Blake Renda, Co-Founder

Dragon Horse Agency

pbr@dragonhorseagency.com

239.325.5088

For Immediate Release:

Dragon Horse Agency’s Co-Founder, P. Blake Renda, celebrated as a visionary leader in Old Naples News and North Naples News Magazines’ “Men of Vision.’

Naples, Florida, April 8, 2026 – Dragon Horse Agency, a marketing and business consulting firm headquartered in Naples, renowned for its innovative DragonONE platform—a comprehensive business strategy and marketing solution—and DragonIQ, the industry’s early adopter of artificial intelligence launched in 2016, takes pride in announcing that Co-Founder P. Blake Renda has been featured in the April editions of Old Naples News and North Naples News within each publication’s “Men of Vision” cover story. The editorial emphasizes the contributions of business and community leaders who are instrumental in driving progress, fostering innovation, and achieving sustained impact throughout Naples and the broader community.

In both publications, Renda is highlighted as Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Veeder Holdings LLC, a private investment and holding company overseeing Veedor I and a diverse portfolio of purpose-driven ventures, including Dragon Horse Agency, Dragon Horse Publishing, and Moxie Creed. Described as a “Vision Capitalist,” Renda’s leadership philosophy is anchored in the conviction that business should foster opportunity, fortify communities, and elevate society.

For Dragon Horse Agency, recognition signifies more than a personal achievement; it embodies the fundamental philosophy guiding our approach since inception. We believe strategy must be disciplined, creativity should be influential, and building a business means making a meaningful impact. Founded by Blake Renda and Julie Koester, the agency has evolved from its Naples origins into an innovative, global leader in marketing and consulting, serving diverse brands with a focus on strategic precision, compelling storytelling, performance excellence, and sustainable long-term value.

That same entrepreneurial vision is reflected in the “Men of Vision” coverage, which notes the continued growth of Veeder Holdings and the ventures built under its leadership.

“We are truly humbled to receive recognition in two esteemed Naples publications,” said P. Blake Renda, Co-Founder of Dragon Horse Agency. “For us, vision is not about standing still or chasing titles. It’s about purposefully building, taking responsibility for our impact, and creating work that empowers brands, businesses, and communities to move forward with meaning and intention.”

The April 2026 issues of the Old Naples News and the North Naples News frame their “Men of Vision” editions around leaders whose work contributes to shared progress in Naples across industries, including business, healthcare, hospitality, design, and finance. In Renda’s feature, the publications trace his career from media and entertainment to law, institutional investing, venture-building, and entrepreneurship, while emphasizing the resilience, discipline, and sense of purpose that continue to guide his work today.

“Recognition like this is meaningful because it reflects the kind of business culture we strive to foster,” said Julie Koester, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Dragon Horse Agency. “At Dragon Horse, we believe that excellent work begins with core values, thoughtful decision-making, and a commitment to doing the hard parts well. We are honored to see Blake recognized in this way and grateful for what this recognition says about the growing companies we are privileged to build here in Naples.”

Dragon Horse Agency continues to expand its operations through a model that integrates business consulting, brand strategy, creative development, media, and performance marketing. As the agency looks toward the future, this recognition further underscores that innovative ideas are most significant when supported by action, accountability, and a well-defined purpose.

Read the full article in each publication:

Old Naples News

North Naples News

About Old Naples News and North Naples News

Old Naples News and North Naples News are community-focused Naples publications produced by Florida Neighborhood News. Their April 2026 editions spotlight “Men of Vision,” recognizing professionals from a range of industries whose leadership and innovation contribute to economic growth, community pride, and shared progress in Naples.

About Dragon Horse Agency

Dragon Horse Agency is a dynamic global marketing and business consulting firm based in Naples, Florida, with satellite offices in Santa Monica, CA. Celebrated for its groundbreaking DragonONE model and DragonIQ AI-based digital platforms, Dragon Horse seamlessly combines strategic expertise, captivating storytelling, and data intelligence to drive exceptional performance. Dragon Horse serves as “A Fiduciary to Brands,” and inspires its clients to elevate their message, broaden their influence, and achieve meaningful impact through creativity and strategic vision.

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Dragon Horse Agency

310.917.1009/239.325.5088

pbr@dragonhorseagency.com

www.DragonHorseAgency.com

Naples, FL//Los Angeles, CA

Dragon Horse Agency Announces Launch of DragonAI,

A Pioneering Agentic AI Business Strategy Solution

Naples, FL – February 9, 2026 – Dragon Horse Agency, the first business marketing services firm to deploy an AI-based solution in 2016 with its award-winning DragonIQ platform, today announced the launch of DragonAI, a breakthrough agentic artificial intelligence solution that significantly elevates the firm’s end-to-end business strategy and consulting services into a full-service marketing platform.

DragonAI builds on the proven success of DragonIQ by introducing a new level of proactive, goal-driven intelligence into client engagements. DragonAI is designed to understand high-level business objectives and translate them into coordinated, micro-actionable steps, enabling Dragon Horse Agency to deliver faster, more precise, and more scalable results for its clients.

“Since 2015, Dragon Horse Agency has been dedicated to innovation, beginning with our industry-first DragonONE and subsequently advancing to AI-powered digital marketing with the launch of DragonIQ in 2016,” said Blake Renda, Co-CEO of Dragon Horse Agency. “The addition of DragonAI to our award-winning platform of DragonONE and DragonIQ is a major milestone for our firm and our clients. Dragon Horse Agency harnesses the power of both qualitative and quantitative AI-driven insights to craft visionary, step-by-step strategies that empower our clients to transform their organizations. Our seamless platform inspires innovation, drives substantial results, and unlocks new horizons—saving time and capital while fueling future growth.”

DragonAI can break down complex objectives—such as entering a new market, optimizing a sales funnel, or improving customer retention—into a series of granular actions, then execute those actions across integrated systems and platforms.

“DragonAI elevates and re-emphasizes our reputation for innovation and excellence. Our clients don’t just receive plans and recommendations—they gain an AI Intelligence Aviator producing tactical outcomes,” added Julie Koester, Co-CEO.

With DragonAI, Dragon Horse Agency further strengthens its position as an innovation leader in AI-driven business marketing services. The combined power of DragonONE, DragonIQ, and DragonAI’s analytical insights enables organizations to move from vision to execution to impact more quickly, efficiently, and confidently than ever before.

About Dragon Horse Agency 

Dragon Horse Agency, headquartered in Naples, FL., is celebrating 10 years of innovation as a full-service business marketing services firm and an early pioneer in AI-powered strategy and execution. In 2016, the agency launched DragonIQ, one of the industry’s first AI-based platforms for marketing and business intelligence. Today,  Dragon Horse Agency delivers a singular end-to-end solution, integrating branding, marketing, and business growth solutions powered by advanced artificial intelligence, data-driven insight, and award-winning solutions through DragonONE, DragonIQ, and DragonAI.

Dragon Horse Agency Online:

Website:          www.DragonHorseAgency.com

Facebook:        @dragonhorseagency

Instagram:     @dragonhorseagency

TikTok:           @dragonhorseagency

LinkedIN:       Dragon-Horse-Media -llc

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This article outlines the parts of our model that clients typically notice first.  

It starts with the idea that “digital excellence” is not a one-off campaign. It is a system. GPMG underscores our strategy-first approach, including treating a brand as a long-term asset rather than a quick win. They describe that as a fiduciary mindset, where every decision ties back to business vision, market position, and long-term goals.  

GPMG highlights the creative work we deliver, including recognition for video, film, web, and campaign production. Not because awards are the goal, but because strong storytelling helps a brand land clearly and consistently across every channel. 

The Platforms Behind the Process

GPMG highlights two tools that support our operations. 

DragonONE is our proprietary platform that unifies business strategy, branding, full-service marketing, and analytics into a single, aligned framework.  The point is simple: planning and execution should not live in separate rooms.  

