We know AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are exploding – even AI Mode built inside of Google searches are changing the game – but are people actually using them?
Well, the latest data suggests that they are.
A ‘2026 AI and Search Behaviour Study’ seen on an industry publication, Search Engine Land, shows that 37% of respondents were now starting their discovery with AI tools like ChatGPT instead of going straight to Google and starting a traditional search.
And if you think about your own behaviour, I’m sure you’ll agree that you’re searching differently from what you may have been even as little as 5 years ago.
Google still has its place – but where in the journey a Google search comes in appears to be shifting.
So does that mean you have to shift any of your strategy alongside it?
Today, I want to take you through “The Decision Zone” – and it’s about understanding if your customers are actually making decisions about you before they even hit Google, your website or your social media – and if so, how do we influence it.
How Customer Discovery Has Changed
For years, we’ve taught that marketing is about getting in front of people at the right time.
You know, someone searches using a couple of keywords like “plumber Auckland”, and your ad shows up, or your website ranks on the search, and away you go.
That’s been the game.
But that game has shifted when tools like ChatGPT entered the chat.
Google even coined a concept years ago called the Messy Middle, which I think accurately predicted what was changing. And I think it’s still really relevant.
The idea is that between when someone first realises they have a problem and when they actually buy something, there’s this messy bit in the middle where they’re going back and forth. Exploring options, evaluating them, exploring more, evaluating again.
It’s not a straight line like the marketing bros will have you believe with their short linear ‘marketing funnels’.
And I think that the Messy Middle model still holds up. People don’t just see your ad and buy. They research. They compare. They come back. They leave again.
But here’s what I think has changed.
There’s now a new layer that sits outside that Messy Middle. A layer that happens before people even start that exploration and evaluation loop.
And that layer is AI chatbots.
What is The Decision Zone?
I’m calling this “The Decision Zone.”
And the reason I’m calling it that is because this is where the initial shortlist gets formed.
Before someone even goes to Google. Before they start clicking through websites. Before they enter that Messy Middle at all.
They’re asking ChatGPT. They’re asking Claude. They’re using Google’s AI Mode.
Like a coach, a sparring partner or a research partner.
And these tools are giving them answers. Giving them recommendations. Giving them a starting point – asking them follow-up questions and getting them dialled into their problem and how they can solve it.
So by the time someone actually hits Google (or your website) and starts that traditional exploration phase, they’ve already got a shortlist in their head.
And the issue is, if you’re not on that shortlist, you’re playing catch-up from the start.
Think about it like this.
The Decision Zone is the bouncer at the door of the Messy Middle. If you don’t get past the Decision Zone, you don’t even get inside the club.
The Research Behind AI Search Behaviour
There’s actual research backing this.
So, heading back to what I said at the start, industry publication Search Engine Land recently published a study that found 37% of consumers are now starting their product or service searches with AI tools rather than traditional search engines.
60% of people in that study said AI delivers better answers than “traditional” or “old school” search.
But in saying that, 85% of people still double-check elsewhere after getting an AI answer.
So it’s not that Google is dead. It’s that AI is becoming the first filter.
The place where people get their bearings before they go deeper.
Plus, 47% said that AI responses influence their trust in a brand.
So if ChatGPT recommends you, that actually means something to people. It builds trust before they’ve even visited your website.
How The Decision Zone Works in Practice
Let me walk you through how this might actually play out. And I’ll use an example that’s close to home – someone looking for a marketing agency.
So imagine you’re a business owner. You’ve been doing your own marketing for a while, or you have a single contractor handling it all, but you’re getting to that point where you need some help in some particular areas.
Maybe you want to run some Google Ads.
A few years ago, you’d probably jump on Google. Type in something like “marketing agency Auckland” or “Google Ads agency New Zealand.” You’d scroll through the results, click a few websites, maybe check some reviews, and start building your shortlist from there.
