Trust Is the New SEO: Marketing in the AI Era (with Kevin Indig)

I chat with my buddy Kevin Indig about what he’s learning in his AI research, along with generative engine optimization, and user behavior in tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode.

Kevin explains why clicks are disappearing, why citations may matter less than brand mentions, and why trust is becoming one of the most important assets a brand can build in the AI era. He also explains “ghost citations,” how AI systems seem to read content, and why customer research is becoming newly essential.

Links to some of Kevin’s recent research:
The Fan-Out Effect: What Happens Between a Query and a Citation

Timestamps:
00:00 Kevin on why trust matters more in an AI world
00:32 Why GEO/AEO may be forcing executives to care about better marketing
01:39 Kevin’s research: fewer clicks, more variance, and trust as the key ingredient
05:11 What “ghost citations” are and why they matter
14:09 The risk of AI slop and how synthetic content erodes trust
19:24 Tools and approaches for tracking AI visibility
22:03 What user behavior research reveals about AI search habits
24:50 What brands should measure in their first 90 days of AI search tracking
27:03 Why old-school PR metrics like share of voice and sentiment are back
29:05 Best way to stay in the know on all things GEO

Connect with Kevin Indig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinindig/
Sign up for Kevin’s Newsletter, Growth Memo: https://www.growth-memo.com/ 

Learn more: zeroclickmarketing.co

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This episode was produced in partnership with Share Your Genius
www.shareyourgenius.com