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AI Search Strategy
Make sure your brand gets recommended. No matter where your audience searches.
A strategic programme that positions your brand where purchase decisions are shaped: from a strong web foundation, via Discovery platforms, to recommendation in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews.
You get the strategy and action plan. Your team or agency puts it into practice.
Your brand
[ The shift ]
The search landscape has changed. Most brands are still optimising for the old world.
AI Search doesn't replace SEO, it builds on top of it. The fundamentals stay the same, but the playing field has grown. Optimising only your website is no longer enough.
The real shift isn't from Google to ChatGPT. It's from 'optimising one channel' to understanding how people search, explore and decide across all platforms. Most companies still only optimise their website. Meanwhile, customers search via YouTube, Reddit and LinkedIn, and increasingly ask their questions directly to ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini.
The reflex of the industry? Replace "Google" with "ChatGPT" and call it innovation. But AI works fundamentally differently: it combines information from dozens of sources like YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn and forums, and recommends what surfaces most frequently and consistently. Most agencies ignore this Discovery layer entirely. And miss the very foundation on which AI builds its recommendations.
85%of brand mentions in AI Search come from third-party content
Only 13% comes from your own website.
89%of buyers research on at least 3 platforms
The purchase decision is not made on one channel.
5xhigher conversion via AI Search than Google
Users in AI Search ask follow-up questions, refine their needs and only visit your site once convinced. They arrive 'primed': ready to convert. Paid search taught us years ago: small volume with high intent outperforms masses of visitors without buying intent. AI Search works the same way.
Sources: AirOps Research, McKinsey & Company, Superprompt Research
“The goal of AI Search optimization isn't citations or traffic. It's whether your brand appears at the moment someone is forming a purchase decision.”
[ The model ]
Getting recommended by AI platforms doesn't start with AI
Physical availability is about being findable in the store. Mental availability is about being top-of-mind. AI availability is about whether AI systems mention and recommend your brand when someone is forming a purchase decision. The Search Recommendation Model builds that availability layer by layer: from web foundation, via Discovery platforms, to AI recommendation.
AI Search
Discovery
WEBSITE
Layer 1 · Your foundation
Website
The owned foundation. Your website is the bedrock: technically sound, content-rich and structured for search engines and AI. Without a strong core, the rest has no foundation.
Layer 2 · Discovery & Social Search
Discovery & Social Search
YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, forums and review platforms. These platforms aren't just discovery channels, they're search engines in their own right. This is where your brand is discussed, discovered and recommended. This layer doubles as your Social Search strategy.
Layer 3 · AI visibility
AI Search
ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews. AI combines information from dozens of sources and recommends what surfaces most frequently and consistently. Your website and external platforms together shape the picture AI has of your brand.
One strategy across three layers
Most agencies tackle just one layer: they optimise your website, set up a Social Search strategy, or focus on AI platforms. But these layers don't work in isolation. AI pulls its answers from Discovery platforms, which in turn link back to your website. Skip one link and you lose the effect of the rest.
This strategy brings all three layers together in one programme. Not three separate projects, but one cohesive approach. So every action you take strengthens the other layers.
AI recommends what it encounters everywhere. A strong brand starts with a strong website, is amplified through presence on Discovery platforms, and ultimately gets picked up by AI. Each layer feeds the next.
[ The foundation ]
Built on the Search Intent Framework
Our strategy is built on Think again's own Search Intent Framework: a new model that replaces the outdated 2002 search intent taxonomy with 9 behaviour-driven intents, 31 subcategories and 15 platforms. Built from scratch, because the 2026 search landscape doesn't fit models from 2002.
It's not the platform that determines the strategy, but the search intent of your audience.
Read the full deep dive[ The difference ]
Why this isn't a standard SEO or GEO approach
Optimising only your website is not enough. Focusing only on AI platforms isn't either. Your website remains the foundation, but 85% of your AI visibility is determined by what others say about you, on platforms most companies overlook. We build a strategy that connects all three layers.
