Promo Products And The New AI Search Results

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many aspects of society, including how we search for information and buy products and services online. Things are changing fast.

A recent study shows AI search is expected to surpass traditional search within two years. If your business isn’t keeping up with how consumers search, you risk falling behind competitors who do.

Maintaining Visibility in an AI-Driven World

Artificial intelligence searches operate differently than traditional search engines. The result for your brand is likely to be a drop in your company site’s search ranking and decreased visibility to potential customers.

So what’s a business, especially a small business, to do? Fortunately, there’s a solution to the visibility problem – custom promotional products.

Even if your brand is less visible online, you can stay a vibrant force in the marketplace through the strategic deployment of custom apparel, drinkware and other products that people interact with in person.

Integrated Marketing is The Answer

As we’ve been saying for years, the most effective brand marketing doesn’t rely on just one outlet. It’s far more effective to have a mix of online, local advertising, word-of-mouth, social media and promotional products to carry your brand to your customers.

Let’s look at some of the ways traditional promotional products can help your marketing program.

Custom Apparel

Custom apparel with your company logo is an outstanding way of getting your brand out in front of customers. Start with your staff. Every person in your business who deals with customers in any capacity should be wearing apparel imprinted with your brand. Whether it’s the front office staff in polos or the field crew in custom tees, they’re your best advertising.

For bands and nonprofit groups, custom shirts make great merch too. Sell them to raise fund or as concert souvenirs. People love to support causes and acts they believe in. Choose a comfortable, stylish design and the shirt will quickly become a favorite. The more people wear it, whether to the park, the movies, the big box store, the supermarket or anywhere else, the more your brand will be seen.

You don’t have to lose your logo presence just because the seasons change. For fall and winter, custom hoodies, quarter-zips and jackets can be your brand ambassadors as well.

Custom Drinkware 

Custom imprinted mugs and tumblers promote your brand both in the office and out on the street. Every time an employee or customer carries your tumbler to the gym, the park or their office, it becomes a sign for your logo. They make excellent giveaways to clients for orders of a specific dollar amount too. Give them away as pledge drive gifts to donors and you’ll support your cause and give them something they’ll use and appreciate.

Trade Show Swag

If your industry holds trade shows, conferences or conventions, promotional products of all kinds can be a boon. Give people quality items the that offer tangible value, such as custom coins instead of business cards. Once again, this is a prime opportunity for tumblers, mugs and apparel to shine as well.

If you give attendees something they can use, as opposed to a simple business card or useless trinket, they’ll be more likely to keep it. That keeps your brand in front of them when it comes time to order.

You Can Keep It Simple

It doesn’t have to be something elaborate. Wellness and personal care products such as branded hand sanitizer, sleep masks and lip balm are low-cost products that people appreciate.

Totes and Tech

Tote bags are always a good choice. People visiting your trade show booth need a way to carry all the products, data sheets and other items that other booths give them. A tote bag imprinted with your logo becomes a walking billboard for your brand, and helps attract more visitors to your booth to get bags of their own and find out more about your company.

Consider tech products too. Trade show attendees are often on the go. When they have a phone battery that’s running low, they’re sure to be grateful for a power bank imprinted with your name and company logo.

Custom printed flash drives are another good prospect. Give your audience something they can use, and you can even include a promotional message on the drive. Just be sure they can later erase it to get the most use from the drive.

Think Small

If you don’t have the budget for custom apparel, go for accessories. Caps, patches, keychains and other items also get your brand out there, in a cost-effective way.

Things to Keep in Mind

Don’t Cheap Out

Low-quality promotional products can do your brand more harm than good. If the imprint wears off, the shirt shrinks or falls apart, or the plastic tumbler breaks, the customer won’t think highly of your brand. It’s often worth it to spend just a little bit more to get a higher quality promotional item.

Use Social Media Wisely

It’s extremely important to keep your website and social media up to date. AI searches are always looking for new, authoritative information. That can help your ranking, of course, but it’s also important for another reason.

Engage Your Customers

Your customers are looking for ways to engage with you. Social media is the way to do that. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other platforms give them a chance to learn about your company, see your products and relate to your social presence both on- and offline.

To increase engagement, you can offer giveaways and special offers on t-shirts, mugs and other branded items. Give customers a code or e-coupon they can use to obtain those products.

It All Adds Up

You might not think these tips can help you compete with the AI algorithms and other new search options. But if you’re using custom product to get your name into the marketplace, and maintain a robust internet and social media presence, the search engines will eventually notice. Your marketing efforts can pay off – eventually – with higher rankings and better sales.

If you’d like to find out more about how our custom promotional products can boost your sales, even in the wake of the new search rules, call us toll free at (800) 423-0449, or email us. We’ll be happy to help you optimize your marketing plan for maximum success!