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Avenue Z Becomes Certified Partner of AI-Search Platform Profound, Positioning Clients for Growing Generative-Search Market
When Avenue Z announced on July 2, 2026 that it had earned certification from AI‑search leader Profound, the industry took notice. The new status places the digital‑marketing agency among a select founding cohort of partners recognized for deploying Profound’s technology to monitor brand visibility and analyze AI‑conversations.
The timing is no accident. A WPP report cited by the agency projects generative‑search ad revenue to hit $5.1 billion in 2026 and exceed $100 billion by 2030. As AI agents increasingly shape purchase decisions, brands that fail to optimize for AI discovery risk slipping into invisibility when consumers decide what to buy.
"Two avenues drive influence today: AI and creators. With AI, it’s redefining how brands are found. Profound is a strong leader in the critical data behind AI search—partnering with them gives Avenue Z and our clients an edge in how brands are found, chosen, and trusted," said Jeffrey Herzog, CEO of Avenue Z.
Avenue Z distinguishes itself with end‑to‑end AEO and AEO‑PR solutions that span earned, owned, and paid media. Unlike many AEO agencies that focus only on content optimization, Avenue Z builds the authority infrastructure that AI systems rely on, including technical signals, citable content, and PR‑driven citations.
The agency’s track record speaks for itself. An emerging fintech client saw 867 % growth in AI referral traffic, a 66.7 % AI conversion‑rate, and the #1 rank in AI‑search visibility against competitors. A consumer‑services enterprise increased AI visibility by 270 % and entered the top 10 in its category within 90 days. A B2B professional‑services firm achieved a 250 % increase in AI visibility and became the #1 trusted source for AI prompts.
"AI Search performance requires the right methodology paired with the right intelligence. Profound gives us the data layer that turns AEO from a strategy into a measurable, scalable channel," said Whitney Hart, Chief Strategy Officer of Avenue Z.
Profound, which raised $96 million in a Series C round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and backed by Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins, has positioned itself as a billion‑dollar force in AI search. Its platform, used by marketing teams at Target, Walmart and Charlotte Tilbury, offers Agents, Prompt Volumes and Answer Engine Insights tools that track how brands are cited across major generative engines. The data layer is now integrated into Avenue Z’s services, covering ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Grok and Google AI Overviews.
"Profound is proud to partner with Avenue Z – an agency setting the standard for how brands win AI search," said Trevor Pyle, Head of Marketing at Profound.
The certification confirms that Avenue Z can deploy Profound’s technology to deliver visibility monitoring and AI‑conversation analysis for its clients. By combining AEO depth with full‑funnel execution, the agency aims to help brands maintain competitive visibility as AI assistants increasingly become the primary discovery channel for consumers.
The partnership also signals a broader trend of agencies adopting AI‑search optimization. As generative‑search advertising grows, agencies that can translate AI data into actionable strategy will be better positioned to capture the projected $100 billion market by 2030.
Avenue Z’s move to become a certified partner of Profound is expected to strengthen its service offering and provide clients with a measurable, scalable channel for AI‑search visibility. The agency will continue to roll out integrated AEO solutions across all major AI platforms, while Profound expands its reach with new autonomous marketing agents and expanded data coverage.
The partnership is part of a larger shift toward AI‑centric marketing strategies, and both companies are poised to play a key role as the AI‑search industry matures.
The timing is no accident. A WPP report cited by the agency projects generative‑search ad revenue to hit $5.1 billion in 2026 and exceed $100 billion by 2030. As AI agents increasingly shape purchase decisions, brands that fail to optimize for AI discovery risk slipping into invisibility when consumers decide what to buy.
"Two avenues drive influence today: AI and creators. With AI, it’s redefining how brands are found. Profound is a strong leader in the critical data behind AI search—partnering with them gives Avenue Z and our clients an edge in how brands are found, chosen, and trusted," said Jeffrey Herzog, CEO of Avenue Z.
Avenue Z distinguishes itself with end‑to‑end AEO and AEO‑PR solutions that span earned, owned, and paid media. Unlike many AEO agencies that focus only on content optimization, Avenue Z builds the authority infrastructure that AI systems rely on, including technical signals, citable content, and PR‑driven citations.
The agency’s track record speaks for itself. An emerging fintech client saw 867 % growth in AI referral traffic, a 66.7 % AI conversion‑rate, and the #1 rank in AI‑search visibility against competitors. A consumer‑services enterprise increased AI visibility by 270 % and entered the top 10 in its category within 90 days. A B2B professional‑services firm achieved a 250 % increase in AI visibility and became the #1 trusted source for AI prompts.
"AI Search performance requires the right methodology paired with the right intelligence. Profound gives us the data layer that turns AEO from a strategy into a measurable, scalable channel," said Whitney Hart, Chief Strategy Officer of Avenue Z.
Profound, which raised $96 million in a Series C round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and backed by Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins, has positioned itself as a billion‑dollar force in AI search. Its platform, used by marketing teams at Target, Walmart and Charlotte Tilbury, offers Agents, Prompt Volumes and Answer Engine Insights tools that track how brands are cited across major generative engines. The data layer is now integrated into Avenue Z’s services, covering ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Grok and Google AI Overviews.
"Profound is proud to partner with Avenue Z – an agency setting the standard for how brands win AI search," said Trevor Pyle, Head of Marketing at Profound.
The certification confirms that Avenue Z can deploy Profound’s technology to deliver visibility monitoring and AI‑conversation analysis for its clients. By combining AEO depth with full‑funnel execution, the agency aims to help brands maintain competitive visibility as AI assistants increasingly become the primary discovery channel for consumers.
The partnership also signals a broader trend of agencies adopting AI‑search optimization. As generative‑search advertising grows, agencies that can translate AI data into actionable strategy will be better positioned to capture the projected $100 billion market by 2030.
Avenue Z’s move to become a certified partner of Profound is expected to strengthen its service offering and provide clients with a measurable, scalable channel for AI‑search visibility. The agency will continue to roll out integrated AEO solutions across all major AI platforms, while Profound expands its reach with new autonomous marketing agents and expanded data coverage.
The partnership is part of a larger shift toward AI‑centric marketing strategies, and both companies are poised to play a key role as the AI‑search industry matures.
