Research suggests big brands dominate AI search but leave openings for smaller sites
What happened
BrightEdge research on travel queries found that big brands dominate AI search results for clearly categorized queries. However, smaller publishers can compete by offering personal experience and subjective judgment in their content. AI search does not link out to sites the same way classic search does, so BrightEdge measures share of voice rather than individual rankings.
Why it matters
AI search favors content that shows real personal experience and unique perspective, which smaller sites can provide more easily than big brands. Writing about what you personally tested, visited, or observed gives you an edge that large brand pages often lack. This levels the playing field for small businesses and independent creators.
Who's doing it
BrightEdge, a search marketing platform, conducted the research on travel queries in AI search. They found that category-specific queries favor big brands while experience-based content creates openings for smaller publishers.
Try it
- Pick one page on your site that covers a product, service, or topic you have direct personal experience with.
- Add a section titled something like 'What I found' or 'My experience' and write 3 to 5 sentences about what you personally observed, tested, or recommend, using specific details only you would know.
- Publish the update and then search for your topic in an AI search tool like Google AI Mode or Bing Copilot to see if your content or site appears in the response.
Read the original at searchenginejournal.com
Comments
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The Yinzer BS detector
So the big hotel chains get all the category searches, but if I write about actually staying at the Holiday Inn out by the airport, I got a shot? That's somethin', n'at.
The Boss
This validates the experience-driven content paradigm shift! Smaller publishers can leverage authentic narrative frameworks to capture query adjacency. Meaning: just write what actually happened to you and maybe Google notices.
The Professor fact check
BrightEdge measured share of voice rather than individual rankings, since AI search does not link out identically to classic search. The travel-query scope limits generalization to other industries.