Model is having a glow-up, and AI is the glam group behind it.
The age of AI is giving the idea of ‘model’ its second within the strategic highlight. I’d say we’re experiencing a revolution. My earlier evaluation of search engine optimisation instruments for AI search has already revealed how model mentions, sentiment evaluation, and branded search have emerged as pivotal elements for digital visibility.
The prevailing perception: Model shall be king.
The notion of ‘model’ has flipped, from a nice-to-have to a must have. Or as our CMO, Sydney Sloan, says, “A powerful model rolls out the crimson carpet for income groups.”
However whereas a model’s standing elevates in advertising and marketing, CMOs are underneath big strain to drive advertising and marketing return-on-investment (ROI) and use AI. 88% of selling leaders are chargeable for assembly a income aim, however solely 25% report very excessive ROI visibility.
The problem is evident: how can model funding translate into tangible enterprise affect in an AI-driven world?
Buckle up for an eye-opening evaluation that captures POVs from main CMOs, software program consumers, and category-specific sellers on navigating the ‘rebrand’ of name within the age of AI.
CMOs and advertising and marketing leaders on model’s altering notion
My daring takeaway from SaaStr 2025 was that CMOs are now not simply entrepreneurs in fancy fits; they’re on the vanguard of integrating AI into their model methods. They’re shifting past effectivity good points to unlock deeper insights and create a stronger market presence.
Model funding has advanced from a obscure expense to a tangible driver of long-term worth and aggressive differentiation. There’s an urge for food for instruments, methods, and techniques that may assist drive this transformation.
Shifting from demand seize to model funding
Funds = enterprise focus, and CMOs are refocusing towards model and are being powered by AI instruments to:
- Monitor and interpret model visibility in actual time
- Decode emotional and visible sentiment
- Seize unstructured model moments (e.g., occasion photographs, memes, critiques)
- Establish market white area and repute dangers sooner
- Flip model right into a enterprise sign — not only a self-importance KPI
We requested CMOs and advertising and marketing leaders from G2, VEED.io, LinkedIn, and Reddit if they’re betting huge on model to drive enterprise. And the proof is of their funding pudding.
Main advertising and marketing executives at the moment are brazenly acknowledging this pivot amidst a really noisy digital panorama.
“We’ve traditionally been very sturdy on demand seize — search engine optimisation, paid, and product-led development have fuelled a lot of our ARR,” notes Leila Woodington, Chief Advertising and marketing Officer at VEED.io.
Nevertheless, she rapidly provides, “However during the last 12 months, we’ve made a acutely aware shift to speculate extra in model. AI has accelerated this modification: The market is noisier, the stakes are increased, and belief issues greater than ever.”
Sydney Sloan, G2’s Chief Advertising and marketing Officer, confirms, “At G2, we’re betting huge on model in an age of AI and growing our year-over-year funding to not solely reinforce our trusted model but additionally to increase the worth of G2 on this new period.”
This is not nearly spending extra, however about spending smarter.
So, how are these forward-thinking leaders truly placing AI to work? Let us take a look at the real-world performs.
Reorienting model investments with AI IRL
Again in 2021, 81% of manufacturers may disappear tomorrow and we wouldn’t care. How dangerous do you assume this case will get in 2025 and past?
Investing in model is a no brainer; the way you wield AI is the precise mind scratcher. Everybody has AI at their disposal, and if not used strategically, your model can shrink to a drop within the sea of sameness. Add lowering human consideration spans, and voila, your model is invisible!
In keeping with the Director and Co-founder of LinkedIn’s assume tank, The B2B Institute, Tyrona Heath, the actual query for us is not whether or not to guess on model. That is a transparent sure. It is tips on how to leverage AI to make these model investments work tougher for you.
A memorable model is the foreign money to successful psychological availability within the consideration economic system. The place tactical execution is turning into extra democratized, constant model constructing is what fuels long-term development.
