Zac Brandenberg is Co-Founder and CEO of DRINKS, a leading AI-powered SaaS platform transforming the U.S. alcohol market.
AI platforms are reshaping how consumers discover content, products and brands—and in the process, reshaping how that content is surfaced. The brands that understand this shift now will be positioned to dominate tomorrow’s discovery landscape.
An analysis of millions of AI citations reveals that each platform—ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews—operates with fundamentally different algorithms than traditional search engines. For example, Reddit drives 47% of Perplexity citations, whereas Wikipedia commands 48% of ChatGPT references.
The Authority Game Has Changed
Traditional search prioritized backlinks and domain authority. AI search prioritizes clarity, context and community validation. So, a single mention on Reddit would carry more weight in Perplexity than months of link-building campaigns.
ChatGPT is often influenced by first-page results (regardless of engine) because that’s what’s most available. Perplexity loves community content (like the aforementioned Reddit). Google AI Overviews balances traditional authority with user-generated content from platforms like Quora and LinkedIn.
So, where do brand leaders start?
1. Map your AI footprint.
Most e-commerce leaders don’t know where their brands appear in AI search results. Start with a simple audit across all major platforms, like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews. Document which sources get cited and how your brand is positioned.
Pay attention to citation patterns. If competitors dominate Wikipedia mentions, you need a presence there. If Reddit discussions drive industry conversations, deploy community managers authentically.
2. Build platform-specific authority.
Each AI platform rewards different content strategies. Generic optimization won’t work.
• For ChatGPT Success: Focus on neutral, reference-style content. Build a comprehensive Wikipedia presence. Get featured in established business publications like Forbes and TechCrunch. When ChatGPT searches the web, it favors Bing results, so optimize there too. It’s important to note that when ChatGPT does this, it uses Bing as a gateway, but its output is more curated than a basic list of search results.
• For Perplexity Visibility: Create short-form video content and engage authentically in relevant Reddit communities. Perplexity values Yahoo and MarketWatch, making expert commentary on these platforms valuable.
• For Google AI Overviews: Develop thought leadership on LinkedIn and engage strategically with Quora discussions. Balance authoritative content with community insights.
Wineries and alcoholic beverage producers face the challenges of most industries, often with increased intensity due to a hyper-competitive traditional search environment. Low discoverability, hyper-competition with distribution channels and massive competitive saturation in their categories make winning the search war challenging.
As a result, moving now to address the AI-search opportunity is even more important.
Successful wineries now post harvest updates on r/wine and create YouTube Shorts showing vineyard operations. These authentic community contributions get cited when users search “sustainable winemaking 2025.”
Lifestyle brands selling wine can engage in broader communities like r/fashion or r/gifting, reaching audiences that traditional wineries never access. A clothing brand discussing “wine and style pairings” captures citations in lifestyle search queries.
3. Prioritize content clarity over creativity.
AI systems extract information differently than human readers do. Complex, creative language that performs well in traditional content marketing can hurt AI visibility.
Structure content for immediate comprehension. Use clear statements, numbered lists and quotable information. AI platforms need content they can easily parse and excerpt.
We restructured our product descriptions and case studies using this approach. Instead of creative wine metaphors, we use clear, factual statements about our technology capabilities. This improved both AI citations and customer understanding.
For a winery, this might mean instead of poetic descriptions like “sun-kissed grapes dancing in morning dew,” writing “estate-grown Pinot Noir, 14.2% alcohol, aged 18 months in French oak barrels.” AI platforms can extract and cite specific details.
The Zero-Click Future
AI-generated summaries are creating more zero-click searches, where users get answers without visiting websites. This doesn’t eliminate the need for visibility—it makes citation more valuable than clicks. Being cited establishes authority even when users don’t visit your site.
So, marketing budgets should shift from link-building to community engagement and structured content creation. Invest in Reddit community management, Wikipedia presence and platform-specific content optimization. Double down on short-form video.
The convergence is happening fast. Traditional search engines are integrating AI features while pure AI platforms gain market share. By 2028, a study by Semrush indicates that AI search traffic is projected to exceed traditional search engine usage—a significant shift for industries like technology, where discovery drives business development.
The brands that adapt quickly to these new discovery rules will be the winners in an AI-first search world.
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