Also mentioned is DragonIQ, our AI-driven engine built to strengthen targeting, optimization, and decision-making across digital channels and evolving search ecosystems. The best part of this section is what it implies. AI is not the strategy. It supports it. It helps teams move faster, learn quicker, and make smarter calls when the market shifts.  

Why This Matters for Growth-Minded Brands

If you lead a business, you already know the most challenging part is not starting. It is staying aligned. GPMG frames Dragon Horse as a partner that blends consulting with execution, so marketing does not drift away from the bigger picture. They also list the full-service scope, from brand architecture and we to SEO, social, PR, media buying, and multimedia production, paired with C-suite level advisory.  

Read the full article on GPMG 

About Dragon Horse Agency 

Dragon Horse Agency is a global marketing and business consulting firm headquartered in Naples, Florida, with satellite offices in Santa Monica, CA, and Bali, Indonesia. Renowned for its DragonONE model, Dragon Horse integrates business strategy, creative storytelling, and data intelligence to deliver performance-driven results. From luxury and lifestyle brands to emerging startups and nonprofits, Dragon Horse empowers clients to elevate their message, expand their reach, and make a meaningful impact through creativity and strategy. 

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Mr. P. Blake Renda, Co-CEO & Co-Founder

Dragon Horse Agency

pbr@dragonhorseagency.com

239.325.5088//310-917-1009

www.DragonHorseAgency.com

For Immediate Release:

Naples, Florida, November 18, 2025 – Dragon Horse Agency, a multi-award-winning marketing and business consulting firm, has been officially recognized as a BusinessRate “Best of 2025 Naples Awards” winner in the Marketing Agency category. This honor is based on verified data from Google reviews, analyzed and certified by BusinessRate, a leader in intelligent ranking solutions and comprehensive review management services.

The BusinessRate Best of 2025 Naples Awards recognize local businesses that stand out in customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and service quality, based on publicly available Google review data. The proprietary BusinessRate Score offers a comprehensive measure of performance, assessing both the quality and consistency of a company’s online reviews.

This award is truly a tremendous honor, as it reflects the heartfelt voices of our valued clients. We are deeply grateful for their trust and confidence, and this recognition inspires us to strive even further. We can craft sophisticated strategies and compelling creative work, but ultimately, what matters is that our partners feel seen, heard, and valued. The fact that this recognition comes from Google reviews fills us with gratitude and reinforces that we are fulfilling our promise right here in our vibrant Naples community, said P. Blake Renda, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Dragon Horse Agency.

Founded in 2015 by P. Blake Renda and Julie Koester, Dragon Horse Agency uniquely combines advanced business consulting with comprehensive marketing through its proprietary DragonONE model. The firm collaborates with clients across diverse sectors—including luxury, lifestyle, fine art, technology, and professional services—to deliver measurable growth, compelling storytelling, and sustained brand value.

Naples, where Dragon Horse was established and serves as our headquarters, continues to be our core location. Our team consistently shows dedication to maintaining high standards, strategic insight, and fostering meaningful relationships. Being named a “Best of 2025 Naples” by BusinessRate in the marketing agency category underlines our commitment to excellence as a “Fiduciary to Brands.” “We sincerely thank our clients for their trust, for sharing their experiences online, and for growing with us,” said Julie Koester, Co-Founder and Managing Partner.

The BusinessRate “Best of 2025 Naples” Marketing Awards analyze publicly accessible Google review data to recognize local leaders who consistently provide exceptional experiences in their categories. By emphasizing verified customer feedback, BusinessRate spotlights companies that earn trust over time through authenticity, responsiveness, and dependable results.

Mr. Renda highlighted “that for us, reviews are more than just a score. They share authentic stories about individuals, their aspirations, and results. We thoughtfully analyze every comment, celebrate our successes, and see criticism as an opportunity to grow. This acknowledgment motivates us to keep raising the bar for what a marketing agency can and should achieve in Southwest Florida and beyond.”

Ms. Koester continued, “Our success is shared. It belongs to our clients who take creative risks with us, to our internal team who put in the work behind the scenes, and to our partners who help us bring complex ideas to life. Being honored by BusinessRate validates our belief that when you pair strategic clarity with genuine care, you create brands that people champion, not just follow.”

About  BusinessRate

BusinessRate is a private company that analyzes Google Reviews to rank local businesses and “Best of” awards based on direct customer testimonial, feedback, and Google data. BusinessRate is a business intelligence and marketing platform that provides review-based rankings, visibility tools, and award plaques or recognition materials for businesses that score highly in its system. By leveraging Google review data, BusinessRate develops comprehensive scores and rankings that reflect real customer experiences. Its “Best of” awards programs recognize organizations that consistently demonstrate excellence in customer satisfaction, responsiveness, and brand reputation in their communities.

https://businessrate.com/

About Dragon Horse Agency

Dragon Horse Agency is a global marketing and business consulting firm headquartered in Naples, Florida, with satellite offices in Santa Monica, CA. Renowned for its DragonONE model, Dragon Horse integrates business strategy, creative storytelling, and data intelligence to deliver performance-driven results and an industry-first AI digital platform, DragonIQ. From luxury and lifestyle brands to emerging startups and nonprofits, Dragon Horse empowers clients to elevate their message, expand their reach, and make a meaningful impact through creativity and strategy.

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www.DragonHorseAgency.com

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Built on a culture of Ubuntu, I am because we are, and our unwavering disciplined approach, Dragon Horse Agency has become renowned for excellence. At Dragon Horse Agency, we don’t just ride the wave of change; we’re shaping it. 

Dragon Horse Agency, A Fiduciary To Brands, let’s explore the possibilities together.   

Read More: Gulfshore Business 

And see our Press Release 

About Dragon Horse Agency: 

Dragon Horse Agency is an award-winning global marketing and business consulting service provider. The firm is headquartered in Naples, Florida, and maintains an additional office satellite location in Los Angeles, CA. At Dragon Horse Agency, we take pride in our innovative approach to personalized business and marketing solutions as a fiduciary to brands. Dragon Horse provides unparalleled results, achieving and exceeding business goals in the dynamic global market. 

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Contact:  

Mr. P. Blake Renda, Co-CEO 

Dragon Horse Agency 

pbr@dragonhorseagency.com 

239.325.5088//310.917.1099 

For Immediate Release:  

Naples, Florida – October 28, 2025 – Dragon Horse Agency, a multi-award-winning marketing and business consulting firm, has been recognized with the prestigious Global 100 Award for Digital Excellence 2026, presented by the Global Publishing Media Group (GPMG). The accolade honors world-class leadership, creativity, and innovation in digital strategy, placing Dragon Horse among the top global firms. 

The Global 100 Awards celebrate exceptional achievement and innovation across more than 160 countries, highlighting organizations that demonstrate best in class performance in leadership, impact, and industry evolution. This recognition underscores Dragon Horse’s continued commitment to pioneering integrated strategies that merge creativity with measurable performance.  

“Digital excellence is more than a metric; it’s a mindset,” said Blake Renda, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Dragon Horse Agency. “From our earliest campaigns to today’s global activations, we’ve always believed that strategy and creativity must move in harmony. This award is a testament to our team’s relentless drive to challenge convention and deliver transformative results for our clients.” 

Driving Innovation Through Strategy and Storytelling

Founded in 2015 by Blake Renda and Julie Koester, Dragon Horse has become known for its excellence and industry-first DragonONE model, a proprietary framework that fuses business consulting with full-scale marketing. This approach allows clients to scale efficiently while staying rooted in authentic storytelling and data-backed decisions. In 2016, Dragon Horse Agency was again at the forefront, launching its DragonIQ digital platform built around early AI.  

“Being recognized by the Global 100 is both humbling and energizing,” said Julie Koester, Co-CEO and Co- Founder. “It validates what we’ve always stood for; creative intelligence, cultural relevance, and purposeful impact. Our work thrives at the intersection of art and analytics, and this honor reinforces that balance.”  