But increasingly, what we’re seeing is that people are going to ChatGPT first. And they’re not typing in keywords. They’re asking questions like:
- “Who can help me with Google Ads in New Zealand?”
- “Do I need someone to help manage my Google Ads?”
- “What should I look for in a marketing agency for a small business?”
- “Can you recommend some marketing agencies that specialise in helping service businesses?”
And ChatGPT gives them an answer.
Maybe it lists a few agencies. Maybe it gives them criteria to look for. Either way, that person now has a starting point.
They’ve got names in their head. They’ve got a framework for what “good” looks like.
Now, when they go to Google, they’re not starting from scratch.
They might search for a specific agency name to check it out. They might search for “marketing agency Auckland”, but they’re already comparing what they see against what ChatGPT told them.
They also know what ‘good’ is – and how it is likely to fit that caveat.
The Decision Zone has shaped their expectations before the Messy Middle even began.
What The Decision Zone Means For Your Business
So what does this actually mean for you, practically?
I think there are a few things to consider here.
Your Brand and Reputation Matter More Than Ever
Because AI tools like ChatGPT aren’t just reading your website. They’re learning about you from what other people are saying about you.
We’ve talked about this before on the podcast, but less than 25% of AI citations actually come from a brand’s own website. The rest is coming from reviews, mentions, articles, testimonials – external sources that signal trust.
So your Google Reviews matter. Your case studies matter. Whether you’re getting mentioned on industry sites or podcasts matters. Because that’s what AI is pulling from when someone asks it about your industry.
You Need to Know What AI is Saying About You
Have you asked ChatGPT about your business? Have you asked it to recommend businesses in your category in your area?
Because if you haven’t, you don’t actually know whether you’re in the Decision Zone or not. You might be completely invisible at this first stage, which means you’re relying entirely on people finding you later in the process.
The Decision Zone Sets Customer Expectations
And this connects back to that Messy Middle concept – the Decision Zone doesn’t just influence whether people find you. It influences how they evaluate you once they’re inside that exploration and evaluation loop.
If ChatGPT has already told someone that the most important thing to look for in a marketing agency is case studies and proven results, then when they land on your website, that’s what they’re looking for.
The Decision Zone has set their criteria.
How to Show Up in The Decision Zone
For us at Done By Nine, it’s part of our ever-evolving shifting strategy. And honestly, a lot of it comes back to fundamentals we’ve talked about before on this podcast.
Building genuine authority in your space. Not just saying you’re good at what you do, but having other people say it too. Reviews. Testimonials with actual outcomes – not just “great service” but “helped us reduce our cost per lead by 40%.”
Being mentioned in places that matter to your audience. Whether that’s industry publications, podcasts, local business directories – anywhere that AI might be pulling information from.
Make sure your website and social media content are clear about who you help and what problems you solve. Because if AI is scanning your site to understand what you do, you want it to be obvious.
And then actually testing it. Asking ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini questions that your potential customers might ask. Seeing what comes back. Seeing if you’re mentioned. Seeing who else is mentioned.
That’s not a one-time thing either. These models are constantly updating. What they say about you today might be different in three months.
So, learn, adapt and stay consistent.
The Bottom Line
I think we’re at this really interesting point where the way people discover businesses is genuinely changing.
And that change is only going to get faster this year.
And while AI is helping our businesses in so many ways – it’s honestly making other pieces of the puzzle a bit harder to figure out! It adds a whole new layer to how we need to think about marketing.
The Messy Middle is still real. People still explore, evaluate, and go back and forth before they buy. That hasn’t gone away.
But the Decision Zone – this new AI-powered layer where people form their initial shortlist – that’s what I think will become the first gate you need to get through.
If you’re showing up in the Decision Zone, you’ve got a much better chance of being considered when people enter that exploration phase. And if you’re not, you might be invisible to a growing chunk of your potential customers before they’ve even started looking properly.
Related Reading
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