From website analysis to content strategy
From technical foundation to content that gets found, mentioned and recommended
- Technical foundation optimised for AI crawlers
- Content architecture that builds topical authority
- Answer-worthy content and structured data that generate AI recommendations
From platform scan to Discovery strategy
From mapping where your brand stands to a plan to become visible on the platforms that matter
- Platform prioritisation based on your audience and intents
- Social Search strategy per platform (YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn)
- Community and review approach that feeds AI models
- Content formats and distribution plan per Discovery channel
From invisible to recommended in AI Search
From not existing in ChatGPT and Perplexity to actively being recommended for purchase-oriented queries
- AI representation audit: how AI platforms currently describe your brand
- Competitive position in AI recommendations per target query
- Strengthening recommendation signals across all three layers
- Measurement strategy for AI visibility and brand impact
Optimisation only works when there's something to build on. Most agencies stop at the analysis. We deliver the strategy your team needs to take action.
[ The programme ]
How it works
Five steps from intake to presentation. The result: a strategy and action plan your team or agency can execute immediately.
01
Intake
Week 1Een gesprek over jullie merk, doelgroep, markt en ambities. We brengen in kaart waar jullie staan en wat jullie willen bereiken. Dit vormt de basis voor de audit.
02
Audit
Week 1–2We analyseren hoe jullie merk presteert op alle drie de lagen. Website: technische gezondheid, content-structuur en AI-readiness. Discovery & Social Search: waar wordt jullie merk genoemd, hoe vindbaar zijn jullie binnen YouTube, Reddit en LinkedIn zelf, en waar liggen kansen. AI Search: hoe beschrijven ChatGPT, Perplexity en Gemini jullie merk versus concurrenten. Concreet en meetbaar.
03
Contentstrategie
Week 2–3Op basis van de audit bepalen we welke thema's, formats en platforms prioriteit hebben. Niet alles tegelijk, maar focus op wat het meeste oplevert voor jullie specifieke situatie.
04
Actieplan
Week 3Een geprioriteerde roadmap die jullie team of bureau direct kan uitvoeren. Geen lijst van 200 taken, maar de acties die het verschil maken, in de juiste volgorde.
05
Presentatie
Week 4We presenteren de strategie en het actieplan aan jullie team of management. Zodat iedereen begrijpt waarom dit de juiste koers is en er intern draagvlak ontstaat.
Timeline: approximately 4 weeks from intake to presentation.
[ What you get ]
From insight to action
First we map where you stand. Then we deliver the strategy your team needs to grow.
1
Phase 1: Insight
A three-layer analysis that forms the foundation for the strategy
Website
- Technical foundation, content quality and AI-readiness
- Every page scored on discoverability and citability
- Concrete action points per priority
Discovery & Social Search
- Presence on YouTube, Reddit, review sites and communities
- Authority signals measured and benchmarked against competitors
- Topic discovery across multiple platforms
AI Search
- Brand visibility tested across all relevant AI platforms
- Competitive position per purchase-oriented query
- Opportunities mapped for AI recommendation
2
Phase 2: Strategy & Action Plan
What your team will concretely do to get recommended, per layer
Website
- Technical SEO priorities that strengthen your foundation
- Content architecture based on the Search Intent Framework
- Structured data and AI-readiness of your pages
- Internal link strategy that builds thematic authority
- E-E-A-T strengthening plan per author and brand
- Topic landscape: which subjects have potential on which platforms
Discovery & Social Search
- Data-driven platform prioritisation based on search intent and audience behaviour
- YouTube strategy: which topics score, which formats work, outlier analysis
- Reddit strategy: which subreddits, which formats, how to build authority
- Content strategy per platform: what to publish, where, how often
- Community and review approach that strengthens brand signals
- Brand mention growth strategy and distribution plan
AI Search
- How AI platforms currently describe your brand vs. competitors
- Why competitors are getting cited, and what you're missing
- Which purchase-oriented queries offer recommendation opportunities
- Which signals need strengthening across all three layers
- Entity-building plan (Knowledge Panel, Wikidata, sameAs)
- Measurement approach for AI recommendations and brand impact
[ The result ]
What does it deliver?
