Hangzhou, China, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On October 22, 41Caijing was invited to attend the Black Friday Traffic Growth Bootcamp for Independent E-commerce Sites, hosted by Huoguo Cross-border in Hangzhou, where it delivered a presentation titled “GEO + PR: How Global Brands Can Win AI Recommendations.”
The way overseas consumers access information is shifting from traditional web searches to directly asking AI for answers. Monthly active users of AI applications have exceeded 1.2 billion overseas and reached 490 million in China, representing year-over-year growth of 76.7% and 172.3%, respectively. Gartner predicts that traditional search traffic could decline by approximately 25% in 2026.
The introduction of AI Overviews has further reduced traffic to websites. With AI-generated summaries, organic search click-through rates have dropped from 1.76% to 0.61%, a decline of 61%. In AI-powered search environments, zero-click searches—where users view AI-generated answers without visiting any website—account for 93% of searches. Meanwhile, the global AI search market continues to expand, with a compound annual growth rate of 13.6%–16.8%. As a result, brand competition now extends beyond traditional search rankings to securing visibility within AI-generated answers.
Many brands expanding internationally still struggle to earn meaningful AI recommendations. Some lack structured brand information and authoritative external sources, making it difficult for AI systems to retrieve their content and leaving them largely invisible in AI-generated results. Others communicate inconsistent messages, with unclear product positioning and poorly defined selling points that prevent AI from accurately identifying their brands. Still others lack trust signals such as media coverage and third-party reviews, while competitors have stronger pools of credible information that AI systems can reference. Consequently, these brands are often excluded from AI recommendations.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is an emerging content optimization approach designed for generative AI search. By improving the accuracy, authority, and structure of brand information, GEO helps AI systems understand, cite, and positively recommend brands. While traditional SEO focuses on improving rankings in web search results, GEO aims to secure brand visibility within AI-generated answers.
GEO and PR serve as complementary growth engines for brands adapting to the AI-driven information landscape. GEO establishes a comprehensive foundation of brand information by consistently publishing brand positioning, product details, technical features, and use cases across official websites, social media, and other external channels. This helps AI systems develop a clear understanding of the brand. PR builds external credibility through media coverage, third-party reviews, and industry endorsements, providing authoritative independent validation. Together, GEO and PR create verifiable brand evidence that AI systems can retrieve and cite, supporting the entire process of earning AI recommendations.
Brands expanding globally can build their content assets across four layers. The brand layer covers foundational information such as brand mission and founding background. The product layer includes core technologies, specifications, and competitive advantages. The category layer provides educational content, buying guides, and product comparison criteria. The use-case layer addresses real-world scenarios such as camping, small-space living, home backup power, fitness, and travel. Together, these four layers create a network of searchable, AI-readable information assets, enabling brands to move beyond reliance on a limited number of press releases.
About 41Caijing
41Caijing is an AI-powered PR and marketing agent dedicated to helping brands build global visibility and accelerate growth. Backed by local execution teams across key markets, we deliver integrated communications solutions spanning PR, content marketing, offline events, media outreach and interview coordination, as well as media monitoring and reputation intelligence. By bridging language, cultural, and information gaps, 41Caijing helps brands strengthen their presence and influence in global markets and establish a meaningful voice in the AI era.
noya lee noya@41caijing.com
