Are People Clicking Links In ChatGPT Search? Brands Say Yes via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

A report from Modern Retail shows that radical who usage ChatGPT and Google Gemini for speedy summaries besides click the links these tools provide.

This is important for marketers, arsenic it suggests that AI-driven hunt whitethorn alteration merchandise find and online traffic.

While these numbers are self-reported and deficiency broader data, they connection penetration into however consumers prosecute with AI hunt results and however brands tin benefit.

What Brands Are Observing

Viv, a play attraction brand, noticed a inclination past summertime erstwhile its website postulation accrued by 400%. Marketing manager Kelly Donohue linked this to the emergence of AI tools.

This spike coincided with a survey successful Environment International that recovered harmful dense metals successful fashionable tampon brands. Viv’s blog posts astir merchandise information gained visibility arsenic radical searched for safer options.

The accrued postulation resulted successful much sales, with Viv reporting a 436% emergence from these AI-driven referrals. This indicates that users actively clicked done to larn much and marque purchases.

What To Learn From This

Viv’s acquisition highlights the request for brands to make broad contented that answers people’s questions.

Donohue pointed retired that platforms similar ChatGPT similar articles with context, sources, and thorough explanations implicit keyword-heavy material.

Donohue explained,

“These AI tools are specifically scraping done content, but looking for much than conscionable keywords. They’re looking for a cohesive effect that they tin springiness to radical that includes context, sources, and background.”

In response, Viv focused connected transparency and merchandise safety. By creating acquisition articles, Viv built user spot and improved its visibility successful AI recommendations.

The effort paid off, Donohue added:

“We ended up selling retired of astir six months of tampon inventory successful 3 weeks, driven by Google’s AI-powered recommendations.”

Other Brands Report Similar Trends

Joe & Bella is an adaptive apparel marque that has gained much visitors from ChatGPT recommendations.

It makes covering for older adults and radical with mobility challenges, and during the vacation season, it saw an summation successful visitors and purchases.

Jimmy Zollo, Joe & Bella’s co-founder and CEO, tells Modern Retail:

“I don’t truly cognize however oregon what they would person typed oregon asked ChatGPT to person recovered america implicit the holidays.”

Zollo speculated that the company’s ongoing concern successful SEO and its blog contented apt played a role.

The marque consistently uses keywords similar “adaptive clothing” successful its hunt ads and blog posts, which whitethorn person helped presumption it successful AI-driven results.

Zollo added:

“It was beauteous chill and unexpected, but we request to amended recognize however to optimize for these searches going forward.”

What This Means for Marketers

These reports amusement that radical prosecute with links successful AI-generated hunt results alternatively than conscionable speechmaking summaries.

Dan Buckstaff, main merchandise serviceman astatine Spins, compares this to the aboriginal days of SEO.

Buckstaff said:

“Similar to 15 years agone erstwhile we were questioning however SEO worked, we’re near with questioning however brands tin payment from AI environments.”

Spins’ 2025 Industry Trends Report indicates that consumers are progressively utilizing AI tools similar ChatGPT and societal media platforms similar TikTok to observe products.

While advertizing connected these AI tools is inactive developing, brands with strong, organized contented are benefiting.

Looking Ahead

Consumers are progressively clicking connected links successful AI-driven hunt results, particularly younger audiences similar Gen Z, who usage AI tools for merchandise discovery.

For brands similar Viv, this alteration is important for contented creation.

Donohue said:

“These searches are apical of caput for america now, and the mode we’re penning our blogs and the contented connected our website tin play a immense portion successful radical uncovering america done AI tools.”

The cardinal takeaway is to absorption connected straightforward, acquisition contented to amended your chances of being recommended by AI-powered hunt tools.

Featured Image: Mojahid Mottakin/Shutterstock