A report from Modern Retail shows that people who use ChatGPT and Google Gemini for quick summaries also click on the links these tools provide.
This is important for marketers because it suggests that AI-driven search can transform product discovery and online traffic.
Although these numbers are self-reported and lack broader data, they provide insight into how consumers interact with AI search results and how brands can benefit from them.
What brands are watching
Viv, a menstrual care brand, noticed a trend last summer when traffic to its website increased by 10% 400%. Marketing director Kelly Donohue linked this to the rise of AI tools.
This increase coincided with a study in Environment International who found harmful heavy metals in popular tampon brands. Viv’s product safety blog posts gained visibility as people searched for safer options.
The increased traffic led to more sales, with Viv reporting a 436% Get out of these AI-driven recommendations. This indicates that users actively clicked through to learn more and make purchases.
What you can learn from it
Viv’s experience highlights the need for brands to create comprehensive content that answers people’s questions.
Donohue noted that platforms like ChatGPT favor articles with context, sources and detailed explanations over keyword-heavy material.
Donohue explained:
“These AI tools search targeted content, but look for more than just keywords. They’re looking for a coherent answer to give people that takes into account context, sources and background.”
In response, Viv focused on transparency and product safety. By creating educational articles, Viv built consumer trust and increased its visibility in AI recommendations.
The effort was worth it, Donohue added:
“Powered by Google’s AI-powered recommendations, we sold out approximately six months’ supply of tampons in three weeks.”
Other brands report similar trends
Joe & Bella is an adaptive clothing brand that gained more visitors through ChatGPT recommendations.
The company makes clothing for older adults and people with limited mobility and saw an increase in traffic and purchases during the holiday season.
Jimmy Zollo, co-founder and CEO of Joe & Bella, tells Modern Retail:
“I don’t really know how or what they would have typed or asked ChatGPT to find us over the holidays.”
Zollo suspected that the company’s ongoing investments in SEO and its blog content likely played a role.
The brand regularly uses keywords like “adaptive clothing” in its search ads and blog posts, which may have helped position it in AI-driven results.
Zollo added:
“It was pretty cool and unexpected, but we need to better understand how to optimize these searches in the future.”
What this means for marketers
These reports show that people are engaging with links in AI-generated search results rather than just reading summaries.
Dan Buckstaff, Chief Product Officer at Spins, compares this to the early days of SEO.
Buckstaff said:
“Similar to 15 years ago when we questioned how SEO works, we are left with the question of how brands can benefit from AI environments.”
Spins’ 2025 Industry Trends Report notes that consumers are increasingly using AI tools like ChatGPT and social media platforms like TikTok to discover products.
While advertising for these AI tools is still evolving, brands with strong, organized content will benefit.
Looking ahead
Consumers are increasingly clicking on links in AI-driven search results, particularly younger audiences like Generation Z who use AI tools for product discovery.
For brands like Viv, this change is critical to content creation.
Donohue said:
“These searches are now top of mind for us, and the way we write our blogs and the content on our website can play a big role in helping people find us using AI tools.”
The key takeaway is to focus on straightforward, educational content to increase your chances of being recommended by AI-powered search tools.
Featured Image: Mojahid Mottakin/Shutterstock