The agency’s portfolio spans diverse sectors, including luxury brands and fine art, as well as technology, philanthropy, CPG, construction, design, lifestyle and more. Headquartered in Naples, Florida, with a satellite in Santa Monica, California, Dragon Horse has the scope of expertise and location to ensure it provides its clients with the resources not only necessary yet an edge propelling them competitively.  

A Global Standard of Digital Mastery

The Global 100 Award for Digital Excellence recognizes firms that set new standards in digital innovation, creative execution, and measurable growth. For Dragon Horse, this recognition follows a year of rapid expansion, award-winning campaigns, and continued investment in emerging technologies such as AI-driven analytics, immersive media, and dynamic storytelling.  

“This moment reflects the power of our team and partners worldwide,” added Renda. “Digital excellence is never static; it evolves. We’re constantly reimagining what it means to connect, engage, and create value in a rapidly changing world. This award reaffirms that our approach is not only working, but leading.” 

Koester added, “At Dragon Horse, excellence isn’t defined by awards; it’s defined by consistency. But moments like this remind us why we started: to elevate ideas that move people and brands that move culture. We’re proud to represent a global community of creators, strategists, and clients who share that vision. 

About Global 100

Presented by Global Publishing Media Group  (GPMG), the Global 100 Awards celebrate the best companies and professionals across industries and continents. Honorees are selected based on performance, innovation, ethics, and leadership; recognizing organizations that demonstrate outstanding achievement and influence in their respective fields. https://www.gpmg.uk/global-100 

About Dragon Horse Agency

Dragon Horse Agency is a global marketing and business consulting firm headquartered in Naples, Florida, with satellite offices in Santa Monica, CA. Renowned for its DragonONE and DragonIQ models, Dragon Horse integrates business strategy, creative storytelling, and data intelligence to deliver performance-driven results. From luxury and lifestyle brands to emerging startups and nonprofits, Dragon Horse empowers clients to elevate their message, expand their reach, and make a meaningful impact through creativity and strategy. For More information please visit: https://www.dragonhorseagency.com or email info@dragonhorseagency.com. 

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Contact:  

Mr. P. Blake Renda, Co-CEO & Co-Founder 

Dragon Horse Agency 

pbr@dragonhorseagency.com 

239.325.5088//310-917-1009 

www.DragonHorseAgency.com 

For Immediate Release:  

Naples, Florida – October 13, 2025 – Dragon Horse Agency, the award-winning marketing and business consulting firm known for its disruptive creativity and strategic excellence, proudly celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. What began as a bold idea between two visionaries in Naples, Florida, has evolved into a globally recognized firm with clients across industries and continents, redefining what it means to build brands that move culture and contribute to society.  

Founded in October of 2015 by P. Blake Renda and Julie Koester, Dragon Horse Agency launched with a clear mission: to merge strategy, innovation, and creativity in a way that navigates through and drives real-world performance through the platform called DragonONE. A decade later, that philosophy has become the agency’s trademark and the model adopted by others throughout the industry. From CannesLIONS finalist nominations to industry-first campaigns and early adoption of technologies such as artificial intelligence with the 2016 launch of DragonIQ, Dragon Horse has continued to embody the art of business and the business of art.  

“Ten years ago, we embarked on a bold mission: to redefine the agency experience as a place where strategic business intelligence fuses seamlessly with genuine creative ingenuity,” said P. Blake Renda, Co-CEO & Co-Founder of Dragon Horse Agency. “Our vision was to establish an organization that values creativity as a powerful, quantifiable asset built on a foundation of proven business and investment acumen—essential to driving results. Today, our impact resonates from global platforms to local communities, and that profound reach inspires immense pride in what our family of dragons has accomplished.” 

A Decade of Vision and Velocity 

Over the past ten years, Dragon Horse has built a diverse portfolio spanning luxury brands, fine art, technology, lifestyle, hospitality, law, medical, consumer goods, philanthropy and much more. The agency’s proprietary DragonONE solution, which integrates strategic business consulting into full-service marketing, has enabled clients to scale faster, connect deeper, and achieve measurable growth in competitive markets.  

“Dragon Horse Agency’s success has always been rooted in collaboration, between our team, our clients, and the communities we serve,” said Julie Koester, Co-CEO & Co-Founder. “We’ve built Dragon Horse on passion, partnership, and purpose. This 10th anniversary isn’t about looking back; it’s about propelling forward, expanding our impact, continuing to innovate, and continuing to shape what creative excellence looks like in the next decade.” 

From Naples to the World 

With offices in Naples, Florida and Santa Monica, California, Dragon Horse continues to cultivate a truly global presence building on its founding values. The team of strategists, writers, designers, filmmakers, data experts, and others share one unifying belief: creativity is a force multiplier that drives business transformation.  

That vision has guided Dragon Horse through a decade of dynamic evolution, from pioneering new digital storytelling formats to redefining brand architecture for clients. Whether crafting cinematic campaigns, developing investor-ready business strategies, or amplifying philanthropic missions, the agency has made an art form of measurable marketing.  

Building the Future of Creative Strategy 

Looking ahead, Dragon Horse is poised for continued expansion as it continues to lean in on technology, such as AI-driven solutions, immersive media, and cross-platform storytelling. These innovations align with the agency’s commitment to staying ahead of cultural and technological shifts while keeping strategy at the core of every creative execution.  

“We’re entering our next chapter with more excitement, energy, and focus than ever before,” said Renda. “Our clients’ success stories inspire us daily. Every campaign, every launch, every piece of content is an opportunity to ignite curiosity and create lasting impact. The next decade of Dragon Horse will be defined by even bolder ideas, global collaborations, and purpose-driven creativity.” 

 Koester echoes the sentiment, stating, “Our tenth anniversary marks not just endurance, but evolution. The world has changed dramatically since we opened our doors, and so have the ways people connect with brands. Dragon Horse has never been afraid to adapt, to innovate, challenge, and to lead with heart. That’s our edge, and it always will be.” 

About Dragon Horse Agency 

Dragon Horse Agency is a global marketing and business consulting firm headquartered in Naples, Florida, with satellite offices in Santa Monica, CA. Renowned for its DragonONE model, Dragon Horse integrates business strategy, creative storytelling, and data intelligence to deliver performance-driven results. From luxury and lifestyle brands to emerging startups and nonprofits, Dragon Horse empowers clients to elevate their message, expand their reach, and make a meaningful impact through creativity and strategy. 

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Val Laube, Director of Artificial Intelligence, Dragon Horse Agency

Naples, Florida-based Dragon Horse Agency is a pioneer in business marketing, being the first to introduce the concept of integrated business strategy within a comprehensive marketing platform known as DragonONE, and the first to deploy artificial intelligence, “AI,” with DragonIQ in 2016. The company employs experienced strategists, creative architects, and AI pilots and is headquartered in North Naples, Florida, with an additional satellite office in Santa Monica, California. Dragon Horse Agency takes great pride in its industry-leading innovative strategies delivering cutting-edge business and marketing solutions as “a fiduciary to brands ™.”

From Keywords to Conversations: The Shift to AI Answer Engines

For decades, search engine users typed short keywords and sifted through pages of results. Now, a massive shift is underway. AI-powered “answer engines” and conversational search interfaces are revolutionizing the way we find information online. Instead of providing ten blue links, these AI-driven tools deliver direct answers or engage in back-and-forth dialogue. Consumers no longer want to scroll through endless results – they expect AI to give a definitive answer, personalized and immediate.

Examples of this shift are everywhere. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) now displays AI-generated answer summaries (often called AI Overviews) at the top of many search results. In fact, as of early 2025, about 13% of Google searches show an AI Overview at the top of the page, up from just 6.5% a few months prior. These summaries synthesize content from across the web into concise answers, providing links to the sources. Meanwhile, standalone AI search tools like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Perplexity allow users to ask questions in natural language and receive conversational answers with cited sources. Rather than entering terse keywords, users can pose detailed questions or follow-ups as if chatting with an expert. This evolution from keyword-based search to conversational search means the search experience is becoming more like an intuitive dialogue, rather than a database query.

