The way customers discover brands is changing rapidly. As AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude become a primary source for answers, organizations must rethink how they approach visibility online. In this episode of The Sitecore Water Cooler, host Jon Price is joined by Matt Thompson, VP of Partnerships & Channels at Scrunch, and Matt Kirtley, SEO Channel Lead at Americaneagle.com, to discuss how the partnership between Sitecore and Scrunch is helping brands improve AI visibility, optimize content for AI search, and prepare for a future increasingly shaped by AI-powered experiences.
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Inside the Sitecore-Scrunch Acquisition: Building the Future of AI Search Optimization
Scrunch was founded in response to a major shift in how people discover information online. Instead of relying on traditional keyword searches in Google, consumers are increasingly turning to AI-powered tools and asking detailed, conversational questions to get immediate answers. Recognizing this change, Scrunch was built with an Agent Experience Platform focused on helping brands succeed in the new era of AI search optimization.
Matt Thompson explained that the platform operates across three core areas:
- Monitoring AI visibility and understanding how brands appear in AI-generated responses
- Generating actionable intelligence to identify opportunities for improvement
- Deploying optimized experiences that make content easier for AI systems to discover, interpret, and cite
Sitecore acquired Scrunch in June 2026, and the strategic fit is clear. Combining Sitecore’s content management strengths with Scrunch’s agent-focused capabilities creates a foundation for both human and AI audiences, effectively bridging the gap between a traditional CMS and what could be considered a CMS for agents.
“This is going to be a huge paradigm shift in the way that brands are discovered and the way that marketers need to interact with their customers going forward.” – Matt Thompson, VP of Partnerships & Channels, Scrunch
Why Americaneagle.com Adopted Scrunch Before the Sitecore Integration
Before Sitecore acquired Scrunch, Americaneagle.com was already exploring solutions to help clients understand their AI visibility in an increasingly AI-driven search landscape. As Matt Kirtley explained, marketers and executives were asking urgent questions: How are we being represented in ChatGPT? Are competitors showing up more often? What is AI actually saying about our brand?
After evaluating multiple platforms, Americaneagle.com found that many tools focused primarily on AI search monitoring and prompt tracking, but offered limited guidance on what to do next. Scrunch stood out because it connected visibility insights to actionable recommendations. Matt Thompson emphasized that monitoring prompts is only the starting point. Brands must also ensure AI systems can effectively access, interpret, and cite their content. As AI-powered bots increasingly become the gateway to information, AI search optimization requires more than tracking mentions; it requires making content understandable and usable for AI retrieval systems.
Unlocking New GEO Opportunities Through Sitecore Content Hub & Scrunch
One of the most compelling aspects of the Sitecore and Scrunch combination is the ability to connect content operations with Generative Engine Optimization/Answer Engine Optimization (GEO/AEO). As Matt Thompson explained, many enterprise organizations don't have a content shortage, they have a content discoverability problem. Valuable information often exists in digital asset management systems, SharePoint repositories, PDFs, and internal documents. But AI systems can't easily find or use it.
Through content gap analysis, Scrunch identifies where brands lack visibility for important prompts and determines whether the missing information already exists within repositories such as Sitecore Content Hub. Rather than rebuilding websites from scratch, organizations can use approved assets to improve AI content optimization and make content more accessible for AI retrieval. Together, Sitecore and Scrunch help brands surface existing content, structure it for AI consumption, and improve their overall content strategy for AI search.
“What Scrunch offered is a CMS for agents. What Sitecore has is a CMS for humans. You really need both.” – Matt Thompson, VP of Partnerships & Channels, Scrunch
Real-World Results: How Scrunch Increased AI Search Citations & Brand Visibility
Examples from real-world customers demonstrate that AI search citations and AI visibility are becoming measurable business outcomes, not just theoretical concepts. Akamai, for example, deployed Scrunch’s Agent Experience Platform and saw AI-optimized pages receive 22% more citations than non-optimized pages, while total citations across its web properties increased by 85%. Most notably, Akamai's visibility for unbranded prompts grew by more than 350%, helping the company appear in AI-generated responses when users searched for solutions rather than specific brand names.
AI often relies on third-party sources such as Reddit, YouTube, and review sites when first-party content is unavailable or difficult to access. For one of Scrunch’s franchise customers, key business information was being sourced from outdated websites because the brand had not published authoritative content itself. In another case, a furniture manufacturer discovered that AI responses frequently referenced a competitor because stronger online signals and supporting content existed elsewhere. The takeaway is clear: improving AI search optimization requires building brand authority, strengthening AI trust signals, and ensuring first-party content is visible across the channels AI systems use to form recommendations.
Once organizations understand the visibility gaps impacting AI-generated results, the next question becomes how to get started and generate value quickly.
Getting Started with Scrunch: Fast Wins for AI Visibility & GEO Performance
For organizations looking to improve AI visibility and accelerate their GEO/AEO efforts, the first step is understanding how AI platforms currently perceive and represent their brand. One of the quickest wins is setting up prompt tracking around key brand, competitor, and industry questions to see which sources AI systems cite and how responses are formed. This process helps teams perform practical AI audits, uncover opportunities for AI search optimization, and evaluate both branded and non-branded visibility.
What stood out most for Americaneagle.com was Scrunch’s ability to move beyond tracking and provide actionable insights that inform content decisions, strengthen overall AI search strategy, and help organizations prioritize the next steps that will have the greatest impact. As AI-driven discovery continues to reshape digital marketing, organizations that proactively measure, optimize, and expand their AI presence will be best positioned for success in the evolving search landscape.
“The first step is just get in a platform, see what it can do, and see what actions you can take from it.” – Matt Kirtley, SEO Channel Lead, Americaneagle.com
Preparing Your Brand for the Next Generation of AI-Powered Discovery
AI search is creating a new discovery channel that requires brands to think beyond traditional SEO. Whether it's improving AI search citations, uncovering content gaps, strengthening brand authority, or making content easier for AI systems to understand, organizations have an opportunity to gain a meaningful competitive advantage today. To hear the full discussion, including customer success stories and additional insights from Sitecore, Scrunch, and Americaneagle.com experts, listen to the complete episode of The Sitecore Water Cooler. If you found this article helpful, be sure to explore our related resources and subscribe for future updates on AI search and digital experience trends.
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This podcast is brought to you by Americaneagle.com Studios.
Connect with:
- The Sitecore Water Cooler: Americaneagle.com // Twitter // Instagram // Facebook
- Jon Price: LinkedIn // Twitter
- Matt Thompson: LinkedIn
- Matt Kirtley: LinkedIn
- Resources: Sitecore Consulting & Website Development | Scrunch - Website
About: For years, ‘water cooler talk’ has been a natural way for people in the workplace to come together and connect on common interest topics in what would otherwise be a formal environment; it boosts morale, improves culture, and gets the creative juices flowing! Some of the best workplace ideas and conversations happen through face-to-face conversations around the ‘water cooler,’ so just as the name implies, The Sitecore Water Cooler podcast is a casual conversation between colleagues and peers centered around all things Sitecore. This podcast is an outlet for various Sitecore experts within the Sitecore community to have a meaningful discussion around the latest with Sitecore products, every day topics, challenges and successes associated with this top-of-line digital experience platform. Each podcast episode will range in topic, but will be geared towards quick-hitting initiatives that affect how business is done today. Whether you’re a new Sitecore user, a Sitecore MVP, or just someone who wants to learn more about Sitecore technology and capabilities, then meet us at the water cooler!
