Retailers are swiftly adapting to a changing digital landscape where AI agents increasingly mediate consumer interactions. Many businesses now prioritize their discoverability among AI systems by ramping up their content output. As a result, brand engagement strategies are evolving, with investments focused on enhancing online visibility for AI-driven platforms. Despite the growing popularity of AI agents in consumer interactions, traditional marketing strategies are seeing a shift as they adapt to new digital requirements. Large language models like ChatGPT are central players in this change, influencing how brands position themselves in the market.
Years back, retailers often measured their advertising strategies around search engines and social media clicks. Tools like Meta and Google controlled the placement and visibility of ads. Nowadays, however, the landscape has changed significantly. AI systems, which were originally considered secondary in impacting retail, have now become pivotal. Retailers must now appeal directly to AI algorithms, not just consumers, to maintain their market presence.
How Are Retailers Responding?
Retailers are investing in platforms like Evertune.ai to enhance their online presence. Offering services for around $3,000 monthly, Evertune.ai helps brands optimize their sites for AI language models. As Brian Stempeck, CEO of Evertune.ai, noted, companies have increased their publication rates:
“We’ve seen brands that previously were putting out three or four new blog posts or articles a month, are now trying to do 100 or 200.”
This shift illustrates the emphasis on AI-readability over traditional human-centric online visibility.
Can AI Traffic Deliver Results?
While traffic generated from AI platforms remains limited, its potential influence on consumer behavior drives continued investment. Some retailers are turning to alternative content strategies on platforms like Reddit and influencer channels, aiming to shape how their products appear in AI-curated suggestions. Rachel Levy, COO of Brooklinen, expressed the importance of leveraging social media influencers:
“Traffic from agentic AI sources is super small,”
indicating that while immediate returns might be minimal, capturing AI interest is viewed as a forward-looking strategy.
Despite Gen Z’s high engagement with AI tools, their financial impact remains modest, prompting brands to prepare for future shifts in consumer behavior and spending power. Larger companies are crafting AI-specific digital content, creating websites tailored for artificial intelligence readers rather than human consumers.
Earlier in the year, PYMNTS explored how agentic AI is reshaping eCommerce transactions. These AI agents are not only adept at understanding language requests but also execute transactions, seamlessly integrating with merchant operations. This double role of providing information and conducting commerce illustrates AI’s increasingly vital position.
Scott Hendrickson highlighted consumer expectations:
“What consumers really want is for commerce to happen immediately.”
This observation underlines how the adoption of AI in commerce aligns with consumer desires for efficiency and convenience.
As brands continue to invest in AI strategy, they position themselves for a future where AI agents play a more substantial role in purchasing decisions. To effectively engage with AI-driven platforms, retailers need to develop optimized content strategies that cater to both AI systems and consumer trends. Understanding and adapting to this evolving dynamic is crucial for maintaining relevance in the digital marketplace.