Crucially, conversational AI can understand context and nuance. Traditional search engines matched keywords to web pages, but AI search uses natural language processing (NLP) to interpret the intent behind complex queries. For example, a user might ask, “What’s the best project management software for a remote design team, and why?” An AI answer engine can parse this complex question, break it down into subparts, and deliver a tailored answer (e.g., recommending top tools with reasons), rather than requiring the user to manually combine information from multiple sites. Follow-up questions are also supported – you can ask a question, get an answer, then ask a clarifying question in context, and the AI remembers the conversation. This creates a more natural and interactive search experience that feels less like querying a database and more like engaging in a dialogue with a knowledgeable assistant.

The rise of voice assistants and voice search has further accelerated this trend toward conversational interfaces. Digital assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant have trained users to ask questions out loud in complete sentences. By 2024, there will be more digital voice assistants in use globally than people, and by 2025, an estimated 75% of households will own at least one smart speaker. Voice search allows people to speak queries naturally and often receive spoken answers. It’s not identical to full conversational search – many voice queries still return a single spoken answer or action – but it shares the same spirit: natural language in, immediate answer out. As voice-capable devices proliferate, consumers are increasingly comfortable with conversational query-and-response interactions rather than old-school typing. Whether via voice or text chat, the expectation is clear: ask a question in plain language and get a helpful answer straightaway.

All of this represents a fundamental change in search behavior. Google’s data shows that people are now coming to search with longer, more complex questions than before, and multi-turn interactions are on the rise. In short, search has evolved from a task of finding information into a process of getting answers. For businesses and marketers, this shift from keyword-based search to AI-powered answer engines has profound implications. In the following sections, we’ll explore how these AI search tools are altering consumer behavior and what it means for SEO and brand visibility.

How AI Search Is Changing Consumer Behavior

AI-powered search isn’t just a shiny new interface – it’s actively changing how consumers search and what they do with the results. One significant change is reduced reliance on traditional search engine results pages (SERPs). When a detailed answer is served up directly by an AI, users have less need to scroll through a list of websites. We’re seeing the rise of the “zero-click” search, where the answer is obtained without ever clicking a result. This was already a trend with featured snippets on Google, but AI takes it further by aggregating information from multiple sources into a single, coherent response.

Evidence of shifting behavior is emerging in usage data. Following the release of ChatGPT, Google’s global search traffic declined by nearly 8% from 2023 to 2024. In other words, some queries that used to be directed to Google are now being asked of AI assistants. Alternative search platforms with AI capabilities saw traffic increases in that period, suggesting that users are experimenting with new AI search tools. This doesn’t mean Google is obsolete – far from it, with Google Search still holding approximately 89.7% of the global search market share – but it indicates a significant shift in where people seek answers. Google’s introduction of AI summaries (SGE) was a response to this shift, aiming to keep users satisfied by giving direct answers on Google’s platform.

Surveys confirm that many consumers have quickly embraced AI-based search in their daily lives. In a 2025 Adobe survey of U.S. internet users, a striking 77% of respondents reported using ChatGPT as a search engine. Nearly one in four (24%) now go to ChatGPT first when looking for information, before trying a traditional search engine. Younger generations lead this trend – for Gen Z, the figure was 28% who turn to ChatGPT before Google. This is a remarkable change in habit that has occurred in just a couple of years. The same survey found that three in ten people (30%) trust ChatGPT’s answers more than those from other search engines. Consumers cited benefits like the ability of AI to “summarize complex topics quickly” and require “fewer clicks” than a Google search. In essence, users appreciate that conversational AI can do the legwork of digesting information, saving them time.

Consumers are also discovering content and brands in new ways via AI. Instead of finding a brand’s website through a search listing, a user might encounter that brand as part of an AI-generated answer or recommendation. According to an Adobe survey, 36% of people reported that ChatGPT has helped them discover a new product or brand they were previously unaware of. This was especially true for younger users (47% of Gen Z in the survey). In practical terms, someone might ask ChatGPT for “the best noise-canceling headphones under $200” and receive an answer that describes a few models. This answer might introduce a consumer to a brand’s product without the consumer ever visiting a search results page or the brand’s website. It’s a new kind of AI word-of-mouth exposure.

Another behavioral change is that search is becoming more conversational and iterative. With AI chat interfaces, users often refine their queries by asking follow-up questions in the same session (instead of performing a brand new search from scratch). For example, one might start by asking, “How do I improve my credit score?” and, after an initial answer, follow up with, “What are some good credit monitoring services to use?” – the AI remembers the context. This means consumers are engaging longer with the search interface itself, treating it as an advisor. Google has noted that when people use its AI Overview feature, they often end up asking more questions in that session than they would in a traditional search, essentially because the AI invites deeper exploration. For marketers, this means user journeys might stay within an AI platform longer before clicking out to a website (if they click at all). The classic funnel of “search -> click link -> browse site” is getting disrupted; now it may be “ask AI multiple questions -> possibly get one recommended link or answer without a click.”

Voice search usage also ties into this behavioral shift. Speaking a query (to Siri/Alexa/etc) is inherently a one-answer interaction – the assistant typically gives you a single response, or acts, rather than reading a list of results. As more consumers use voice queries (and with billions of voice-enabled devices in circulation), they become accustomed to a single-answer paradigm. Even when they transition to text-based AI search, they carry that expectation that the first answer might be all they need. By 2025, an estimated 153 million Americans will use voice assistants (often for search), and 75% of households will have a smart speaker. This widespread adoption of voice interfaces reinforces the preference for direct answers and conversational engagement.

In summary, AI-powered search is making consumer search behavior more focused on finding answers, rather than exploring multiple sources. Users are placing trust in AI to curate and even interpret information on their behalf. They’re also expecting more personalization – if the first answer isn’t exactly correct, they ask the AI to clarify or tailor the response, rather than clicking around. For businesses, this is a double-edged sword: the opportunity is that your brand can become part of an AI-delivered answer (which is a powerful endorsement if you’re the chosen source), but the challenge is that you might not even get a chance to win over the customer if you’re not visible to the AI in the first place. It’s a new battlefield for attention, happening on the AI’s output screen rather than the traditional SERP.

AI Search by the Numbers: Growth and Impact

Striking data and third-party insights back the rapid rise of AI search. To put the trend in perspective, here are some key statistics illustrating the growth and impact of AI-powered search:

