How ChatGPT Chooses Brands

💡 AI isn't choosing brands the way you think, while brand building is reclaiming the marketing spotlight.

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In Partnership with OmnisendThey migrated a client weeks before Black Friday. It made $113K.

Weeks before Black Friday, one deliverability issue or broken automation can put months of revenue planning at risk. Ecom2Win still chose that moment to move a client to Omnisend.

The migration was completed before BFCM, and the client generated $113K during the holiday period, matching the previous year’s revenue.

Omnisend gave the team a faster and more affordable path forward:

  • Migrate for free in up to five business days.
  • Cut platform costs by up to 35% compared with Klaviyo.
  • Generate more from email and SMS, with brands averaging $79 for every $1 spent.

More than 150,000 ecommerce brands already use Omnisend, giving teams proven infrastructure for their highest-pressure sales periods.

Nearly one in six ecommerce brands earns at least 30% of its annual orders during this period. If your current platform is slowing execution or draining budget, carrying it into another peak season could be the bigger risk.

Read the full story.


💡 How ChatGPT Chooses Which Brands To Recommend

Getting your brand recommended by ChatGPT isn't the same as ranking on Google.

New research shows that ChatGPT follows a very different playbook when deciding which brands to mention.

Here's what marketers should know.

1️⃣ Brand Mentions Outnumber Citations ChatGPT mentions more brands than it cites sources. Many recommendations come from what the model has already learned over time, rather than from live webpages.

2️⃣ Mainstream Media Carries More Weight Compared with other AI search engines, ChatGPT relies more heavily on major news publications and established media when generating citations.

3️⃣ Social Media Matters Less Forum and social media citations appear far less frequently than many marketers expect. Building authority through credible third-party publications remains more valuable for AI visibility.

4️⃣ Performance Beats Popularity ChatGPT is far more likely to recommend brands backed by measurable results, comparisons, and proven performance than by popularity alone.

5️⃣ Lead With Evidence Place your strongest statistics, benchmarks, customer proof, and differentiators near the top of your content. AI systems are more likely to reference information that's easy to find and verify.

Why It Works

AI models prioritize information that appears credible, consistent, and well-supported across trusted sources. Brands with clear evidence and authoritative coverage are more likely to become reliable recommendations.

👀 Real-Life Example (Agility PR)

Research led by Osama Saeed found that ChatGPT cites fewer sources than other AI search engines while still recommending multiple brands in its responses. The findings suggest that long-term authority and strong evidence matter more than short-term visibility tactics.

The Takeaway

Winning visibility in ChatGPT isn't about publishing more content. It's about becoming a consistently trusted source with credible proof, authoritative coverage, and information that AI can confidently recommend.


💡 Why Everyone Is Prioritizing Brand Building

Agencies and in-house marketing teams often have different priorities.

But one thing now unites both groups: investing in brand building before chasing short-term performance.

Here's what the data shows.

1️⃣ Brand Awareness Comes First Brand building is the top communications priority for both agencies and in-house marketing teams, highlighting the growing importance of long-term visibility.

2️⃣ Agencies Focus On Growth Agencies place greater emphasis on earned media and lead generation, helping brands expand their reach and attract new customers.

3️⃣ In-House Teams Protect The Brand Internal teams spend more effort on reputation management and data-driven decision-making to strengthen long-term customer trust.

4️⃣ Performance Needs Brand Support As advertising costs continue to rise, performance marketing becomes less efficient without strong brand awareness creating demand beforehand.

5️⃣ Measure Long-Term Success Evaluate agencies using metrics such as brand awareness, earned reach, and share of voice alongside lead generation instead of focusing only on short-term conversions.

Why It Works

A strong brand makes every marketing channel more effective. Customers are more likely to engage with businesses they already recognize and trust, reducing acquisition costs while improving long-term performance.

The Takeaway

Brand building and performance marketing aren't competing strategies. The strongest businesses invest in brand first, making every future marketing campaign more effective.


As we prepare more "Growthful" content, we'd love to hear your thoughts on today's edition! Feel free to share this with someone who would appreciate it. 🥰