The distinctive worth of a well-defined and trusted model turns into the last word aggressive benefit.
Making model measurable and actionable with AI
A essential shift is the improved measurability of name affect. VEED.io’s CMO Leila Woodington factors out, “AI helps us make model measurable in new methods, from content material efficiency to artistic testing.” This drive for quantifiable outcomes is corroborated by broader trade traits.
Market analysis signifies that AI options, notably these targeted on automation, real-time focusing on, and predictive analytics, are “main contributors to the sooner ROIs seen throughout these classes,” reminiscent of social media analytics and model intelligence.
Constructing AI capabilities inside advertising and marketing groups
CMOs are additionally actively constructing AI capabilities inside their advertising and marketing organizations. G2 CMO Sydney Sloan established a Analysis Insights group final 12 months, led by Tim Sanders, to leverage AI for market insights.
Sloan asserted that the group “is targeted on conducting proprietary analysis to ship market insights on what’s taking place in trending software program classes. A method they do that is by making use of AI evaluation to G2 knowledge in addition to exterior analysis.”
This inside deal with AI literacy empowers advertising and marketing groups to harness the know-how successfully. G2’s strategy entails prioritizing the event of our advertising and marketing group’s AI abilities, particularly prompting and incorporating AI into our workflows with devoted AI trainers and coaches.
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AI in motion: Sensible functions for contemporary model constructing
Past technique, main CMOs are deploying AI instruments to raise model affect the place it actually issues: in driving customized experiences, fostering deep buyer loyalty by way of product integration, and cultivating genuine connections inside specialised communities.
AI-driven efficiency indicators and personalization
For VEED.io, AI is deeply built-in into their operational cloth.
“AI is baked into how we function, not simply what we market.”
Leila Woodington
CMO of VEED.io
The VEED.io group makes use of AI to research buyer habits and floor content material alternatives, fueling each search engine optimisation and social efforts. Additionally they leverage AI to localize and personalize messaging at scale and to quickly iterate creatives primarily based on efficiency indicators. This holistic integration underscores AI’s function in delivering customized buyer experiences at scale.
Injecting model presence in product expertise to win buyer advocacy
By way of strengthening model presence, CMOs are adopting numerous methods. VEED.io is leveraging video as its core medium, specializing in dwell occasions, product storytelling, and short-form thought management.
On the tech facet, they’re constructing attribution fashions that higher join model touchpoints to income, utilizing AI to hyperlink views and engagement to downstream conversion.
A novel strategic strategy from VEED.io is treating their “product as a channel, not only a vacation spot, so we will flip VEED customers into VEED advocates,” enhancing model loyalty immediately by way of the person expertise. This technique transforms current customers into highly effective model amplifiers, a essential transfer in instances when belief and advocacy are paramount.
Constructing model in area of interest communities (with main examples)
Past conventional channels, B2B manufacturers are additionally discovering success by constructing a robust presence in area of interest communities, recognizing that AI-driven search typically leads consumers to genuine critiques and discussions.
In keeping with our newest Purchaser Conduct Report 2025, community-driven content material peaks visibility in AI-driven search, with G2 and Reddit main the pack.
Supply: G2 Purchaser Conduct Report 2025
What drives G2’s positioning in AI search?
G2’s #1 place in AI search is pushed by its distinctive mix of verified purchaser intent, genuine critiques, and complete site visitors knowledge, which AI fashions leverage to offer extremely related and trusted software program suggestions. This positions G2 as a essential “third-party efficiency” validator within the AI period.
In keeping with Tim Sanders, VP of Analysis Insights at G2, “AI is consuming SaaS go-to-market (GTM). The most effective practices in 2024 will possible be the worst practices in 2026.”
This underscores the unconventional shift in purchaser habits, the place G2’s data-driven strategy immediately feeds into AI’s capacity to generate concise and actionable shortlists, bypassing conventional, prolonged analysis processes.
G2 CMO Sydney Sloan highlights that, “Individuals are not going to Google first; they will LLMs.”