• Explosive User Adoption: ChatGPT, the poster child of AI answer engines, reached a massive user base in record time. By early 2025, ChatGPT surpassed 400 million weekly active users – a staggering adoption curve for a tool that only launched publicly at the end of 2022. A Pew Research study in late 2023 found that 34% of US adults had already used ChatGPT, and that number has only grown since. This indicates that a substantial portion of the population is experimenting with AI to meet their information needs.
• Generative AI as a Search Starting-Point: Research by marketing firms indicates that 10% (or more) of internet users now turn to generative AI first for specific searches. In other words, for perhaps one in ten queries, users are bypassing traditional search engines entirely in favor of tools like ChatGPT, Bing’s AI chat, or similar. This is a remarkable shift considering these tools were niche or non-existent just a couple of years ago. Among younger, digitally savvy users, the percentage is likely even higher.
• Google’s Response and Integration: Google remains the dominant search engine, but it has rapidly integrated AI to keep pace with changing user preferences. As noted, around 13-16% of Google searches now trigger an AI-generated overview at the top of the results, and this portion has been climbing each month. These AI summaries typically cite around five sources on average, condensing what might have been a dozen search results into a single composite answer. Notably, one study found that approximately 48% of the sources mentioned in Google’s AI overviews were not ranking on page 1 organically, suggesting that AI results can elevate websites that might otherwise be buried in the rankings, thereby changing the visibility game. Google reports that the introduction of AI results has been well-received; users who engage with the AI summaries tend to be more satisfied and even increase their search usage for complex queries.
• Impact on Search Volume and Market Share: As mentioned, Google’s web traffic saw a ~7.9% decline in the year after ChatGPT’s debut – a possible sign of users spending some of their search time with AI alternatives. Microsoft’s Bing (which integrated GPT-4 into its search in early 2023) has seen an uptick of interest, though it still holds a small market share (~4%). Niche AI search startups, such as Perplexity, and privacy-focused engines with AI features (e.g., Brave Search with its AI summarizer) also gained users following the generative AI wave. Still, Google commands the lion’s share of search, nearly 90% globally, meaning Google’s own AI advancements (SGE, “AI Mode”, etc.) could mainstream AI search for hundreds of millions of users simply by changing the default Google experience.
• Mobile, Voice, and Multimodal Searches: Over 1.5 billion people use Google Lens each month to search what they see – a form of multimodal AI search where a user can take a photo (or use the camera) and ask questions about the image. Google is pushing boundaries with features like “Search Live,” which lets users hold up their phone camera, talk to an AI about what’s on screen, and receive answers in real-time. This indicates a future where search queries aren’t just text or voice, but images and even real-time video feeds. The lines between “searching” and “seeing” are blurring, powered by AI’s ability to analyze visuals.
• Marketing and SEO Industry Response: Recognizing the AI search trend, marketers are pivoting their strategies. In Adobe’s 2025 survey, two-thirds of marketers and business owners said they plan to increase their focus on “AI visibility” – essentially, ensuring their brand shows up in AI-driven search results. Over 75% of surveyed marketers called it essential for their brand to appear in ChatGPT’s answers in 2025. This has given rise to a new discipline of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) (more on that below). The SEO community has been quick to research how generative AI selects and presents information. Agencies and SEO platforms are now tracking metrics such as “share of voice in AI answers” (i.e., the frequency at which AI mentions a company) in addition to traditional SERP rankings.

Overall, the data paints a clear picture: AI-driven search is not a minor sideshow – it has become a core part of how people find information, and it’s reshaping the digital landscape. Usage is growing rapidly, and user satisfaction with AI answers is high. Both tech giants and startups are investing heavily to win this new search paradigm. For businesses, these numbers serve as a wake-up call to adapt their search strategies for an AI-centric world.

Optimizing for AI-Driven Search: AEO and E-E-A-T Strategies

With search evolving, businesses must adjust their SEO strategies to remain visible and relevant. The goal is no longer just to rank on page one of Google, but to be featured in the answer that an AI-powered engine provides. This new approach is often referred to as Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) – the practice of optimizing your content so that AI search tools can readily find, understand, and include it in their answers. In essence, instead of optimizing purely for a search engine algorithm, you’re optimizing for the answer algorithms of large language models and AI summary systems.

What is AEO, exactly? It’s an evolution of SEO that recognizes how AI systems work. Traditional SEO is about improving your ranking in search engine results. AEO is about increasing your brand’s visibility in AI-generated responses, many of which have no explicit rankings or even clickable links. For example, if someone asks an AI, “What’s the best project management software for small businesses?”, an AEO-optimized company would have content that the AI deems worthy of mentioning in its one-paragraph answer. As one guide put it, brands must evolve from search engine optimization to answer engine optimization to remain visible when AI engines synthesize the web’s information into a single authoritative answer. That means providing the kind of content that AI loves to quote and users find trustworthy.

Here are some key strategies for optimizing your content for AI-driven search (AEO), along with how they relate to the familiar SEO best practices:

• Provide Direct, Concise Answers: Ensure your site features content that directly answers common questions in your domain. This could be in the form of FAQ pages, how-to guides, or Q&A-style articles. AI systems often scan for a straight answer to the user’s query. If, for example, you sell insurance and your blog answers “What does home insurance typically cover?” in a concise paragraph, an AI may quote or summarize that. Structuring content in a question-and-answer format helps both traditional search snippets and AI parsers. The content should be well-structured (using headings and bullet points) so AI can easily digest it.
• Focus on E-E-A-T – Quality and Trust are Paramount: E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. This concept, stemming from Google’s search quality guidelines, is arguably even more critical in the age of AI search. AI models draw from vast training data and will prefer content that seems authoritative and accurate (and Google’s AI results certainly consider source quality). To demonstrate E-E-A-T:
  • Highlight the experience behind your content – for instance, include authors’ credentials or first-hand insights (“Our CEO shares 10 years of experience in cybersecurity”).
  • Show expertise by covering topics in depth, citing credible sources, and keeping information up to date.
  • Build authority through backlinks, mentions, and by publishing on reputable platforms. If your brand is frequently mentioned in industry discussions, AI is more likely to recognize it as a trusted source.
  • Foster trust with honest, factual content. Avoid hyperbole or unfounded claims. AI systems, and indeed Google’s algorithms, are designed to prioritize accuracy and reliability. In practical terms, that might mean double-checking facts in your content and providing references. (Some AI, like Bing Chat and Perplexity, directly cite sources – you want to be the source that gets mentioned, and that won’t happen if your content is dubious.)

Remember that content quality, depth, and expertise are shared pillars of both traditional SEO and AEO. By focusing on E-E-A-T, you not only improve your chances with AI but also future-proof your SEO as algorithms continue prioritizing quality.

• Use Structured Data and Schema Markup: Just as you would mark up your content for rich results in Google (using FAQ schema, HowTo schema, etc.), it’s wise to use structured data to help AI understand your content context. AI answer engines often rely on structured data to pull quick facts (for example, voice assistants using schema to answer a spoken query about store hours). Implementing schemas like FAQPage, HowTo, Product, etc., can make your content more digestible to AI. Additionally, structured data provides context that can enhance trust (e.g., identifying an author as a consistent entity across the web). Google’s AI results are still drawing from the indexed web, so traditional SEO steps, such as schema, proper metadata, and a clean site structure, indirectly aid AEO.
• Optimize for Conversational Queries: Consider the phrasing people use when speaking or asking full questions, and naturally incorporate those into your content. These are often long-tail, conversational keywords. For instance, a traditional keyword might be “best running shoes 2025”; a conversational query might be, “What are the best running shoes for marathons in 2025?” You should include both types in your content. Tools like Google’s People Also Ask or community forums can reveal natural language questions consumers are asking. Including question-and-answer sections in your content with exactly those phrasings can position you as a match for the AI’s needs. Essentially, you want to anticipate the questions and answer them in your copy.
• Format Content for Snippets and Voice: AI answers often resemble an expanded featured snippet. Continue to optimize for featured snippets by using clear and succinct paragraphs that directly answer a question immediately after it is posed. Use lists or tables for step-by-step or data-driven answers, and ensure the answer can be understood out of context. For voice search, keep sentences brief and to the point, since they might be read aloud. Google’s voice answers often come from content that reads in a conversational, natural tone, rather than being overly formal or stuffed with keywords. Including a summary section or a “In a nutshell, …” line for key topics might help an AI grab the summary. According to SEO experts, content written in a conversational, snippet-friendly style is more likely to be extracted by AI engines.
• Leverage Multi-Modal Content (Images, Video) and Alt Text: AI models don’t just read text; they can also analyze images and even video transcripts. Ensure your images have descriptive alt text (valid for both accessibility and AI context). Consider creating short video explainers for key topics – YouTube videos might get referenced by AI or appear in AI-driven carousels. Google’s generative search is increasingly blending images and text in answers for issues like shopping. By providing high-quality visuals (with proper metadata), you increase your content’s chances of being featured in those rich AI results. For example, if you have a product, using Google’s 3D image schema (so that it can appear in interactive results) could be beneficial – Google noted that interactive 3D results get 50% more engagement than static ones.
• Monitor and Adapt: Start tracking how and when your brand appears in AI contexts. This might include manually querying ChatGPT/Bing for industry questions to see if you’re mentioned, or using emerging tools that attempt to measure “LLM visibility.” If you find AI is citing competitors and you are not, analyze why – do they have more thorough content on specific subtopics? Do others more frequently reference them? This is new territory, but it’s wise to monitor your share of voice in AI answers much like you’d track search rankings. Also, keep an eye on Google’s Search Console (which now may report on AI overview traffic or similar, as those features roll out) to see if your content is being used in SGE.