You'll know exactly where your brand stands per layer, with scores from 0 to 100, a competitive benchmark and a clear picture of where the gaps are. No assumptions, but measurable data.
Every recommendation is prioritised (high, medium, low) and directly actionable. Including content briefing templates and a measurement framework so your team or agency can start executing the very next day.
Initial results from the content strategy are typically visible within 3 to 6 months. AI models are continuously updated, changes in AI visibility can occur more quickly.
So your team can start right away
- Briefing document for your agency or team, ready to hand over
- Measurement framework per layer: what to track, which tools, when to evaluate
- Content briefing templates so your team knows exactly what to produce
Social Search strategy included
The Discovery layer doubles as your complete Social Search strategy. You don't need a separate Social SEO programme. It's built into this approach.
- Platform-specific strategy for YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn and more
- Content formats and publishing cadence per channel
- Community and review approach that strengthens brand signals
[ Investment ]
Four packages
From a one-day workshop to a full first year on track: choose where you start. The largest package bundles strategy, workshop and guidance in one clear figure, €24,000 for year one.
Workshop
In-house workshop for your team
€3.000
- Think again method (3 steps)
- Concrete frameworks + action plan
- Content aligned with your industry, market and competition
- Workshop day: straight into depth, hands-on with your own case
Strategy
One-off strategic programme (1 product group)
€10.000
- Website deep audit + improvement plan (technical, content, structure)
- Discovery & social strategy: how to win on YouTube, Reddit, forums and reviews
- AI Search: brand and competitor view, gaps and priorities
- Content strategy + prioritised action plan (themes, formats, platforms)
Strategy + In-house Workshop
Strategy plus workshop for your entire team
€12.000
- Everything from the strategy programme
- In-house workshop for the entire team
- Team has skills + strategy to start immediately
- Workshop track: intake, deep dive and applied work on your brand
Strategy + Workshop + annual guidance
All in one: programme + first year of guidance
€24.000
- Full Strategy + In-house Workshop
- 4 quarterly sessions + monthly monitoring
- Adjustments from new data and market shifts
Extra product group or domain
Does your organisation have multiple product groups with different competitors and markets? Each additional product group requires additional research.
€5.000
per additional product group, excl. VAT
We believe in full transparency and results over hourly billing. With fixed prices you know exactly what the investment is upfront. This allows us to focus entirely on the impact on your business, with no surprises afterwards. It also safeguards our objectivity: since we don't handle execution, we have no incentive to recommend more content than strictly necessary. You only get what truly works.
One-off programmes have no hidden obligations. Guidance in package 4 is part of that first year as a whole; continuing afterwards is something we discuss when the time comes.
[ Frequently asked questions ]
Questions we hear often
How long does the programme take?+
On average four weeks from intake to presentation. The exact timeline depends on your team's availability for the intake and feedback moments.
What if we don't have a team to execute the strategy?+
We help you brief an agency, or advise on selecting a suitable partner. The action plan is structured so that any team or agency can start working with it immediately.
How do we measure whether the strategy works?+
The action plan includes KPIs and measurement points per layer: from technical indexing to AI visibility and brand mentions. So you know exactly what to measure and why.
Can't our current agency just do this?+
Most agencies specialise in one layer: SEO, social media or content creation. This programme connects three layers into one strategy. The action plan can then be executed perfectly well by your existing agency.
What's the difference with a GEO agency?+
Most GEO agencies focus on the output of AI models. We build the strategy that feeds that output: from the web foundation, via Discovery platforms, to AI visibility. That's fundamentally different.
