Consumers now verify products through AI assistants instead of opening dozens of browser tabs: 55% of AI users apply chatbots to research products, and 38% made a purchase or considered an item they hadn't thought about before after an AI recommendation. Data from global partnership network Awin's 2026 research shows that the path to purchase has become non-linear: a customer first stumbles upon an influencer's opinion on TikTok or a discussion on Reddit, then clarifies details through ChatGPT, and only then searches for the product on Google or visits the brand's website. For marketers, this means that blogger advertising and presence in expert content influence purchasing decisions before active search even begins.
How AI models gather information about brands
Generative artificial intelligence compresses the product comparison process into a single dialogue. Instead of reviewing products across ten websites, a user asks an assistant: "What's the best cordless vacuum for an apartment with pets?" The answer is formed from materials already published online — articles from publishers, expert reviews, YouTube videos, blogger posts. AI doesn't create ratings from scratch: it aggregates opinions that a brand has or hasn't managed to form through third-party channels.
This changes the definition of visibility. A high position in search results remains important but insufficient. If a product has no mentions in materials that AI considers authoritative, the brand drops out of recommendations. According to Awin data, 38% of buyers considered a new product for them precisely after a chatbot suggested it — this is direct influence on consideration, bypassing traditional advertising and organic search.
The role of influencer marketing in the new discovery model
Product discovery happens when the user isn't yet ready to buy. A blogger's recommendation in Stories, an expert breakdown on LinkedIn, or a discussion in a niche community form initial brand awareness weeks before a person begins actively searching for a solution. Social platforms have become the center of discovery: here, advertising banners don't work — trust in the author does.
LinkedIn is a telling example of this transformation. The platform is no longer just a tool for job hunting and networking: it's now a hub for expert content where company leaders share experiences using B2B solutions, and industry opinion leaders recommend tools. The launch of Creator Marketplace confirms that LinkedIn is investing in partnerships with creators, acknowledging their influence on purchasing decisions in the corporate segment.
Influence often happens long before checkout — in a moment of casual feed scrolling, not deliberate searching.
The same logic works in the consumer segment. Collaborations with YouTube content creators, a series of posts in an industry Telegram channel, or a podcast review build awareness and form a shortlist of brands. When the need becomes relevant a month later, the buyer remembers exactly those brands they encountered in a trusted environment, not the ones that showed up in contextual ads during search.
What this means for the Russian market
In Russia, the distributed discovery model is even more pronounced due to media landscape fragmentation. Consumers use Yandex, VK, Telegram, YouTube, Dzen, Rutube, and local forums. AI assistants are less widespread than in Western markets, but SberBank's GigaChat and Yandex GPT are rapidly growing their audiences — their recommendations already influence choices in tech, cosmetics, and educational services.
Russian brands face the need to be present simultaneously across multiple formats: integrations with bloggers on Telegram and VK, guest articles in industry publications, video reviews on YouTube, podcast participation, expert comments in niche communities. Each channel works at its own stage: Telegram and VK — for initial awareness and engagement, YouTube — for detailed exploration, text materials — for building expertise that search engines and AI pick up on.
How brands can integrate into the new purchase funnel
The main goal is to create density of mentions in sources trusted by target segments. This isn't a one-off campaign but systematic work on building authority. Marketer's checklist:
- Identify 5–7 sources your audience turns to when researching the market: niche Telegram channels, YouTube reviewers, industry media, professional podcasts, VK communities.
- Launch a series of integrations with bloggers who create educational content in your category. Priority — not reach, but depth of analysis and audience trust. According to ETC practice, a series of three publications by one author is more effective than a one-off mention by ten different creators.
- Secure presence in expert materials: guest articles, comments for journalists, participation in round-up reviews like "best solutions 2026." These texts are indexed by search engines and become sources for AI recommendations.
- Build relationships with authors who regularly write or create content about your category. Provide exclusive data, early product access, comments from relevant company specialists — this increases the likelihood of mention.
- Monitor where your brand appears in content. Use mention monitoring systems (YouScan, Brand Analytics) to understand which materials cite you and how this correlates with traffic and conversion.
- Measure not just direct clicks from integrations, but associated metrics: growth in branded searches after publication, change in share of voice in the category, dynamics of mentions in AI responses (can be tested manually by asking typical consumer questions).
Your media plan should cover the entire discovery cycle: from casual introduction through influencers to detailed exploration through expert reviews. If a brand is present at only one stage, it loses part of the audience forming opinions in other channels.
How to evaluate influence at the research stage
Traditional performance metrics — CTR, CPA, ROMI — only capture the final action. The influence of influencer marketing and expert content often falls outside attribution models because weeks pass between viewing an integration and purchase. To assess true contribution, additional indicators are needed:
- Dynamics of branded searches in Yandex.Wordstat and Google Trends after the material launches. Growth in searches like "brand name + reviews" or "brand name + where to buy" shows that the content triggered active research.
- Share of assisted conversions in Yandex.Metrica and Google Analytics. Reports on interaction chains show which channels participated in the customer journey to purchase, even if the final click came from another source.
- Customer surveys: a simple question "Where did you first learn about our product?" in an order form or post-purchase email provides insight into which channels drive awareness.
- Frequency of brand mentions in AI responses. Test 10–15 typical consumer questions through GigaChat, Yandex GPT, ChatGPT and track how often your product appears in the top-3 recommendations. Repeat measurements quarterly.
If a brand consistently invests in blogger presence and expert content, within 3–6 months you'll see growth not just in direct traffic but also in organic traffic — because the number of mentions, backlinks, and relevance signals for search engines increases.
Frequently asked questions
How do AI assistants influence product choice?
AI assistants aggregate information from articles, reviews, and expert content, forming recommendations in one conversation instead of researching dozens of sources. 55% of AI users apply chatbots to product research, 38% purchased an item after such a recommendation. Brands that appear in materials considered authoritative more often end up in AI responses.
Which channels work at the product research stage?
The discovery stage covers integrations with bloggers on social media, expert articles in industry publications, video reviews on YouTube, discussions in niche communities and podcasts. A buyer gathers opinions from 10+ sources before moving to active search. Influencer marketing forms initial awareness and trust that influence final choice weeks after contact.
How do you measure the effect of working with influencers at early funnel stages?
Track growth in branded searches after integration publication, share of assisted conversions in analytics, and results of buyer surveys about first brand contact. Additionally, test the frequency of product mentions in AI assistant responses to typical category questions — this shows how present the brand is in content that shapes recommendations.
In Brief
- 55% of AI users leverage chatbots to research products, and 38% have made purchases based on AI recommendations — the path to purchase has become non-linear and fragmented.
- AI assistants generate responses by drawing from expert content, reviews, and publisher materials. Brands present in these sources are more likely to appear in recommendations.
- Product discovery happens during casual social media scrolling, weeks before active search begins. Influencer marketing works at the awareness and trust-building stage.
- Russian brands need to maintain a presence across Telegram, VK, YouTube, industry media, and podcasts simultaneously — each channel addresses a different stage of the customer journey.
- Influencer marketing effectiveness is measured through branded search growth, attributed conversions, customer surveys, and frequency of mentions in AI-generated responses.
- A media plan should create density of mentions across sources trusted by your target audience — this builds brand authority for both consumers and AI models.
ETC builds influencer campaign strategies around emerging touchpoints—from TikTok and Reddit to expert content indexed by AI models. We'll help you identify creators and formats that drive discovery before active search begins.