Importantly, AEO isn’t a total departure from SEO – it builds on the same fundamentals. A site that is technically sound, fast, and mobile-friendly still has an advantage (since AI can’t see your content if it’s not crawlable). Backlinks and brand mentions still matter because they build authority. Good user experience still counts (if an AI result provides a link and users click through to a poor site, that doesn’t help you). Think of AEO as the next chapter of SEO – you still need to do everything you did for SEO, plus actively shape your content and strategy for the AI answer landscape.

One new concept to be aware of is “prompt optimization” or prompt engineering for search. This refers to structuring your content (or even providing metadata hints) so that it aligns with how AI models might be prompted. For instance, some companies are experimenting with special files (like LLM.txt) that give instructions to AI crawlers on how to use their content. While this is cutting-edge and not standardized, the general idea is to consider the questions people will ask, not just the keywords they will type. Suppose you align your content with the actual natural language questions (and even incorporate those questions verbatim on your pages). In that case, you increase the likelihood that an AI will pick it up to answer a similar question.

In summary, to optimize for AI-driven search engines, you should offer high-quality, trustworthy content that answers questions directly and succinctly, use structured formats and schema to make that content machine-friendly, and ensure your brand’s authority signals (E-E-A-T) are strong across the web. By doing so, you position your business to be the trusted answer when consumers ask their digital assistants or AI tools about your field.

The Future of Search: Voice, Multimodal, and Hyper-Personalized Experiences

What will search look like in the next few years as AI capabilities continue to advance? All signs point toward an even more integrated, intelligent, and personalized search experience. Here are a few key projections and emerging trends for the future of AI-driven search and SEO:

• Voice Search Becomes Ubiquitous and Conversational: Voice queries are expected to increase in volume as more users become comfortable interacting with their devices. We’re nearing a world where virtually every smartphone and household device is voice-enabled. By the end of 2025, experts project that over 8 billion voice assistants will be in use globally, roughly equivalent to one per person on the planet. As voice AI improves at understanding natural language and intent, voice search will transition from simple commands (“Call Mom” or “What’s the weather?”) to more complex questions and transactions. This means SEO will increasingly overlap with voice UX design – content may need to be optimized to sound good when read aloud and to satisfy spoken follow-up questions. Also, expect more voice-driven commerce (voice ordering of products, etc.), which will require brands to have a presence in voice assistant ecosystems. For SEO, securing those voice answer slots (e.g., being the answer the assistant provides) will be a highly coveted prize.
• Multimodal Search – Beyond Text to Image, Audio, and Video: AI is enabling search to break free from the text box. Visual search is a prime area of growth: consumers can point their phone camera at an object or scene and ask questions about it. Google Lens already processes billions of such searches, and new AI-powered features allow real-time visual Q&A. For example, you might scan a recipe card and ask Google to clarify a cooking instruction, or take a photo of a plant and ask how to care for it. In the future, we’ll see multimodal queries where users combine text, voice, and image inputs (e.g., saying “Find something similar to this dress” while showing a picture). Search engines will increasingly incorporate AR (augmented reality) for “search what you see” functionality. Businesses will need to optimize not just web pages, but images (with good metadata), videos (with transcripts and SEO), and even 3D models of products. Being discoverable in these new modalities will be part of SEO. Google’s introduction of features like “Circle to Search” – where users can circle something on their screen (an image or text) to search for it – is an example of making search more visual and seamless. The bottom line: search will happen everywhere, in various forms – scanning product labels, listening to a song, and asking “who is the artist?”, etc. – and AI will be the engine making sense of all those inputs.
• Real-Time Personalization and Contextual Results: AI’s ability to personalize on the fly means search results will become highly tailored to each individual’s context. We’re already seeing early signs of this trend. Google announced that its new AI search “Mode” will soon offer personalized suggestions based on your past searches and even data from other apps (like Gmail, with user permission). This could mean your search for “best restaurants” yields different answers than someone else’s search, because the AI knows your preferences (e.g., you’re a vegetarian and love jazz music, so it shows a vegetarian bistro with live music that you’ve never been to but matches your tastes). Soon, we can expect search AI to incorporate location, past behavior, calendar events, purchase history, and more – all in real-time – to serve uniquely relevant results. For instance, if you have a flight tomorrow, asking “What should I pack?” might prompt the AI to check your destination’s weather and your airline’s baggage rules automatically in forming its answer. For marketers, this hyper-personalization means the average ranking position may matter less than ensuring your content is aligned with specific audience segments or contexts. It will be about being the correct answer for the right person at the right moment. Techniques like using dynamic content (content that adapts to user segments) and leveraging customer data for search (in advertising, for example) will grow. Privacy considerations will be crucial here – users might need to opt in for these personalized AI features, and trust in how data is used will be paramount.
• Proactive and Agentive Search: Instead of waiting for us to ask, future search AIs might become proactive assistants. Imagine an AI that knows you have a meeting across town and proactively suggests the best time to leave based on traffic, or an AI that, upon detecting you’ve been researching “how to get a mortgage,” offers to pull your credit score and pre-fill some applications (with permission). Google teased “agentic capabilities” in its AI mode – essentially letting the AI not only answer questions but help complete tasks. For example, Google’s demo showed an AI that could find concert tickets across multiple sites and even navigate through purchasing steps for you. This is search blending into action – the AI doesn’t just tell you where to buy something, it helps you do it. Voice assistants already do some of this (e.g., “order my usual pizza”), but with advanced AI, expect a much wider range of tasks. The implication for businesses: your transaction flows and integrations may need to accommodate AI agents. If you’re an e-commerce site, perhaps ensure your site can interface with AI assistants that want to place an order (API-driven commerce). From an SEO/content perspective, providing structured, AI-accessible data (such as inventory feeds and appointment booking APIs) will become part of being “searchable.” It also means the metrics of success may change – instead of just clicks, you might measure how many AI-driven completions or referrals you got.
• Continued Evolution of SEO and Advertising Models: As AI search becomes mainstream, SEO will entwine with other marketing disciplines. For example, content marketing will need to consider not just attracting human readers but also being synthesized by AI. PR and thought leadership might play a role in AEO (if your brand is cited in authoritative publications, AI may pick that up as a sign of credibility). On the advertising side, search ads will adapt – Google has already started experimenting with ads in the AI snapshot results. Marketers will likely be able to sponsor an AI answer or ensure their product is suggested (clearly labeled as ads). This could be a new avenue: Answer Ads. It will be essential to monitor how platforms like Google and Bing incorporate paid placements into AI answers, allowing you to strategize accordingly (e.g., bidding to be one of the sources an AI cites or recommending your product). The notion of what it means to “rank #1” could shift if the first thing a user sees is an AI box with aggregated info. Success might be measured in visibility within AI results (brand mentions, links, product integration) as much as in classic SEO rankings.

In summary, the future of search is shaping up to be conversational, multimodal, personalized, and far more interactive. For consumers, searching will feel more like talking to an ever-present guide that knows you and can assist you. For businesses, it presents exciting opportunities to engage customers in new ways, but also demands agility in adopting new optimization techniques and technologies. Those who stay ahead of these trends (for example, by optimizing for voice search now, or implementing schema for images, or providing data feeds for AI assistants) will be the ones to capture the next generation of search visibility.

Adapting and Thriving: How Agencies Like Dragon Horse Help Brands Embrace AI

Navigating the fast-changing AI search landscape can be daunting. Many businesses are asking: How do we practically implement these AI-driven SEO strategies? How can we ensure our brand remains visible when algorithms and interfaces are evolving at such a rapid pace? This is where partnering with experienced agencies can make all the difference. Agencies at the forefront of digital marketing – like Dragon Horse Agency – are already helping brands adapt through AI-powered strategies, prompt engineering, and integrated marketing approaches.

