Americans are hungry to be thin.
So much so that AI searches around GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic are outpacing queries for movies and TV across major LLMs, according to a landmark data set from Scrunch.
While I find the preponderance of searches around GLP-1s sadly predictable, the analysis is truly instructive.
The major takeaway?
AI is used along the ENTIRE buyer journey, including post purchase.
Colour me guilty. I had long seen AI search presence as a top-of-funnel play involved at the initial upper and out-of-funnel stages. The GLP-1 data shows, unequivocally, this is wrong. And while we should avoid applying performance marketing metrics to Generative Engine Optimization, companies need to understand that, for considered purchases, AI is going to be a companion throughout the process and beyond.
As the author of the study points out, the buying journey is becoming a messy zig zag of an adventure, where attribution is harder. That’s going to be a hard one for a lot of younger marketers, raised to think every dollar can be traced back for clean ROI, but it’s the honest truth and better we face it than fight it.
“OK, but the study you reference is about GLP-1s, a health-related topic that would differ from other purchase journeys.”
Indeed that is possible.
However, we can reasonably expect that someone might exhibit similar behaviour if purchasing a $1000 headphone, a $1500 espresso machine, or even a $400 keyboard. Consumer tech CMOs – especially those selling premium goods and services – need to pay attention.
The GLP-1 data set makes another thing clear: Despite what many in the PR /marketing / GEO echo chamber say, AI engines are still viewed as neutral oracles by many. While we in the biz tend to see AI as more A (artificial) than I (intelligent), the general population holds a less definite view, leaning more towards the I than A.
So what should you do?
- Get monitoring now if you aren’t. I am amazed how many bigger tech brands don’t monitor their presence across key AI prompts. Doing random checks where staff query ChatGPT about “the best product in category X” is not a solution, and indeed is likely to do more harm than good as the data you get from this sort of hackery is complete shit. Either invest in your own monitoring or get with an agency who can do this for you. Otherwise you are flying blind.
- Stop ignoring PR. Given that LLMs have a deep preference for unpaid media and journalistic content, you need to put significant money into the PR channel. Now. You are very likely under-investing. Yes, I am biased as hell. But the data is clear as day about this. Move money from stupid influencer budgets. That channel is going to die a painful death, akin to Polonium poisoning, in the LLM era.
- Invest heavily in owned content and brand journalism. This is the most controllable piece of GEO and it matters a lot to B2B brands and those operating in boring categories that don’t generate a ton of earned media. It has been the basis of our successful AI presence at Proper. There are great thinkers working in the branded journalism space and there’s a glut of talent on the market now thanks to widespread media layoffs.
Americans aren’t just hungry to be thin. They’re hungry for answers at every stage of the purchase journey. Be sure you are there.