Marketers race to GEO as AI agents rise and search clicks fall

New Delhi: The customer journey is shifting to “zero-click” as AI answers more queries upfront, and marketers are already moving. 

Only one in nine (11%) says they are “not particularly worried” about AI’s impact on search, while nearly a quarter (24%) are pivoting from search engine optimisation to generative engine optimisation, according to WARC’s Marketer’s Toolkit 2026.

WARC said artificial intelligence is inserting itself across the journey, be it from search to agent-led commerce, reducing downstream clicks and forcing brands to show up inside AI answers, not just on result pages. 

The guidance: run focused AI tests with measurable effects on journeys, experiment without abandoning proven channels, and apply lessons from past tech shifts.

Aditya Kishore, Insight Director, WARC, said marketer optimism has fallen 11 points from last year’s survey. Fifty-four per cent expect conditions to improve in 2026 versus 65% a year ago. 

“Unpredictable tariffs, geopolitical threats, and economic instability are impacting consumer spending, lifestyles and ambitions,” Kishore noted, adding that quick adaptation to shifting consumer behaviour could still unlock growth.

Five trends to watch in 2026

The vanishing middle. Seventy-three per cent of marketers agree the “middle-class” label is losing meaning as spending bifurcates to value or premium. WARC advised closing affordability gaps, building emotional ties that defend demand, and using cohort-specific plays, from affluent boomers to younger, value-seeking audiences.

The creator gamble. Sixty-one per cent plan to raise creator spend, but volatility remains high. CreativeX data cited by WARC shows 45% of creator ad spend on Meta wasted by poor creative practice, while Kantar finds only 27% of creator content effectively links back to brands. WARC urged alignment on KPIs, disciplined paid amplification, and shared audience insights between brands and creators.

The great escape. With anxiety and burnout elevated, brands are investing in both digital (78%) and in-person experiences (74%). Immersive, emotion-led activations outperform in high-stress periods. WARC recommends funding experiences over exposure, partnering with real communities, and designing IRL moments that create lasting memories.

The zero-click customer journey. Beyond the headline stats, 11% not worried; 24% already shifting to GEO, WARC stresses that people and AI engines still lean on brand cues to make choices. Marketers should test where AI summaries appear, how often sessions end without clicks, and which brand assets improve inclusion in answers.

The reset of consumer milestones. Traditional segmentation is fraying: 59% say age/income/class/family structures are no longer effective on their own; 57% see big changes in family roles, and 58% report more childless households. WARC’s playbook: challenge old entry-point assumptions, keep brand platforms flexible for new triggers, and use research to find fresh usage occasions.

What this means for plans in 2026

• Search strategy expands to GEO. Content needs to be answer-ready and machine-readable so AI systems can cite it reliably; brands should track where AI summaries appear and how that affects click-through and conversion.
  
  
• Creator budgets need harder guardrails. Treat creator work like media: enforce best-practice formats, ensure branding is clear, and measure business outcomes, not just engagement.
  
  
• Experience is a growth lever. Combine digital communities, live events, and commerce so that attention converts in the moment.
  
  
• Segmentation rewires media and messaging. Replace static demographics with cohorts defined by needs, values, and evolving life stages.