Dragon Horse Agency, in particular, has been a pioneer in blending business strategy with advanced marketing technology. The agency was among the first to introduce an integrated strategy platform (DragonONE) and to implement artificial intelligence in marketing operations with its in-house AI engine (DragonIQ, launched in 2016). This early adoption means Dragon Horse has nearly a decade of experience in what many companies are only just starting to explore. The team includes not just marketers, but “creative architects” and “AI pilots” – specialists who steer AI tools to achieve marketing goals. In practical terms, this means they understand both the art and science of using AI for business growth.

One key service area is prompt engineering and AI content strategy. As discussed, obtaining high-quality outputs from AI (whether it’s a content-generating AI or a search answer engine) often depends on crafting the correct inputs or content structure. Dragon Horse focuses on developing effective prompts and content guidelines so that AI tools produce on-brand, accurate, and engaging content for their clients. For example, suppose a brand wants to utilize AI to generate product descriptions or blog posts. In that case, the agency will create detailed prompts and templates to ensure the AI accurately captures the brand’s voice and factual details. The result is consistent brand messaging across AI-generated outputs, which is crucial when AI is used to automate content creation. Prompt engineering can also extend to how a brand’s information is retrieved by AI search engines – by structuring site content and metadata in a way that “prompts” the AI to pull the brand’s info when relevant.

Agencies like Dragon Horse also help businesses implement the best practices for AI-era SEO (AEO) comprehensively. This involves a mix of technical SEO, content marketing, and PR. For instance:

• They might conduct an AEO audit to identify the questions consumers are asking in the space and determine if the brand’s content effectively answers those questions (and how it currently performs in AI results).
• They then develop a content plan to fill gaps, such as creating a robust FAQ resource or interactive tools that an AI might reference.
• On the technical side, they ensure the website is AI-accessible – fast, structured, data-rich – so that search engines and AI crawlers can easily consume it. This could include adding schema markup, optimizing for voice query load times, or even publishing content in formats like Google’s Dataset Search or others, if relevant (to feed the AI with reliable data).
• Because brand authority and trust are so vital (E-E-A-T), the agency may also assist in developing a broader digital PR and thought leadership strategy, including getting the brand featured in reputable publications, encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, and expanding the brand’s expert presence on platforms such as LinkedIn or industry forums. All of this feeds into how AI perceives the brand’s authority.

Another critical aspect is the integration of AI across marketing channels. Dragon Horse’s philosophy of an integrated marketing platform (DragonONE) means they don’t view SEO or AI visibility in a silo. They connect it with paid ads, social media, email marketing, and other marketing channels. For example, insights from AI search (like what questions people frequently ask) can inform social media content or PPC ad copy that addresses those questions. They leverage AI analytics and predictive modeling to understand customer behavior, segment audiences, and personalize campaigns. The benefit for clients is a cohesive strategy where all pieces reinforce each other – the content that ranks in search also provides material for an AI chatbot on the website, the customer service chatbot informs what goes into the FAQ page, and so on.

Crucially, agencies help cut through the hype and focus on practical, actionable steps. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by AI jargon, whether it’s “multimodal embeddings” or “LLM fine-tuning.” A good agency will translate these into concrete tactics for your business. For example, prompt engineering might sound abstract. Still, in practice, it could mean setting up an AI chatbot on your site with carefully crafted prompts, so that it accurately and effectively answers customer queries, essentially serving as an AI concierge that improves the user experience. Or it might mean training your internal team on how to ask the right questions of analytics AI tools to gain better insights (since even tools like Google Analytics are incorporating AI querying). Dragon Horse emphasizes education and partnership, often working to empower client teams with knowledge of AI tools while providing expert oversight. As the Co-CEO of Dragon Horse Agency, P. Blake Renda, noted, leveraging AI in marketing is no longer optional but “essential for businesses seeking to remain competitive”. Agencies can accelerate this leveraging process by providing the expertise and technical skills needed to deploy AI effectively.

Lastly, agencies provide a future-forward perspective and continuous adaptation. The algorithms and platforms are continually changing – what works for AI search today might shift next quarter with a new update. Agencies like Dragon Horse keep a pulse on updates (such as Google’s latest AI algorithm changes or new AI tools on the market) and proactively adjust their clients’ strategies. They can also run experiments – for instance, testing how different content formats perform in Bing’s AI chat vs. Google’s SGE – and use those learnings to guide all their clients. In essence, they act as navigators in the fast-moving AI space, ensuring brands don’t fall behind due to a lack of time or specialized knowledge.

The takeaway for businesses: You don’t have to tackle AI-powered SEO and marketing alone. By partnering with experts who understand both the technology and the strategic marketing landscape, you can adopt AI in a smart and effective manner. Whether it’s getting your content featured in an AI answer, using AI to personalize your customer outreach, or building an AI-driven analytics dashboard to inform decisions, an experienced agency can design and implement the solution that fits your unique goals.

Embrace the AI Search Revolution

The rise of AI-powered search is reshaping how consumers discover information and how brands achieve visibility. We’ve transitioned from a world where optimizing for a set of keywords was sufficient to one where optimizing for answers, conversations, and AI interactions is crucial. Consumers in 2025 expect search to be fast, personalized, and almost human-like in its ability to understand questions, and businesses must adjust their digital strategies accordingly. Those who do will find new opportunities to connect, such as appearing as the trusted answer in a chatbot’s response, engaging users through voice-activated content, or leveraging AI insights to fine-tune their marketing.

The implications span across SEO, content marketing, user experience, and technology integration. It can feel complex, but the path is clear: focus on high-quality, authoritative content and embrace the new tools and techniques that AI offers. That means ensuring your brand demonstrates expertise and trust (so that AI “chooses” you), structuring your information so that algorithms can easily parse it, and staying agile as search platforms evolve.

If all this sounds overwhelming, remember that you don’t have to navigate it alone. Dragon Horse Agency is here to help businesses like yours thrive in this new era of AI-driven search. We combine cutting-edge AI strategies with proven marketing fundamentals, acting as a fiduciary to your brand in a rapidly changing digital landscape. Whether it’s implementing Answer Engine Optimization, crafting AI-ready content, or developing an integrated marketing plan through our DragonONE platform, our team of strategists and AI experts will ensure your brand not only adapts but also leads the way.

Ready to harness AI for your marketing success? Contact Dragon Horse Agency today to discover how our custom AI-powered marketing strategies can elevate your brand’s visibility and growth. Let’s transform the way your customers find you in this new search frontier – and make sure that when the world turns to AI for answers, your brand is front and center.

Contact Dragon Horse Agency today at info@dragonhorseagency.com to engage our award-winning expertise and begin optimizing and strengthening your competitive brand and business!

The post The Rise of AI-Powered Search in 2025: How Answer Engines Are Changing SEO and Consumer Behavior first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

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pbr@dragonhorseagency.com 

239.325.5088  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Naples, Florida – June 18, 2025 – Dragon Horse Agency has once again secured its place on the global stage of creative excellence with three finalist nominations at the 72nd Annual Cannes LIONS International Festival of Creativity for its work on Toofer & The Giblet. The agency’s exceptional work was recognized with nominations in three distinct categories:  

1. Media/Entertainment Video:  

             a. Toofer & The Giblet trailer: https://www.tooferandthegiblet.com/trailer/  

     2. Innovative and Adapted Use of Print & Publishing  

     3. Cultural Engagement  

 Often referred to as the “Oscars” of the creative communications industry, the Cannes LIONS is the most prestigious international awards festival celebrating global marketing, advertising, and creative excellence. Held annually in the iconic Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France, the event attracts the world’s top creatives and brand leaders to celebrate ideas that push boundaries and ignite culture.  