We already have an SEO agency. Won't that conflict?+
On the contrary. The action plan is structured so you can hand it directly to your existing SEO agency. They get clear priorities and a broader context that makes their work more impactful.
Does this replace my current SEO strategy?+
Definitely not. Google remains a massive channel. But the playing field has expanded. AI Search and Discovery platforms aren't a replacement, but an essential extension. The three layers reinforce each other: a stronger website leads to more mentions on Discovery platforms, which in turn leads to stronger AI recommendations.
How quickly will we see results?+
The action plan can be executed immediately. The first visible effects of the content strategy are typically noticeable within 3 to 6 months. AI models are continuously updated, so changes in AI visibility can occur relatively quickly. Building genuine authority, however, is a medium-term investment.
Why fixed prices?+
An agency without strategy easily costs €2,000 per month, €24,000 per year, without certainty they're doing the right things. This programme sets the right course, one-off and for a fraction of that amount. Since we don't handle execution ourselves, we have no incentive to recommend more than necessary. You only get what truly works.
How do we keep our content relevant after publication?+
Algorithms and LLMs favour recent, updated content. A page that performs well can decline over time as its content becomes outdated. The action plan includes a content freshness plan: which existing pages to prioritise for updates, and a cadence to keep top performers current. This isn't a one-off action but an ongoing part of your content strategy.
Does this work for our industry?+
The three-layer approach works for any industry where customers research and compare online. The specifics differ: for B2B SaaS the emphasis is on thought leadership and comparison queries, for e-commerce on product reviews and visual platforms, for services on expertise and local visibility. During the intake we determine which platforms and intents carry the most weight for your audience.
What if AI Search works differently a year from now?+
The strategy is built on principles that don't change: make sure your brand shows up everywhere AI pulls its answers from. The specific platforms and tactics may shift, but the foundation remains. That's why the action plan includes a measurement framework so you can adjust course yourself. And for those who prefer not to do it alone, there's the annual guidance package with quarterly sessions.
Can't we just do this ourselves with AI tools?+
Tools give you data, not strategy. You can use AI tools to check whether your brand appears in ChatGPT, but that won't tell you why your competitor does appear, which platforms to prioritise for your audience, or how to strengthen three layers in concert. The difference is the same as between Google Analytics and a marketing strategy: one measures, the other provides direction.
[ The strategist ]
Who creates your strategy?
Peter Minkjan
Peter Minkjan has worked in search and digital discoverability since 2008. From SEA and SEO to YouTube, Social and AI Search. He's witnessed every shift in the search landscape firsthand. The Search Intent Framework and the Search Recommendation Model are built on those eighteen years of experience.
Marketing strategyAI SearchSEODigital strategy
View LinkedIn profileWho is this for?
Marketingteams
Die merken dat alleen SEO niet meer genoeg is en grip willen krijgen op het veranderende zoeklandschap.
CMO's en marketing-directeuren
Die een helder beeld willen van wat AI Search betekent voor hun merk en budget. Onderbouwd, niet op gevoel.
Merken die vooruit willen
Die niet willen afwachten tot de concurrentie wel zichtbaar is in ChatGPT, Perplexity en Google AI Overviews.
This programme is not for you if you...
- —Are looking for a monthly managed SEO package
- —Want to fully outsource implementation
- —Only want quick wins without a long-term strategy
Prefer to start on your own first?
Our AI Search Workshop gives your team the knowledge and frameworks to start working on AI visibility in just one day. In-house workshop from €3,000.
View the AI Search WorkshopGoogleChatGPTPerplexity
ClaudeGemini
CopilotGoogleChatGPTPerplexityClaudeGeminiCopilotRedditYouTubeTikTok
LinkedIn
Wikipedia
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The question isn't how to optimise for AI.
The question is how to build a brand worth recommending.
Book a no-obligation introductory call. We'll discuss your situation and show you how an AI Search Strategy positions your brand where purchase decisions are shaped.
Book an introduction