The world of customer discovery has fundamentally changed. Where Google once dominated the search landscape, today’s consumers are just as likely to ask ChatGPT for restaurant recommendations, browse TikTok for product reviews, or rely on AI-powered search results. For small business owners and CEOs, understanding these shifts isn’t optional—it’s essential for staying visible to your customers.
The Impact of AI on Advertising and Market Research
At Ambient Array, we’re fascinated by how AI is reshaping the advertising and market research landscapes. The data tells a compelling story: 75% of people now use AI tools more than they did a year ago, with 43% using them daily or more. Meanwhile, traditional search is on the decline—Gartner predicts search engine volume will drop 25% by 2026 as AI chatbots and virtual agents capture market share.
This isn’t just a technology shift; it’s a fundamental change in how customers discover, research, and decide. For small businesses, this means your SEO playbook from five years ago—or even last year—may no longer be sufficient.
The 6 Searcher Types
Recent research by Yext has identified six distinct AI searcher archetypes, each with unique behaviors and expectations. Understanding these types can help you tailor your marketing approach more effectively:
The Creator uses AI for ideation and content generation. These users are looking for inspiration, brainstorming support, and creative jumping-off points. They’re likely to engage with brands that provide rich, imaginative content that sparks new ideas.
The Explorer relies on AI to go deep, discover, and expand their knowledge. These searchers thrive on detailed, comprehensive information. They want context, background, and the ability to dive deeper into topics that interest them.
The Price Shopper seeks deals, comparisons, and quick purchasing decisions. Efficiency is key for this archetype—they want fast access to pricing, features, and competitive comparisons that help them make value-driven choices.
The Social Proof Seeker prioritizes reviews, recommendations, and community consensus. These users trust peer opinions and look for validation from others who’ve had similar experiences before making decisions.
The Traditionalist still trusts conventional search engines for structured, factual answers. While they may experiment with AI, they prefer the familiar format and perceived reliability of traditional search results.
The Accidental Searcher starts from social media or passive browsing, then takes action. These users often discover opportunities through content consumption rather than active searching.
Applying These Insights to Your Content Creation
The fragmented nature of modern search means your customers aren’t using just one platform to find information. Research shows people prefer different tools for different needs: AI for creative ideas and summaries, search engines for business information, and social media for reviews and recommendations.
For small business leaders, this means adopting a multi-platform content strategy. Your Explorer customers need in-depth blog posts, detailed FAQs, and comprehensive guides. Your Social Proof Seekers require fresh reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content across Google, Yelp, and social platforms. Your Price Shoppers want clear pricing information, comparison charts, and straightforward value propositions.
The key is ensuring your business information is consistent, accurate, and structured across all platforms. AI tools are increasingly sophisticated at pulling information from various sources, but inconsistent data can lead to misrepresentation or complete exclusion from AI-generated answers.
Local accuracy presents a particular opportunity. While 68% of consumers have used ChatGPT to research local products or services, only 19% trust AI search tools for local information compared to 45% who trust traditional search engines. This trust gap represents a competitive advantage for businesses that maintain accurate, up-to-date local information across all platforms.
Remaining Aware of the Searcher Role You Represent
As business leaders, it’s crucial to recognize which searcher archetype you embody when using AI for your own research and decision-making. Your natural search behavior influences how you think about customer needs, but your preferences may not align with your target audience.
If you’re naturally a Traditionalist who prefers Google searches, don’t assume your customers share that preference. If you’re an Explorer who loves diving deep into research, remember that your Price Shopper customers want quick, actionable information instead.
The businesses that will thrive in this AI-driven landscape are those that acknowledge these different search behaviors and create content strategies that serve all archetypes. This means developing rich content for Explorers, maintaining fresh reviews for Social Proof Seekers, providing clear pricing for Price Shoppers, and ensuring your brand appears accurately across the platforms where Accidental Searchers might discover you.
The search revolution is happening now. Understanding how your customers discover information—and adapting your approach accordingly—isn’t just smart marketing. It’s essential for remaining visible and relevant in an increasingly AI-powered world.
****
Need help getting found online? Contact Ambient Array‘s (very human) team of data-infused digital marketers. Are most of your customers local? Ask about our local search optimization services.