Dragon Horse Agency’s Co-CEO, Blake Renda, expressed pride in the recognition. “To be named as a nominee finalist at the Cannes Lions once is an incredible achievement. To return as a multi-category nominee is a testament to our team’s relentless innovation and passion,” said Renda. “At Dragon Horse, we are not just marketers – we are storytellers, brand architects, cultural catalysts, and business strategists committed to exceptional. These nominations validate our mission to craft bold, creative, exceptional work that doesn’t just compete – it resonates.”  

 Julie Koester, Co-CEO of Dragon Horse Agency, added: “These nominations reflect the heart of who we are as a team. We lean into story, into meaning, and strategy with every project. To see that work acknowledged on an international stage like Cannes is deeply gratifying – not just for us, but for our clients who trust in our vision.”  

 This year’s Cannes Lions Festival takes place from June 16 to 20, 2025, and finalists across all categories represent the pinnacle of global creative achievement. With more than 25,000 submissions annually from over 90 countries, the awards recognize ideas that challenge convention and inspire action.  

Dragon Horse Agency continues to defy industry expectations by seamlessly merging strategy and artistry. With offices in Santa Monica, California, and Naples, Florida, the agency partners with clients who seek to elevate their brand and business, driving real-world results through creativity.  

“We see creativity as a force multiplier,” added Renda. “It’s not just about aesthetics – it’s about impact, influence, and innovation. We’re honored that our work is not only being seen but celebrated at the highest levels.”  

 About Cannes Lions  

Founded in 1954, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the benchmark for creative excellence in the global advertising and communications industries. Owned by Informa plc, the festival brings together leaders, creatives, and brands from around the world to celebrate, analyze, and evolve the power of ideas. The awards honor creativity that drives progress for people, businesses, and society.  

About Dragon Horse Agency  

Dragon Horse Agency is a global business marketing services firm headquartered in Naples, Florida, with a satellite office in Santa Monica, CA. Dragon Horse stands out with its innovative DragonONE mode, seamlessly blending top-tier strategic business consulting with comprehensive marketing solutions to achieve impactful, performance-driven results. Whether supporting established enterprises or nurturing emerging ventures, Dragon Horse empowers clients to amplify their brands through insightful data analytics, captivating storytelling, and state-of-the-art digital strategies. 

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The post Dragon Horse Agency Honored with Multiple Nominations at 72nd Cannes LIONS International Festival of Creativity   first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

For Immediate Release:  

Contact:  P. Blake Renda 

     Co-CEO Dragon Horse Agency 

     pbr@dragonhorseagency.com 

      239-325-5088 

Naples, FL – May 21, 2025 – Dragon Horse Media is proud to announce that Toofer & The Giblet, the beloved children’s series brought to life through animation, has been honored with three prestigious 2025 Telly Awards for excellence in video production and storytelling. 

The awards include: 

Silver – General: Book Trailer 

Silver – Craft: Editing 

Bronze – Craft: Voiceover & Narration 

View Trailer Here: https://www.tooferandthegiblet.com/trailer/ 

The recognition comes from the globally respected Telly Awards, which spotlight outstanding work in video and television across all screens. Judged by the Telly Awards Judging Council—a collection of leading video and television experts from some of the most renowned companies in entertainment, publishing, and advertising—these honors are among the highest benchmarks for creative excellence in visual storytelling. 

“This is an incredibly proud moment for all of us,” said Julie Koester, Co-CEO of Dragon Horse Publishing. “Toofer &The Giblet has always had heart, but seeing that heart translated to screen in a way that resonates with audiences – and now the industry – is truly rewarding. These awards validate our belief in the timeless power of story, animation, and the magic that happens when both come together.” 

Toofer & The Giblet began as an award-winning children’s book series known for its charming characters, gentle life lessons, and richly illustrated storytelling. The transition from page to screen was made possible through a strategic partnership between Dragon Horse Publishing and FL6 Entertainment. The resulting animated trailer captured the spirit of Nimblewood – the whimsical woodland world where Toofer and The Giblet’s adventures unfold – while delivering a professionally produced, emotionally compelling cinematic experience. 

The project stood out not only for its narrative strength but also for its technical craftsmanship. From carefully paced editing to expressive narration and immersive sound design, the Toofer & The Giblet trailer exemplified the very best of what short-form storytelling can achieve. 

“Winning across multiple craft categories shows just how much passion and precision went into every frame,” said P. Blake Renda, Co-CEO of Dragon Horse Agency and Dragon Horse Publishing. “From animation to voiceover to final cut, this project was a masterclass in creative collaboration with our partner FL6 Entertainment. We knew we had something special, and we’re honored that the Telly Awards panel recognized it.” 

A Triumph of Collaboration 

The success of Toofer & The Giblet on the awards stage is also a testament to Dragon Horse Media’s DragonONE approach. This proprietary model fuses business strategy with full-service marketing and creative development. From ideation to post-production, Dragon Horse’s multidisciplinary team worked closely with animators, voice talent, and editors to bring a fully immersive experience to life – one that children and families can enjoy for generations to come. 

“These Telly wins are more than just trophies – they’re mile markers for where we’re headed as a company,” said Koester. “We’re committed to nurturing stories that matter, and to delivering them through every available medium – print, digital, film, and beyond.”  

 A Partnership with FL6 Entertainment That Brought Nimblewood to Life 

The success of Toofer & The Giblet’s animated trailer would not have been possible without the dynamic partnership between Dragon Horse Publishing and FL6 Entertainment. This collaboration merges the literary heart of the award-winning children’s series with the cinematic expertise of FL6, led by Tracy Beam and Dan Grodnik. Together, the teams have reimagined the whimsical world of Nimblewood for the screen – crafting a trailer that captures the warmth, humor, and timeless storytelling that Toofer and The Giblet are known for.  

“This is more than a content partnership – it’s a shared vision for what storytelling can be,” said Julie Koester. “We’re grateful to FL6 Entertainment for their passion, precision, and belief in Toofer & The Giblet.”  

“As we embark on this next chapter, our mission is clear—to create a series that not only entertains but also enriches the lives of children aged 3 to 12. Through the heartwarming adventures of Toofer & The Giblet, we aim to spark imagination, nurture empathy, and inspire curiosity in a way that lingers with young audiences long after the screen fades to black. This journey is about more than animation; it’s about crafting stories that matter, uplift, and empower the next generation,” said Tracy Beam, CEO FL6 Entertainment. 

About the Telly Awards 

Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. With over 12,000 entries from five continents and all 50 states, the Tellys are a benchmark of creative quality for video professionals worldwide. Categories range from branded content and animation to post-production and VR, offering a comprehensive view of what’s possible in the ever-expanding world of screen-based storytelling. 

For a complete list of winners, visit: www.tellyawards.com/winners 

 About Dragon Horse Agency 

Dragon Horse Agency is a global marketing and business consulting firm headquartered in Naples, Florida, with satellite offices in Santa Monica, CA, and Bali, Indonesia. Renowned for its industry-first DragonONE mode, Dragon Horse integrates strategic business consulting with full-service marketing to deliver performance-driven results. From Fortune 500 companies to emerging creative ventures, Dragon Horse empowers clients to elevate their brands through data-driven insights, bold storytelling, and cutting-edge digital solutions. 

Visit: http://www.dragonhorseagency.com 

About Dragon Horse Publishing 

Dragon Horse Publishing is a boutique publishing house that produces high-quality literature and imaginative storytelling across formats. With a passion for character-driven narratives and emotional resonance, the company brings timeless tales like Toofer & The Giblet to life through books, animation, and multimedia experiences that foster empathy, courage, and joy in readers and viewers alike. 

Explore more: http://www.tooferandthegiblet.com 

View Toofer & The Giblet’s Trailer: https://www.tooferandthegiblet.com/trailer/ 

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The post Dragon Horse Agency Wins Three Telly Awards for Toofer & The Giblet Animated Trailer  first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.