Impact of AI search results on customer decision-making
The use of AI search tools is rapidly increasing these days, as they are a frequently involved tool in customer purchasing decisions.
In particular, as the number of cases of searching through Perplexity, ChatGPity search function, and Claude web search increases,AI search results are having a direct impact on business.
It is said that marketers at each company are having a hard time because of this trend of the times.
The marketing director of fintech startup T came to White Me with the following issues.
“Despite recent positive achievements in attracting investment and securing customers, there is a significant discrepancy between the actual status of corporate information exposed through AI searches. Therefore, this information discrepancy is having a negative impact on business opportunities.”
🔍 AEO that cannot be managed with SEO strategy
AEO cannot be managed with SEO strategy alone
The goal of existing SEO was to ensure top exposure in Google search results. However, in an era where AI creates answers directly, we have come to an age where AI can give negative answers about our company no matter how well we manage SEO.
For example, when searching for “○○ company reliability”This means that AI can create an answer by quoting past customer complaint posts or negative community comments.This is a completely different concept from SEO, where visible search result rankings are important.
AEO, why is it different from SEO?
Because AI refers to all web content that is highly relevant to the user's question,In Google Search, even negative posts buried on pages 2-3 can be used as core evidence for AI answers.
What marketers need to check
Rather than just looking at Google rankings, we need to check what AI is saying about our company and carefully plan ways to respond accordingly.
🔍 [Case] Company T’s reputation risk due to AI search results
Reputational risk due to AI search results of fintech company T
Due to the nature of AI search, many companies are facing unexpected reputational risks.
In fact, we can examine the severity of the problem in more detail through the case of fintech company T mentioned in the first paragraph.
As a result of a comprehensive analysis of Company T's AI search status, we were able to identify brand reputation issues that were more serious than expected.
Analysis of search results by major AI tools related to Company T
- Perplexity AI:When asking questions about corporate reliability → Citing customer complaints that occurred in 2023 as key reference material
- ChatGPT search mode:In the service quality evaluation process, negative experience reviews from personal blogs are used as a key source of information.
- Claude web search:When asking questions about investment value evaluation → Community posts that raised technical issues in the past are used as the main basis for judgment.
What is noteworthy is that these negative contents are not confirmed in the top results of existing search engines (Naver, Google).
Traditional SEO management was properly implemented, but the AI search environment showed a completely different situation.
How AI search results work and the results of deletion attempts
Working principles and characteristics of real-time AI search
Therefore, White Me analyzed AI information collection and processing methods to understand why negative information related to Company T is continuously exposed in AI searches.
Detailed analysis of problem content
The results of tracking the original content causing negative AI responses related to Company T were as follows.
Problem Content Identified
- Community posts related to customer complaints in 2023 (about 800 views)
- Personal technology blog that raised security concerns (shared approximately 20 times)
- Negative evaluation posts among service reviews (about 10 comments)
Common characteristic analysis
- Low visibility with 2-3 page positions in common search engines
- AI highly evaluates query relevance and frequently references problematic posts
- Inconsistency with current corporate situation due to limitations at the time of writing
Understand the Key Differences
While basic AI answers based on information that has already been learned, real-time search AI collects the latest information from the web each time a question is asked and constructs an answer.
Therefore, when deleting a fraudulent post, the basic AI maintains the existing learning contents, In real-time AI, if you delete the information so that it can no longer be referenced, the answer will change.
This is the core principle in real-time AI search that the effect of content deletion is immediately apparent.
AI original content deletion reflection verification experiment
Many business executives recognize that “content posted online cannot be deleted” or “deleting information that AI has already learned is meaningless,” but in reality, the effectiveness of deletion varies significantly depending on how the AI operates.
To prove this point, we collaborated with Company T to systematically verify the effectiveness of content deletion in a real-time AI search environment.
Selection of experimental subjects
- Perplexity (real-time search platform)
- ChatGPT search mode (with web search enabled)
- Claude web search function
3-step verification process
Step 1: Establish a baseline
We selected three problematic contents and recorded in detail the response patterns related to Company T on each AI platform.
Step 2: Sequential content deletion
After legal review, sequential deletion was carried out at three-day intervals to precisely measure the impact of individual content.
Step 3: Track and analyze changes
Changes in AI responses after deletion were monitored daily to quantify when and to what extent the effect occurred.
Experiment results and performance indicators
- Before deletion: Problem content is cited as a key reference in all three AI platforms
- 24 hours after deletion: Real-time search AI confirms that the content is no longer accessible
- Deleted one week later: The frequency of mentioning negative content in AI responses significantly decreased.
- breadth: Switch to a response pattern centered on positive information when inquiring about Company T
AI search result deletion process
Systematic problem-solving process
Company T, which confirmed the possibility of improvement through verification experiments, introduced a full-scale real-time AI search result management service.
4-step systematic approach
- In-depth analysis of problem content
- Strategic Deletion Request
- Real-time effect monitoring
- Building a positive content ecosystem
First, we systematically track the original sources generating negative responses on each AI platform and review them for possible deletion on legal grounds.
After setting the priority for deletion through business impact analysis, a formal request for deletion was sent when the legal basis was clear.
After content deletion Real-time tracking of response changes for each AI platform within 24 hoursWe measured the effect.
We conducted systematic reputation management by analyzing differences in information reflection speed by platform and establishing a monitoring system for early detection of new negative content.
Differentiating factors compared to existing SEO
division
Existing SEO Management
Real-time AI search results management
effect onset time
3-6 months
1-2 weeks (may vary by tool)
management scope
Focus on top search results
Covers entire web content
Content deletion effects
limited
reflected immediately
monitoring cycle
monthly basis
Real-time/daily basis
Quantitative performance and business impact
Within two weeks of introducing the service, Company T was able to achieve quantitatively measurable results.
AI search result improvement performance
- Perplexity: Reference materials related to past complaints → Convert to latest investment attraction news and positive customer reviews
- ChatGPT Search: Answer centered on security concerns → Changed to answer emphasizing service innovation and technological excellence
- Claude web search: Recommendation of cautious investment approach → Shift to active appeal of growth potential and market competitiveness
Company T reported that they felt a clear change right from the sales floor after using the White Me service.
The biggest change occurred in the first meeting with customers. Previously, customers often started meetings by expressing doubts, saying, ‘I don’t know if the company is truly trustworthy,’ but now, they said, ‘I did research in advance and I can trust you,’ and they come with a positive first impression.
Likewise, the era has come when AI search tools, which are the first medium through which customers evaluate companies, must also be managed.
🔍 White Me AI search result management service
White Me’s AI search result management service
In the AI search era, new reputation management is needed.
As AI search becomes more common, the way companies manage their online reputation has completely changed. This is because existing search engine optimization cannot properly manage AI search results that change in real time.
Service Core Values
Experienced over 250,000 content deletionsBased on this, we provide a reputation management solution specialized for the AI search environment. Protects brand value by accurately identifying the characteristics of real-time AI searches that cannot be solved with traditional SEO.
Differentiated expertise
- Systematic deletion request based on legal basis through strategic partnership with law firm
- Management of the entire process by experts who were former professional monitors of the Korea Communications Standards Commission
- Provides a professional approach that goes beyond simple deletion requests
- A service trusted by major domestic conglomerates, entertainment agencies, and public institutions
New AI search results are created every day. Being even one day behind your competitors exposes more potential customers to negative information. Contact us now before it’s too late![Service inquiry]
If you have any questions about deleting AI search resultsClick here,Move to the 1:1 real-time consultation chat channel.[Service inquiry]
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