How brands can stay visible in an adaptive search landscape

Key Points: 

• Search is no longer linear. People discover information across platforms—Google, Reddit, TikTok, ChatGPT—depending on context, intent and mindset.

• Every user has a “search personality.” Understanding why people search (their Jobs to Be Done) is as important as where they search. 

• AI is reshaping discoverability. To appear in AI-generated answers, brands must structure content in ways that algorithms can interpret and cite accurately.

• Authentic, user-generated content is often key to building trust in your brand.

• Customized, in-person experiences that pick up where digital ones leave off turn online curiosity into lasting loyalty and advocacy.

• Search visibility depends on brand coherence. The brands that show up have a consistent, trustworthy presence across human and digital touchpoints alike.

Every day, we make thousands of micro-decisions that quietly reveal who we are—whether we start the morning with meditation or a run, splash milk in our coffee or take it black, or choose to drive instead of taking public transit. Each small choice reflects what we value and how we move through the world.

The same is true of how we use technology. The way we search for a new restaurant, plan summer travel, or hunt for the perfect trench coat reveals our values, priorities and even our sense of self. For years, “searching” was synonymous with “Googling.” But search is no longer so simple.

Search has splintered across platforms, mirroring increasingly dynamic and decreasingly linear customer behavior—what some call the “flight of the bumblebee.” Some of us still rely on Google. Others turn to ChatGPT, Reddit, or TikTok to navigate our search. Some read every comment; others swipe quickly and move on. Each of us has our own search personality which is our own distinct approach to gathering information to guide our decision-making.

Brands that want to remain visible in a changing search landscape need to understand that visibility isn’t just about showing up on Google—it’s about having a coherent, trusted, well-branded presence across every place your audience is looking for answers. That’s where the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework can add depth. In the JTBD framework, you uncover a consumer’s root objective by understanding what they’re fundamentally trying to achieve—buying a luxury watch isn’t about telling time more accurately, it’s about signaling success and prestige. When applying this framework to search, it’s not just about where people search, but why. What’s the underlying job they’re trying to accomplish and what role can your brand play in helping them do it?

To explore what dynamic search might look like today, let’s follow Ava—a 24-year-old Gen Z-er buying a car before grad school. As the first digital native generation, Gen Z is tech savvy with heightened expectations for convenience, personalization and seamless user experiences. We’ll explore how modern search unfolds across platforms for this generation, from inspiration to purchase—and what brands must do to stay relevant along the way.

Job to be done: I need inspiration for a car that fits my lifestyle and values; it needs to be reliable, smart and eco-conscious.

Ava pulls out her iPhone—like 71% of Gen Z searchers, she begins her shopping experience on mobile—and opens TikTok. It’s her default starting point, as it is for 43% of her generation. She scrolls through creators’ videos on “sustainable cars under $35K” and “affordable EVs,” preferring authentic reviews over polished ads. Only 18% of Gen Z cares about vehicle brand names; instead, they’re drawn to value, credibility and real voices. When Ava sees a post from a creator her age sharing a candid EV comparison, Ava listens and, true to form, dives straight into the comments. For her, scanning reactions and gauging sentiment isn’t a side habit; it’s part of the research. This behavior is typical of a generation that treats digital conversation as due diligence.

Brand implication: For brands, social discovery has become essential.

The content that earns attention must feel native to the platform and genuine in tone. That means empowering real advocates and creators, favoring transparency over polish and blending storytelling with substance. Visibility now depends on how well a brand can live in the wild—not just on its own channels.

Job to be done: I need someone to guide me through the noise and help me find clarity in my options.

Once Ava narrows her list to a few contenders—the Toyota Corolla Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid—she turns to AI for validation. Like 24% of Gen Z, she opens ChatGPT to continue her informational search.

She appreciates the AI’s structured comparison table and how it recalls her past preferences. She feels like the AI response captured her wants, wishes, concerns and she likes how it references certain quirks that it knows about her through their past conversations. It helps her trust that it’s critically thinking about the best option for her. The experience feels personal, like a trusted advisor.

Brand implication: As LLMs become discovery engines, brands must optimize not only for human readers but for machine interpretation to ensure they are surfaced in AI results.

That means creating content that AI can accurately summarize, cite and contextualize your brand. Brand-led ecosystems, structured content and authoritative data are the new front doors to visibility. In this world, discoverability is about optimizing for both people and machines.

