Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the eCommerce industry, fundamentally changing how consumers discover, evaluate, and ultimately choose brands.
At Blue Wheel, we are at the forefront of this evolution, actively developing and implementing AI-powered marketing strategies. Our goal is to empower enterprise brands to maintain high visibility, relevance, and performance in this dynamic era of digital commerce.
Why Is AI Reshaping Digital Marketing?
Generative AI (GenAI) has changed the way people shop online. Today, over 73% of marketers use AI to personalize customer experiences. And while 71% of consumers expect personalized experiences, 76% feel frustrated when they don’t find them.
More than just scrolling, your customers are now prompting. When someone asks ChatGPT, “What’s the best skincare brand for sensitive skin?”, that moment replaces a Google search. It comes as no surprise that ChatGPT is now the 5th most-visited site globally, with Google still at the top of the list.
Additionally, AI-powered referrals are converting at 1.7x the rate of Google in key verticals such as retail and travel. An increasing number of brands are recognizing these trends, with companies like Airbnb, SoFi, and Ally experiencing measurable traffic and conversions from GenAI recommendations. This isn’t theory. It’s happening.
AI in Marketing: Where Brands Are Falling Behind
Most brands still rely on traditional analytics and attribution, but GenAI doesn’t show up cleanly in Google Analytics (GA4) yet. So when your competitor appears in a top ChatGPT recommendation (and you don’t), you might lose the sale without ever knowing why your traffic dipped.
And you’re not alone:
- 43% of marketers say they don’t know how to get the most value from GenAI.
- 70% report their employers offer no GenAI training at all.
At Blue Wheel, we bridge that gap. We give our partners an advantage where others hesitate or stall, making AI in marketing both actionable and accountable.
How Blue Wheel Closes the Gap: AI-Powered Marketing, Without the Guesswork
We don’t chase trends. We translate them into performance. Our AI-powered marketing strategy combines content, search, performance, and creative strategy into one integrated approach to digital growth.
Here’s how we do it:
1. Audit Your GenAI Visibility
Our experts help brands see what’s hidden in plain sight:
- Are you appearing in ChatGPT prompts in your category?
- How does your AI referral traffic compare to Google Search?
- Do your product pages and content reflect what consumers are asking?
We analyze forums, Reddit, reviews, and video content because that’s what GenAI is trained on. Not just your website.
2. Optimize for AI Discovery
Most AI tools don’t pull from ad copy. They pull from structure, context, and user sentiment.
That’s why we optimize:
- Schema markup to make brand data legible to AI
- Conversational content that mimics how users ask questions
- Brand mentions across social platforms, such as YouTube and Reddit, as well as forums, to increase your training signal footprint.
This is effective AI in digital marketing that ensures you don’t show up but get chosen.
3. Activate Campaigns Designed for the AI Era
We apply proven performance marketing tactics to GenAI-informed content and campaigns:
- Launching “prompt-aware” content built around top queries
- Running category pilots to test visibility and measure ChatGPT referral behavior
- Adjusting lifecycle strategies to reinforce trust with “As Seen in ChatGPT” and peer-review-driven messaging
- Tagging and tracking new referral sources so you see what’s working
Success in AI digital marketing isn't just about automation; it’s about harnessing the power of human insight and elevating it with the right tools.
The Blue Wheel Approach to AI: Human-Led, AI-Enhanced
We’ve built a proprietary methodology for AI in marketing that combines:
- Predictive targeting and performance forecasting
- Real-time optimization
- Creative testing
- Automated insights that accelerate decisions without replacing human judgment
Our teams are fully engaged with your brand, not just focused on your data. That’s why every AI-driven recommendation undergoes creative, strategic, and brand-alignment review before launch. We maintain discretion around our tools and methods unless disclosure is explicitly required.
Blue Wheel specialists don’t just use AI. They refine and scale it, and deliver with purpose.
Why It Matters Now
We're witnessing a shift where social media platforms have evolved into powerful search engines, and chatbots are now playing a pivotal role in shaping purchasing decisions.
Early adopters are already winning:
- Airbnb dominates AI-influenced travel queries
- SoFi and Chase are capturing intent-rich finance prompts
- Amazon still leads electronics, but niche brands are gaining ground via GenAI referral strategies
If AI in digital marketing feels invisible, that’s a concern. Blue Wheel helps you surface it, shape it, and scale it for your brand.
Final Thoughts
The integration of AI into digital marketing is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day necessity for eCommerce brands. Those that embrace AI-powered strategies on time will adapt to the evolving consumer journey and also gain a significant competitive advantage.
Key Steps Your Brand Should Take Next:
- Short-term: Immediately audit your AI visibility and begin tagging GenAI referral traffic to understand your current standing.
- Mid-term: Actively optimize your brand content for GenAI discovery by focusing on conversational language, schema markup, and increasing brand mentions across relevant platforms.
- Long-term: Strategically treat Large Language Models (LLMs) as new storefronts, adjusting your digital marketing approach to improve your presence and conversion within these powerful discovery channels.
Want to Future-Proof Your Brand’s Visibility?
Blue Wheel is actively helping brands navigate and succeed in the GenAI shift. Our AI-powered marketing strategies seamlessly combine data, creativity, and proven results to ensure your brand adapts and thrives.
Ready to implement AI in your digital marketing strategy? Contact us today to learn how we can support your brand.
FAQs
What is the main challenge brands face with AI in marketing today?
The main challenge is that most brands still rely on traditional analytics such as Google Analytics, which don't cleanly show GenAI referral traffic. This means brands might lose sales from AI recommendations without knowing why their traffic dipped. Many marketers lack the knowledge and training to leverage GenAI effectively.
How does Blue Wheel help brands address this gap?
Blue Wheel bridges this gap by offering AI-powered marketing strategies that are both actionable and accountable. We help brands audit their GenAI visibility, optimize their content for AI discovery, and activate campaigns designed for the AI era.
What is Blue Wheel's unique approach to AI in marketing?
Blue Wheel's approach is human-led and AI-enhanced. We use a proprietary methodology that combines predictive targeting, real-time optimization, and automated insights. But crucially, every AI-driven recommendation undergoes creative, strategic, and brand-alignment review by our human teams before launch.
Why is it important for brands to embrace AI in digital marketing now?
Social media platforms are becoming search engines, and chatbots are influencing purchasing decisions. Early adopters are already winning by dominating AI-influenced queries and gaining ground through GenAI referral strategies. Brands must embrace AI to adapt to evolving consumer journeys and gain a competitive advantage.
Lisa Wendland, MBA, is Senior Director of Owned Media at Blue Wheel, an Inc. 5000 omni-channel agency. She leads owned media teams in SEO, Organic Social, Community Management, and Lifecycle (Email/SMS), using AI to enhance efficiency in strategy, ads, and personalization for retail brands. Her data-driven vision drives engagement and retention, supporting over $2B in client ad spend across Amazon, Walmart, and D2C. Collaborating across paid and earned media, Lisa boosts conversions and loyalty, shaping retail marketing innovation.
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