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Do AI search rankings actually matter?

In this episode of Found in AI, Cassie breaks down new research from Rand Fishkin and SparkToro that challenges one of the biggest assumptions marketers are making about AI-powered search: that rankings still matter.

She walks through what the data actually shows about how AI engines like ChatGPT and Google AI generate brand recommendations, why rankings are wildly unstable, and why visibility — not position — is the metric brands should be paying attention to instead.

Using both Rand’s research and her own Search Engine Journal displacement case study, Cassie explains how smaller brands can compete with legacy publishers in AI-generated answers by optimizing for visibility, probability, and share of voice.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why AI search engines don’t produce stable rankings — and never will
• What Rand Fishkin’s research reveals about how brands appear in AI answers
• The difference between visibility frequency and AI Share of Voice
• How to correctly calculate AI Share of Voice (and what it actually tells you)
• Why rankings have nothing to do with appearing in AI-generated recommendations
• How a GEO strategy helped a smaller brand displace Search Engine Journal in AI answers
• Why AI search rewards consistency and pattern recognition over domain size
• What marketers should understand before spending money on AI visibility tools

If you’re a marketer, content strategist, or founder trying to understand how AI-powered search really works — and how to increase your chances of being included in AI answers without chasing meaningless rankings — this episode will help you rethink what visibility actually means in the age of AI.

Resources:

SparkToro's latest research

Case Study: The Displacement of Legacy Authority: A 125-Hour AI Share of Voice Case Study

Let's connect:

LinkedIn → Cassie Clark | Content Strategist
Website → cassieclarkmarketing.com

P.S. Is your brand losing its "Answer Authority"?

Most series A/B and enterprise brands are being "nudged" out of AI search results because of entity gaps and "stale" content. I am opening 3 specialized audit slots for February 2026 to help you reclaim your Share of Voice using the FSA Framework (Freshness, Structure, Authority).
Request your 7-Day AI Search Visibility Audit: https://cassieclarkmarketing.com/ai-search-visibility-audit/