, according to research by Bain, about 80% of search users rely on AI summaries at least 40% of the time. These changes have marked a shift in success metrics — moving away from search ranking, clicks and website traffic to mentions, citations, and share of voice/search impression share.
The question remains, how do brands compte in an AI-first search landscape when users don’t click? We’ve outlined 5 practical tips to address these changes in search engine and user behavior in 2026 and beyond.
- Optimize for Machine Readability
Build upon existing SEO best practices by using schema markup, secure HTTPs, and optimize page speed and mobile friendliness. Incorporate descriptive alt text for images, files and other assets. Structure website content using hierarchal headings and incorporate top search queries throughout headings. Restructure existing long-form content to incorporate short paragraphs that each focus on a single topic. Ensure that copy is concise, grammatically correct, and in a natural language tone.
- Build Upon Existing Content
Restructure existing content on site in formats that are AI crawlable. Think FAQ’s, Q&A’s, How To’s, ordered lists (like this one), and structured tables for data sets. All these formats allow AI search tools to extrapolate information from websites. Beyond website content, expand content generation efforts to other channels including forums like Reddit, posts or white pages on LinkedIn, and YouTube videos. Ensure that key terms are included in titles and descriptions, and relevant hashtags are used when appropriate. Lastly, across all platforms, leading with the key takeaway and then providing additional background information ensures that content is easily summarized.
- Prioritize Earned Media
AI tools surface content that is credible and trustworthy, which is built in part by earned media. While branded (owned) content remains important, it typically plays a supporting role to earned media placements, which carry greater credibility and strengthen trust in the brand. Backlinks from trusted publications and other sources help increase a brand’s credibility which, in turn, makes it more likely that AI will surface that brand in results.
- Redefine Success Metrics
A key distinction between GEO and traditional SEO is how success is measured. Traditional SEO focuses on ranking highly for target queries to drive clicks and website traffic. GEO operates differently. As zero-click searches increase, performance is measured by visibility within AI-generated responses, including mentions, citations, and overall impression share or share of voice across search experiences.
- Measure AI Visibility
Take advantage of tools to measure brand AI visibility while making the optimizations outlined above. Here are a few ways to get started:- AI Visibility by SEMRush
- Brand Radar & AI Content Helper by Ahrefs
- AI Search Visibility Tools by SE Ranking
Taking these practical steps to improve machine readability, restructure content, prioritize earned media, adjust success metrics and measure the results of these efforts will help ensure that brands continue to appear in AI overviews and summaries.