The AI Tidal Wave About to Hit Digital Marketing

Search is changing rapidly, and most agencies are unsure about how to respond. 

While we’re all still optimizing for Google, millions of people are turning to ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools to find answers. This isn’t some trend that will flame out after a few months. It’s a complete shift in how people search, whom they trust, and where they click.

As agency owners, we have two options: evolve or get left behind.

I run multiple niche agencies — legal, HVAC, medical — and we’re already seeing early signs of this shift. But here’s what really opened my eyes: we’re doing most of the right things already, but we haven’t been talking about it through the lens of AI. 

More concerning, there’s another seismic change coming soon to an AI near you…ads inside ChatGPT and other AIs. 

Here’s what I believe every agency owner should be thinking about right now.

Get Ready for ChatGPT Ads

OpenAI has confirmed they’re working on native advertising in ChatGPT. These ads won’t look like Google’s. Instead, they’ll be embedded in the conversation. So when someone types “best personal injury lawyer near me,” that answer could include a paid result.

Currently, they haven’t launched a public ad platform, but it’s coming.

If you’ve been through major platform shifts before (Facebook ads, Google’s mobile-first update, TikTok ads), you know the playbook: the first agencies to adopt and test (have a chance to) win big.

Start preparing now. Assign someone on your team to track updates from OpenAI. Build internal plans for testing the moment a beta opens. Talk to clients about reserving a budget for this new tactic. And most importantly, position your agency as the one ready to lead this charge.

Reframe Your Current Services as “AI Visibility”

We’ve been optimizing for search engines for decades. Now, we need to optimize for AI.

It’s not just semantics. Clients don’t care about “technical SEO” as much as we think they should. They care about being the answer when someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation.

You’re probably already doing the right things:

• Schema

• FAQs

• High-authority content

• Local SEO

• Fast, structured websites

But do your clients know that those things now affect how AI tools see and serve their brand? Probably not. And if you’re not telling them, someone else will.

Start talking about “AI visibility,” “GEO (Generative Engine Optimization),” and “future-proof SEO.” Create new service names, launch an AI audit, and publish educational content. Clients will pay attention because no one else is saying this yet.

Consider Launching an AI-Native Agency

Here’s the big play. If you really want to own this space, launch a new agency or rebrand an existing one that goes all-in on AI marketing. No legacy services. No chasing Google updates.

Imagine this positioning:

This agency would offer:

• AI search optimization

• ChatGPT ad management

• Content structuring for large language models

• AI visibility reporting

This is where the market is going. Clients are already asking why their competitors show up in AI tools and they don’t. If your agency is the one with answers, you win.

This is the Moment

The last significant shift in computing was mobile. Before that, it was Facebook, and before that, the Internet. 

This is bigger. AI search is eating the old search model.

If you’re running a digital agency and not thinking about this now, you’ll be scrambling to catch up later. But if you move early, talk the talk, and show clients what’s changing, then you can lead the market.

We’re pivoting our own brands toward this future. If you’re doing the same or want to compare notes, shoot me a message. Let’s make sure we’re not just watching the wave. We want to ride it!

~ Erik