#269 AI Search & SEO | In this episode, Dave is joined by Andrei Țiț, Head of Product Marketing at Ahrefs, a leading SEO tool trusted by marketers around the world. Andrei has been on the front lines of how AI is reshaping search and what that means for marketers trying to stay visible in an AI-first world.
Dave and Andrei cover:
- Why branded search volume is now a top indicator of visibility in AI-generated results (and how to grow it)
- The new playbook for SEO in 2025, including what metrics to track beyond traffic and backlinks
- Actionable tactics to get your brand mentioned by AI search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews
Whether you’re a marketing leader or an SEO newbie, this episode will help you rethink your approach to content, attribution, and brand in the AI era.
Timestamps
- (00:00) - – Intro
- (02:48) - – Why this was Exit Five’s most-registered webinar ever
- (05:08) - – Meet Andrei from Ahrefs
- (06:48) - – Is SEO dead? Not quite, but it’s harder than ever
- (08:28) - – AI traffic is growing fast (63% of sites already see it)
- (09:18) - – Why brand is your best SEO defense
- (11:48) - – How Google measures brand impact (keywords, mentions, clicks)
- (14:48) - – Calculating content ROI with traffic value
- (17:18) - – Why branded search volume predicts AI visibility
- (21:18) - – How to track brand mentions in ChatGPT, Perplexity & AI Overviews
- (24:18) - – AI traffic = fewer clicks, better leads
- (29:23) - – How to improve your visibility in AI-generated answers
- (36:23) - – Why backlinks matter less and PR matters more
- (43:23) - – New rules for writing content LLMs can surface
- (52:23) - – Final takeaways: metrics to watch and content to prioritize
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The Exit Five CMO Podcast (Hosted by Dave Gerhardt)