June 27, 2025 09:00 ET  | Source: BrightEdge

SAN MATEO, Calif., June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrightEdge, the global leader in AI-driven organic search, content, and digital marketing automation, today released new survey findings over 750 search, content, and digital marketers revealing how brands are adapting to the rise of AI-search and the shift to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

The data shows 68% of organizations are actively changing their strategies and 57% of marketers describe their outlook as "cautiously optimistic". Notably, SEO and digital marketing teams carry the brunt of AI search adaptation, with 54% of companies relying on them to lead AI search efforts.

“Every company knows they need to do something about AI, and leading brands are looking to SEO marketers within their organizations for help navigating,” said Jim Yu, BrightEdge CEO and Founder. “These findings show that contrary to popular belief, AI isn’t replacing experts—it’s making them more important than ever. At BrightEdge, we couldn't be more excited about partnering with our customer community, providing the data-powered insights that help them grow and evolve in this new era of AI search.”

The research reveals a critical organizational challenge: while SEO teams possess the necessary expertise to navigate AI search changes, the concentration of responsibility in specialized departments may create bottlenecks that limit comprehensive strategy implementation. The report notes heavy reliance on SEO teams creates both opportunities and risks. While these specialists have specific expertise, they need the cross-functional support to implement truly comprehensive AI strategies.

With 32% of organizations still in observation mode, the risk of falling behind is real—as competitors adopt increasingly sophisticated, multi-platform strategies. The rise of complex, cross-platform approaches signals that single-platform tactics may soon be insufficient.

For marketing leaders, the findings underscore a critical opportunity: provide clear strategic direction and foster strong collaboration across teams. SEO professionals, while in high demand, may benefit from building stronger partnerships with content, PR, and leadership teams to build integrated, holistic AI search strategies.

BrightEdge offers unmatched credibility and data depth, with over 18 years of industry leadership and a client base including over half of the Fortune 500. With the largest customer support team in the industry, BrightEdge has remained committed to innovating alongside their customers with a full stack offering that maximizes impact. Beyond a suite of leading products for traditional search, BrightEdge’s AI Catalyst platform delivers unparalleled visibility into brand performance across both traditional and generative AI search platforms.

Customers across massive enterprises, mid-market companies, and digital marketing agencies alike are using BrightEdge to win in AI and SEO. From BrightEdge’s Autopilot increasing brand performance by 69% to BrightEdge Copilot freeing up countless hours usually spent on research and manual preparation, BrightEdge allows marketers to focus on their most impactful actions that drive visibility in traditional and AI engines. With the most thorough, data-driven solutions available, BrightEdge is helping marketers stay ahead in a rapidly evolving search landscape.

BrightEdge conducted the survey in June 2025, gathering responses from over 750 search, content, and digital marketing professionals across various industries and organization sizes. The study examined attitudes, strategies, and organizational approaches to AI search adaptation and Generative Engine Optimization.

To learn more and download the full report, visit BrightEdge’s Search Reports.

BrightEdge, the global leader in Enterprise SEO and content performance, empowers digital marketers to transform online opportunities into tangible business results. Its all-in-one platform provides organizations with crucial market insights and intelligent AI-driven solutions. The BrightEdge platform contains the industry's most unique and extensive data set that connects key search, social, content, and digital media data points. Its deep-learning engine, DataMind, has been powering SEO AI-driven solutions since 2015, allowing marketers to benefit from high-fidelity data-led insights and automated action. Over 57% of Fortune 100 companies and nine of the top ten international agencies trust BrightEdge to help them provide the best performance by becoming an integral part of the digital experience.

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