For B2B consumers, particularly in massive enterprises, effectivity and productiveness are paramount. They depend on G2’s structured and verified knowledge to rapidly receive trusted suggestions and consider software program options, essentially altering the analysis, analysis, and decision-making journey.
What drives Reddit’s positioning in AI search?
Kate Karmel, senior director of Mid-Market Gross sales at Reddit, states, “Reddit is the place at the moment’s B2B consumers go to teach themselves, to not be offered to. Profitable manufacturers perceive this. They present up with authority, relevance, and a transparent perspective.”
Karmel emphasizes that efficient manufacturers on Reddit “take part in trade conversations, provide actual experience, and leverage instruments like Reddit Professional to determine the high-intent indicators that matter most.”
She cites Auth0 as a chief instance, whose tailor-made strategy to Redditors resulted in considerably decrease prices per sign-up and better engagement. This underscores the significance of audience-specific worth provision: “The manufacturers that earn belief on Reddit don’t push; they supply worth. And in doing so, they meet determination makers on the actual second they’re forming opinions and evaluating options.”
The G2 take
Model is now not a comfortable metric that’s laborious to measure and map from a enterprise perspective. G2 ROI knowledge throughout 4 adjoining advertising and marketing intelligence classes Social Media Analytics, Model Intelligence, Viewers Intelligence, and Media Monitoring — reveals a transparent development: AI is accelerating time to worth.
Supply: Unique G2 knowledge
Our evaluation knowledge throughout 2023, 2024, and 2025 reveals a transparent ROI compression throughout all classes with two standouts: Model Intelligence and Viewers Intelligence.
AI is rebranding model as a strategic asset, and model intelligence platforms are enabling this phenomenon.
Overview knowledge from Model Intelligence class reveals a pointy shift: quick ROI, first-time adoption, and excessive satisfaction with area of interest instruments show that model, when powered by AI, is measurable, actionable, and mission-critical.
High 5 industries utilizing model intelligence software program:
- Advertising and marketing and promoting
- Data know-how and providers
- Retail or eCommerce
- Client items
- Media and publishing
High 10 person profiles primarily based on G2 critiques
- CMOs and advertising and marketing administrators
- Model managers and model strategists
- Social media managers and neighborhood leads
- Insights and analytics professionals
- Progress and efficiency entrepreneurs
- Artistic strategists
- Founders and CEOs (particularly in smaller corporations)
- PR and communications managers
- Product advertising and marketing managers
- Digital advertising and marketing specialists
Time to ROI is quick, defying model’s ‘comfortable’ repute
Greater than 55% of reviewers reported seeing clear worth from their model intelligence device inside 6 months, demonstrating a speedy time-to-value, particularly for SMBs and mid-market gamers, and considerably sooner payback intervals even for bigger enterprises.
Model intelligence platforms provide quick, visible, and predictive insights which can be making model efficiency actionable.
- Small enterprise: < 12 months, with many underneath 6 months
- Mid-market: 7–24 months
- Enterprise: 13–36 months, with a couple of by no means reaching full payback
Supply: Unique G2 knowledge
Reliable, narrative-rich model insights exchange namesake dashboards
G2 critiques reveal that model leaders count on greater than mentions. They need correct, explainable model indicators. If insights aren’t trusted, adoption stalls, and so does model worth.
High 3 dislikes primarily based on person critiques:
- Inconsistent knowledge
- UI/UX friction
- Gaps in reliability
Patrons are rewarding specialised model instruments that go deep, not simply broad
Specialised instruments earn extra person love than the giants on this area. The satan is really within the particulars. Distributors like YouScan, Audiense, and Synthesio persistently have total satisfaction between 4.7-4.9 star rankings and a 9.4+ likely-to-recommend scores.
Sharper, community-aware, insight-rich instruments specializing in areas like Reddit insights, influencer visuals, and sentiment nuance are successful out there.
