Marketing in the AI era: Strategy for a search everywhere world

Mark van Hattum, CEO Follo

Performance marketing is fundamentally changing. In 2026, the search behavior of potential customers no longer always starts in Google alone, but everywhere at once: in search, social, marketplaces, and in LLM-driven environments like ChatGPT and Gemini. The classic funnel and thinking in separate channels are no longer sufficient. Growth arises in a fragmented, non-linear customer journey. In this session, Mark van Hattum shows how performance marketing evolves: from optimizing to strategic choices, from separate disciplines to one integrated approach. From clicks and dashboards to demonstrable business impact.

The own platform is central: owned first, but always discoverable everywhere. Data is not an end in itself, but the foundation for strategic decisions. With FolloEngine, Follo connects market, platform, and behavioral data to insights that bring strategy and execution together.

Stijn Bergmans, Head of AI & LLM Marketing at Follo

Search is fundamentally changing. Findability no longer starts only in Google, but also on social media, marketplaces, and in LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini. This requires a shift from classic SEO to GEO within a broader Search Everywhere approach. In this session, Stijn Bergmans shows how brands become visible in AI-driven answers and why this goes beyond impressions alone. We look at links from LLMs as a new traffic channel and the shift from steering on traffic KPIs to steering on visibility and relevance. With FolloEngine, we measure how findable your brand is within Search Everywhere and compare this with your market position. This gives you insight into where you stand and where you gain or lose ground.

Michael Kloosterhuis, Head of Media at Follo

A brand only grows in a Search Everywhere world once people discover, recognize, and find it. Branding and discovery are therefore not an addition to performance marketing, but a prerequisite. Visibility and relevance always precede conversion. In this session, Michael Kloosterhuis shows why branding and performance only work as one integrated strategy. We discuss the role of digital media and social media in building brand preference and how that use structurally strengthens performance. With techniques like media mix modeling, we demonstrate the impact of branding campaigns and steer on effectiveness instead of assumptions. This way, strong brands build sustainable advantage in a landscape where performance is becoming increasingly competitive. 

Imco van Elk, Head of Marketplaces at Follo

Marketplaces continue to play a crucial role in e-commerce, even as AI fundamentally changes the way consumers search and buy. Platforms like bol, Amazon, and Zalando are the places where reach, visibility, and conversion come together. In this session, Imco van Elk shows how brands can use marketplaces as a structural growth engine, rather than as a separate sales channel. We delve into the strategic choices behind successful marketplace approaches: from branding and content to advertising and pricing. Using practical examples, we show how AI and data help to be more relevant at the right moment and better steer on return. With FolloEngine, we provide insight into where brands stand within marketplaces and how this insight, combined with specialist execution, leads to demonstrable growth.

Kayn Wolfswinkel, Head of SEO at Follo

B2B marketing has a different dynamic than B2C marketing. Decision-making is more complex, journeys are longer, and multiple stakeholders determine the outcome together. AI fundamentally changes this playing field. Search behavior shifts from classic search engines to AI-driven environments, where answers, expertise, and reliability are central. In this session, we show what this means for SEO and B2B marketing strategy. We discuss how AI influences findability, content strategy, and thought leadership — and why SEO in B2B increasingly revolves around relevance, context, and trust. It's not just about rankings, but about visibility throughout the entire decision-making journey. This way, we help B2B organizations make their marketing strategy future-proof in an AI-driven world.

Chat with peers, share insights, and raise a glass to the future. Enjoy delicious drinks and bites and end the day relaxed.