The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is rewriting the digital marketing rulebook and brands that don’t adapt risk becoming invisible. AI is currently transforming how search engines like Google and Bing rank content, how social media campaigns are targeted, and how brands engage with their audiences.
“With AI-driven search engines now focusing on context, intent, and user experience, keyword stuffing is officially dead,” says Abigail van Zyl, found and CEO of digital native agency, The Digital Thread.
For example, Google’s AI algorithms, like BERT and MUM, are smarter than ever, prioritising quality content that answers real questions over outdated SEO tactics. Meanwhile, Bing is integrating AI-powered chat features to provide users with more conversational, nuanced search results, and ChatGPT’s latest offerings, 3o and 3o mini, show users how the large language model (LLM) answers questions and draws conclusions. This means brands need to rethink how they appear online, because getting to page one isn’t just about keywords anymore; it’s about relevance, authority, and authenticity.
Social media hasn’t been left behind either. From hyper-targeted ad placements to predictive analytics, AI tools are helping brands zero in on their ideal audiences with laser precision. Campaigns can now be tailored in real-time, optimising content and spend for maximum engagement and ROI.
“Ultimately, social media platforms and search engines value human engagement, and so content needs to prove itself and align with customer needs,” says van Zyl. “The opportunities are huge, but there are multiple new rules, tools and algorithms that brands, and marketing professionals, must be aware of to avoid getting penalised and losing digital market share.
“We’ve also seen how the temptation to rely solely on LLMs like ChatGPT for content creation can result in generalised messaging that lacks the human touch customers crave. Worse still, some businesses are flooding digital channels with AI-generated content, overwhelming audiences with quantity over quality.”
With a flood of AI platforms entering the market daily—each promising to be the next big thing—many brands are left unsure which tech to trust. It’s a digital Wild West out there, and without the right strategy, brands risk getting lost in the noise.
“As a digital-first, gig-economy agency, we’ve built our model around collaborating with the best consultants in the game,” says van Zyl. “Our team is constantly researching, testing new tools, adapting to shifting algorithms, and refining strategies to ensure our clients stay visible and relevant.
“Things are evolving every day in the AI space, with new tools, new players, and a race to be number one in every category. That means we need to stay ahead and be on our toes for our clients, blending cutting-edge AI with human creativity.”