High 3 capabilities of name intelligence software program that delight G2 customers:
- Visible listening
- Picture and emblem recognition
- AI clustering for sentiment and themes
Model intelligence software program is a development market, not a churn market
Model intelligence isn’t changing one thing — it’s being added as a brand new strategic layer. Solely ~8% of reviewers reported switching from one other platform. Most are first-time consumers, or beforehand relied on guide or general-purpose instruments.
Ease of use is now a part of model efficiency for software program sellers
G2 critiques recommend some platforms nonetheless battle with onboarding, integrations, or characteristic discoverability.
Autonomy is in, however software program consumers need model intelligence instruments to fulfill them midway with intuitive UX, strong onboarding, and sensible integrations.
Viewers intelligence: the Robin to model intelligence’s Batman
An AI LLM could gamble in your Google rankings and model visibility, let’s not neglect — individuals construct manufacturers. So why not get to know them?
Whereas model intelligence tells you the way you’re perceived, viewers intelligence reveals you who you’re influencing (and tips on how to attain extra of them!)
High 7 person profiles primarily based on G2 critiques
- Model strategists
- Social media and neighborhood managers
- Digital advertising and marketing managers
- Influencer advertising and marketing leads
- Content material entrepreneurs
- Product entrepreneurs
- CX and analysis analysts (particularly for bigger manufacturers and businesses)
High 5 industries utilizing viewers intelligence software program:
- Advertising and marketing and promoting
- Media and publishing
- Retail and client items
- Expertise and SaaS
- Leisure and sports activities
These platforms have gotten central to viewers segmentation, marketing campaign planning, and GTM technique. G2 knowledge reveals satisfaction is tied to AI depth, not scale.
AI depth drives satisfaction, particularly in viewers segmentation
G2 customers reward platforms that floor extra than simply viewers dimension. AI instruments that decode behaviors, affinities, and purchaser intent win on belief and traction.
Platforms with AI-powered clustering, persona enrichment, and predictive behaviors persistently earn 4.6-4.9 star rankings. These embody instruments like SparkToro, Audiense, and Resonance AI.
Search, discovery, and filters are make-or-break options for software program consumers
Fairly pure, proper? You may’t uncover an perception you don’t know exists in your database. In case your device doesn’t allow you to peacefully carry out a search in your dataset, you’re eons away from constructing insights-backed methods.
Evaluations present that higher discovery and sensible filtering are key to turning knowledge into technique. “Search,” “filtering,” and “narrowing” are a number of the most talked about ache factors. Customers need cleaner workflows, particularly when evaluating segments or influencers.
New consumers, new use instances
Viewers intelligence is a net-new layer within the MarTech stack, serving to groups transfer from guesswork to proof.
Much like model intelligence, most viewers intelligence customers are first-time consumers, not switchers. However their use instances range from marketing campaign planning to neighborhood constructing to influencer vetting. This is how advertising and marketing leaders are listening to their goal audiences.
High 5 use instances of viewers intelligence software program
- Viewers segmentation and purchaser persona constructing
- GTM methods, marketing campaign timing, and message alignment
- Micro influencer discovery and audience affinity
- Competitor benchmarking and strategic positioning
- Content material technique optimization
To actually grasp the size of this model reawakening, we analyzed G2 knowledge to uncover some indicators.
Supply: Unique G2 knowledge
AI is the wind beneath model’s new wings
Model is again as a strategic engine, and AI is the gasoline making it measurable, memorable, and market-moving. So, the subsequent time somebody calls model a conceit metric, present them the receipts.
Manufacturers that pay attention higher, see sharper, and act sooner will win. As a result of at the moment, essentially the most iconic manufacturers aren’t constructed by chance, they’re engineered with intelligence, each mental and emotional.
We get it, AI has its challenges, and we’re all studying as we go. When you’re combating AI hallucinations, AI search efficiency, or AI governance, every of those reads will assist information you.
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Edited by Supanna Das