Job to be done: I want to confirm I’m making a smart choice, not just a trendy one.

Even after AI narrows her list, Ava seeks reassurance. She moves fluidly between Google, Reddit and YouTube—searching “Corolla Hybrid reviews,” reading comparison articles, watching YouTube reviews and scrolling Reddit threads like r/WhatCarShouldIBuy. Like 74% of Gen Z, she reads product reviews before making a purchase and trusts peer reviews more than brand claims like 52% of her peers. 

Her takeaway? The Toyota checks out across sources for hybrid efficiency and a price tag that doesn’t feel like a financial stretch. She’s now emotionally confident in her choice and ready to move forward.

Brand implication: Authority is earned through distributed credibility.

Brands must invest in cultivating social proof ecosystems: verified reviews, third-party endorsements, creator collaborations and community engagement that reinforce authenticity. An ecosystem of proof points will help build trust with consumers (and with AI!) to ensure your brand is consistently surfaced.

Job to be done: I want a seamless digital-to-physical shift so I feel informed and confident when I show up in person.

Ava books a test drive through a dealership chatbot, confirming her preferences and appointment details. Before going, she even prompts ChatGPT to help her make a list of smart questions to ask about financing, features and warranties. She wants to walk in prepared and confident, not naïve.

When Ava arrives at the dealership, she hopes that her in-person experience will feel like a seamless extension of her digital trail. She’s already shared her preferences online and she’s curious what the in-person interaction will be like and how the brand will show up for her.

Brand implication: AI can help brands make in-person experiences feel like a natural continuation of the search journey.

By capturing intent and preferences from digital interactions, brands can equip reps to meet customers with context and confidence. But data is only half the equation—the real differentiator is the actual experience a brand provides to their customer. In a world shaped by screens, authentic, real-world experiences remain the most powerful trust signal a brand can deliver.

Job to be done: I want a frictionless, personalized purchase and a positive experience.

At the dealership, Ava is greeted by name and offered a coffee while her sales rep pulls up the notes from her online chat. He has everything from her preferred trim to her color shortlist ready to go. The experience feels seamless, almost anticipatory, like the brand already knows her. The rep walks her through a few customization options and even suggests his favorite Spotify playlist for her first drive.

She finalizes her purchase, choosing the Ruby Flare Pearl color that feels distinctly “her.” The warmth and attentiveness of the experience leave her genuinely impressed—so much so that she posts a TikTok celebrating her new car, shouting out the dealership and showing off the color in the sun. In doing so, Ava turns her purchase into content, extending visibility for the brand itself.

Brand implication: Every in-person interaction is a chance to turn a customer into an advocate.

When people have a genuinely joyful experience, they don’t just remember it—they share it. A great experience doesn’t end at the point of sale, it ripples through posts, reviews and conversations. Whether a customer leaves a positive review, shares a photo, or relays a story to a friend, it all amplifies your brand’s reach and credibility. In the age of social storytelling, every customer is a potential media channel. Design moments that feel worth documenting because authentic delight both builds loyalty and fuels discoverability.

Ava’s journey reveals a simple truth: discovery no longer happens in a straight line or in a single place.

It flows between platforms, people and AI—blurring the boundaries between content, channels and experience. To stay visible and trusted in this new world, brands must go beyond optimizing for algorithms and instead they must design for modern, human discovery.

The brands that will thrive are the ones that can:

Build recognizable trust signals across every search surface.

Your voice, visuals and values should translate consistently, whether someone meets your brand through Google, TikTok, or an AI assistant. Brand coherence is credibility.

Structure content for discovery across humans and machines.

From schema markup to multimedia storytelling, ensure your content is designed to be understood by algorithms and felt by people. Use clear signals—authoritative links, schema markup and immersive content—to boost visibility across search and generative engines alike.

Extend the search journey with real human connection

Extend your brand with creator collaborations, partnerships, peer reviews and shareable in-person moments. Connect digital and physical touchpoints so that every experience (like Ava’s test drive) feels personal, authentic and worth sharing.

As brands compete for relevance and visibility, the real advantage lies in understanding customer context and distinct search personalities—what people are trying to accomplish, why they search and how AI shapes their decisions.

While the brands that succeed will optimize for algorithms as a matter of course, they’ll also evolve with intention, showing up where it matters most in ways that feel relevant and real. Those are the brands that people and AI will gravitate toward.