AI is transforming digital marketing, but the shift isn’t just about automation or content volume – it’s about clarity, credibility, and brand alignment in a new era of search.
In this edition of Search forward, I spoke with Tom Swinbourne at Reconomy, a leading provider of sustainability-focused services in the circular economy, about how they’re using AI and large language models (LLMs) to evolve their marketing while protecting their tone of voice and brand integrity.
How has AI changed your approach to digital marketing and SEO?
AI, particularly through tools like Microsoft Copilot, has significantly improved efficiency across the Reconomy marketing team. It’s helping manage workflows, automate routine tasks, and extract insights from data faster – freeing up time for more strategic work. However, tone of voice remains a non-negotiable. All communications must reflect the brand values: Real, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Inventive.
LLMs currently support Reconomy’s SEO strategy primarily at an operational level. Content creation is still carefully managed to ensure it aligns with the company’s sustainability-led and purpose-driven messaging. While LLMs are useful for content research and ideation, final outputs remain under human control.
Traditional SEO fundamentals still apply. Technical optimisation, content quality and domain authority are essential – and the team is now also structuring content for “zero-click” journeys, making it more accessible to both search engines and AI tools.
How are you using AI in marketing beyond search?
AI plays a broader role in our innovation strategy by streamlining operations, automating reporting, and supporting personalised communication. It’s also used to enhance productivity, for example by automating notetaking and recording actions from calls.
One challenge is maintaining brand integrity. Automation must not dilute purpose or tone, so while AI enhances execution, it doesn’t replace human input. Compliance and data privacy are also top priorities when evaluating tools.
The measurable benefits are around increased productivity and more tailored messaging – achieved without compromising on brand values.
What impact are LLMs having on discoverability and visibility?
Discoverability is no longer just about traditional search rankings. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are shifting the landscape toward AI-synthesised, context-rich answers. That means our content must be credible and structured in ways that increase the likelihood of being referenced by LLMs.
The risk is that traffic will decline as LLMs deliver summarised answers without clicks. But the opportunity lies in positioning. If Reconomy is consistently cited as a reliable source, that visibility builds trust and brand recall – especially for B2B audiences.
To future-proof visibility, the team is focusing on making key content more discoverable to both humans and AI. They’re also rethinking the role of paid visibility. Rather than focusing only on keyword-based ads, they’re exploring how Reconomy can maintain presence across LLM-driven platforms.
What strategies are helping you stay future-ready?
There’s strong growth potential in voice and conversational AI, particularly as sustainability becomes more integrated into mainstream decision-making. We see an opportunity in aligning purpose-driven messaging with the questions users are asking these tools.
To stay adaptable, we ensure all content is human-reviewed and governed internally. While AI supports planning and optimisation, content accuracy and authenticity are non-negotiable. Internal governance helps maintain control as tools evolve.
Looking five years ahead, the team believes AI will shape most customer discovery and engagement – especially in B2B. The goal is to be part of those journeys by contributing circular economy expertise and thought leadership in the places where LLMs are sourcing and surfacing information.
AI may drive the journey, but we’re aiming to shape the destination by ensuring our circular economy expertise becomes part of those AI-informed customer pathways.
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We’ll be publishing Q&A’s every fortnight with invaluable insights from experts in AI, SEO and digital marketing. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay informed when new Q&A’s are published.
You can read previous Q&As in the series here:
- Kevin Indig, growth advisor
- Andrew Bruce Smith, chair of the CIPR’s AI in PR panel
- Mary Kemp, founder at AI Potential
We offer search engine optimisation services to help your business be found by the right audiences. If you’d like to find out more, email me at greg@magentaassociates.co.
