Jason Morris from Profit Engine warns that appearing in AI summaries doesn’t always translate to commercial success, with just 1% of users clicking through when AI answers their query.
What’s happening: When an AI summary appears at the top of search results, 26% of users end their search entirely, whilst another 34% abandon Google altogether to continue searching elsewhere. This creates a dilemma for brands: visibility without traffic, recognition without attribution.
Why this matters: Brands must now build presence across platforms like Wikipedia, Reddit and YouTube that AI systems prioritise, moving beyond owned properties to establish distributed authority across the entire web ecosystem.
As Google’s AI Overviews changes search behaviour, brands are being surfaced or ignored based on their presence across key platforms, not just their websites.
The move has created uncertainty across marketing teams. Traditional SEO strategies focused on ranking websites, but AI systems synthesise information from across the web, often citing sources users never visit.
Jason Morris, Owner and CEO of Profit Engine, a specialised link building agency working at the intersection of SEO and AI-driven discovery, sees this transformation daily in client campaigns.
“We’re seeing a major change in how brands need to think about online visibility,” says Morris. “A website has to rank, but AI Overviews pull from platforms that many brands have ignored, and if you’re not present there, you won’t be considered by these systems.”
The visibility paradox
Large language models rank content differently from the way traditional search engines do. Instead, they synthesise information from multiple sources, looking for patterns of agreement and authority signals that extend beyond conventional SEO metrics.
These systems prioritise sources that demonstrate expertise through consistent, verifiable information. A brand mentioned across multiple authoritative platforms carries more weight than one with a perfectly optimised website but limited external presence. The AI looks for corroboration, so when the same information appears in different trusted contexts, it gains credibility in the model’s assessment.
“Platform authority now matters as much as website optimisation,” Morris explains. “We’re seeing brands with strong Wikipedia entries, active GitHub repositories or well-maintained LinkedIn presence getting cited in AI Overviews, whilst competitors with better traditional rankings get overlooked. The AI trusts platforms with built-in verification mechanisms, places where information is challenged, edited and validated by communities.”
This change means brands need to think about more than their owned properties. Traditional link building focused on passing authority to your domain, but AI systems evaluate your presence across the entire web ecosystem.
They assess whether independent sources corroborate your expertise, whether communities discuss your work, and whether structured platforms recognise your authority. Brands with distributed authority across multiple trusted platforms are the ones that gain visibility in these new search experiences.
Platforms AI trusts
Not all platforms carry equal weight in AI systems. Currently, the platforms that appear most include Wikipedia, Reddit discussions, YouTube, GitHub repositories for technical topics, LinkedIn for professional insights, and Trustpilot or G2 for reviews.
These platforms share common characteristics that make them valuable to AI systems. They’re structured, which makes information easy to parse. They’re consensus-driven, with community moderation and fact-checking built in. They’re updated frequently, providing current information rather than static content. And they’re transparent about contributors, making it easier for AI to assess credibility.
“The question we get most often is: where should we actually invest our time?” says Morris. “The answer depends on your industry, but there are clear patterns. If you’re in tech, GitHub activity and Stack Overflow contributions matter enormously. For consumer brands, Reddit discussions and review site presence make a real difference. Professional services need strong LinkedIn positioning and industry publication features.”
Reddit has become particularly influential because of its structure. Discussions are threaded, voted on by communities and frequently contain detailed personal experiences that AI systems value.
YouTube presents another opportunity. Video transcripts are parsed by AI systems, and the platform’s authority means content there often outweighs similar information elsewhere. Brands creating educational content are building an audience and establishing authority that AI Overviews will recognise.
When AI hurts business
Appearing in an AI Overview might seem like a win, but the data tells a more complex story. Pew Research found that just 1% of users click through to sources when an AI summary answers their query. That means 99% of people seeing your brand in an AI Overview never visit your website.
For some brands, this visibility still provides value. Building brand awareness and establishing expertise matters even without the click.
For reputation management, appearing in AI summaries affects perception. But for businesses relying on website traffic to generate leads, the picture is different. When AI answers the question, you lose the opportunity to capture contact details or guide prospects through a sales process.
“This is where strategy becomes important,” Morris explains. “If you’re an e-commerce brand, being featured for product information might actually hurt you, because people get their answer without visiting your shop. But if you’re a B2B service provider, being cited as an expert builds authority that influences buying decisions later.”
There are scenarios where brands should actively pursue AI visibility: when building thought leadership, when brand recall matters more than immediate conversion, or when competing in crowded markets where authority signals make the difference. But focus elsewhere when you need direct response or when your business model depends on website engagement.
Distributed authority matters
Similar to insights shared in Dynamic Business’s coverage of evolving SEO practices, Morris emphasises that the fundamental shift requires brands to rethink their entire approach to visibility.
“The switch towards AI-driven search is forcing a fundamental rebalancing of how brands approach visibility. For years, SEO meant optimising your website and building links back to your domain. That still matters, but it’s no longer sufficient. AI systems are looking at your entire digital footprint,” Morris says.
“We’re advising clients to think in terms of distributed authority. It means maintaining strong platform presences where your audience already gathers, contributing valuable information to spaces like Reddit or industry forums, and ensuring your expertise is documented on structured platforms that AI trusts. Businesses need to recognise that AI visibility requires authority signals from across the web.”
The brands that will succeed are those that understand when AI inclusion serves their goals and when it doesn’t.
“Not every business benefits from having its knowledge given away in search summaries. Strategic thinking matters more now than ever. Know what you want from search visibility, and build your platform presence accordingly,” Morris says.
Sources: AI click-through rates – Pew Research
Jason Morris is the Owner and CEO of Profit Engine
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