And when I say “the top,” I’m not just talking about the top of the org chart.
I’m talking about the top of the funnel.
Long before a customer requests a demo, schedules a consultation, or makes a purchase, something else must happen first.
A brand must become mentally available in the mind of a consumer. If things go according to plan after that, the brand earns name recognition, and trust and recall follow.
This foundational work has always mattered. In a world increasingly shaped by AI-assisted and voice-enabled search, it may matter more than ever.
Why AI Voice-Enabled Search Is Making Brand Building More Important, Not Less
When budgets tighten, brand building is often one of the first things on the chopping block.
Awareness campaigns get cut. Upper-funnel initiatives get postponed. Marketing leaders are lured by (or pushed from above toward) activities that feel measurable, attributable, and closely tied to revenue.
On the surface, that sounds reasonable. Even fiscally responsible.
But dig deeper and you will uncover the ways changing consumer search behaviors can turn this reaction on its head.
The rise of voice search, AI-assisted search, and conversational interfaces is quietly changing how brands are discovered. And in the process, these tools may be strengthening the value of top-of-funnel marketing at the exact moment many organizations are deprioritizing it.
Lesser-known brands may become increasingly invisible.
Google itself has reported that users are “asking new questions that are often longer and more complex” as AI-powered search becomes more prevalent.
Instead of typing: “CRM software”
A buyer might ask: “Show me HubSpot alternatives for mid-sized manufacturing companies.”
Instead of searching: “walking shoes”
A consumer might ask: “Show me HOKA walking shoes under $150 with extra cushioning for plantar fasciitis.”
Understandably, the more specific the query, the narrower the answer set – and range of potential consumer options - becomes.
Even the academic world is calling out this shift toward brand-led specificity in voice-enabled search.
Wharton marketing professor Shiri Melumad is on the pulse of this evolution. Professor Melumad’s research found that voice queries (as opposed to typed searches) are more likely to include “more specific detailed descriptions of what they are seeking,” including brand names. This makes voice search inherently more advantageous for brands consumers already know. Those more detailed queries also led to greater satisfaction in search results.
In short, voice technology encourages consumers to ask for exactly what they want. And if they don’t know your brand, they certainly cannot ask for it, let alone be escorted down a path toward conversion.
The Question Leaders and Investors Should Be Asking
Over time, I believe lesser-known companies will find themselves compensating for their lack of AI search visibility by increasing investment to capture demand that stronger brands will attract more naturally.
Many of those organizations (which are likely more heavily focused on conversion tactics) would be best served asking themselves one question:
What is making conversion easier or harder before the consumer’s search ever begins?
In a world increasingly ruled by AI-assisted discovery and brand-driven consumer intent, those that win may not simply be the brands with the best offer or the best product…
They may be the brands that come to mind first.
And that is exactly what brand building was designed to do.