The CURL framework for building your brand authority in the age of artificial intelligence.

In a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, where artificial intelligence is redefining the way consumers discover and purchase products, a fundamental question arises for every B2B company: how can you ensure that your brand remains visible and credible when algorithms are the ones recommending solutions to your potential customers?
The answer lies in the CURL framework, a strategic model that shapes how brands establish their authority in the modern digital ecosystem. Far from being a simple marketing acronym, CURL represents a profound transformation in the relationship between companies and their audience, particularly in a context where ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and other AI assistants are becoming the new entry points to commercial information.
Understanding the CURL framework: four pillars for digital authority
The CURL framework takes its name from four components that together determine a brand’s ability to be recognized, cited, and recommended by artificial intelligence systems. These four pillars are Credibility, Utility, Reputation, and Loyalty. Each plays a distinct yet complementary role in building a digital presence that influences traditional search algorithms.
The most important transformation brought by generative AI concerns the way information is synthesized and presented to users. Unlike classic search engines that display a list of links, AI assistants generate direct answers based on their understanding of the authority of sources. Your brand is no longer fighting only for the first position on Google — it must now be the reference an AI naturally chooses when answering a question in your area of expertise.
Credibility: the foundation of your authority in the AI universe
Credibility is the first pillar of the CURL framework and the foundation on which your entire digital authority strategy relies. In the context of artificial intelligence, credibility is no longer measured solely by the number of backlinks or traditional SEO metrics, but by the consistency, expertise, and reliability of your content across the entire digital ecosystem.
Take the example of a B2B company specializing in cybersecurity solutions. Its credibility is built through several dimensions that AI systems will analyze and compare. First, the technical depth of its content: regularly publishing detailed analyses of new vulnerabilities, offering case studies supported by measurable data, sharing proven methodologies. When an AI evaluates credibility, it does not simply check that the information exists, it analyzes the sophistication of the discourse, the accuracy of the technical terms used, and the ability to provide nuanced rather than superficial answers.
Temporal consistency also plays an important role. A brand that publishes one article per quarter on random topics will never establish the same credibility as a company that maintains a regular publishing cadence on its field of expertise. AI models are trained to recognize specialization patterns and identify sources that demonstrate consistent expertise over time.
To strengthen your credibility, you must also take care with the quality of your references and citations. When you publish content, cite academic research, verifiable industry data, recognized industrial standards. AI systems give particular importance to content that is part of a network of validated knowledge rather than isolated information.
Utility: creating tangible value to be recommended
The second pillar of the CURL framework, utility, answers a simple but essential question: does your content truly solve concrete problems for your target audience? In the age of AI, utility takes on a new dimension because virtual assistants are programmed to favor sources that provide actionable solutions rather than generic information.
Imagine a procurement director asking ChatGPT: “How can I optimize my supply chain to reduce transportation costs by 15% without compromising delivery times?” The AI will seek to provide a complete, structured and applicable answer. If your company has published a detailed guide that methodically explains the steps of logistical optimization, including ROI calculations, assessment tools, and implementation examples, you have created useful content that the AI will be inclined to cite or use as a basis for its response.
Utility manifests through several concrete characteristics. First, specificity: instead of writing a vague article on “digital marketing trends,” create a practical guide on “how to set up a B2B retargeting campaign on LinkedIn with a budget under €5,000.” Precision turns information into a tool.
Second, the accessibility of information: structure your content so that it can be easily extracted by AIs. Use descriptive titles, introductions that clearly state the problem addressed, step-by-step explanations. When an AI system crawls your content, it must quickly identify what question is addressed and what solution is provided.
Third, completeness: useful content does not leave readers with unanswered questions. If you explain a methodology, also provide tools, templates, or complementary resources. This approach increases the likelihood that your content will be considered a complete reference by AI assistants.
Reputation: your echo in the digital ecosystem
Reputation, the third pillar of the CURL framework, shifts focus from what your company says about itself to what others say about you. In the AI-driven attention economy, reputation is a quality signal that algorithms use to evaluate the reliability of a source.
Artificial intelligence models are trained on billions of pieces of content from multiple sources. When they generate responses, they give more weight to brands that are frequently mentioned, cited and recommended in positive contexts. Your reputation is built through a network of mentions, customer reviews, press articles, participation in industry events and collaborations with other recognized players.
Managing reputation with AI requires a proactive approach. We recommend encouraging satisfied customers to share their experiences publicly — not only on your website but also on third-party platforms, professional forums, LinkedIn or industry review sites. You must develop partnerships with other recognized companies in your ecosystem and co-create content that benefits from the credibility of both brands. When debates arise on LinkedIn, questions are asked on specialized forums or discussions grow on X (formerly Twitter), your presence and the quality of your contributions help build your reputation. AI systems analyze not only what is said about you, but also how you interact with your professional community.
Loyalty: turning your audience into ambassadors
The fourth and final pillar of the CURL framework, loyalty, is the holy grail of any brand authority strategy. Loyalty goes far beyond traditional customer retention — it encompasses the creation of an engaged community that naturally amplifies your message and strengthens your digital presence.
In the AI context, loyalty is particularly strategic because it generates organic and authentic signals that algorithms highly value. When a community shares your content, comments on your posts, cites your work in their own articles or recommends your services without being prompted, you create a trust ecosystem that AI recognizes as a powerful marker of authority.
Building loyalty requires an ongoing, two-way relationship with your audience. A B2B company specializing in HR solutions could, for example, create a private community where HR managers discuss challenges, share best practices, and access exclusive resources. By actively engaging this community — answering questions, seeking feedback, adapting your offerings based on expressed needs — you turn your clients into partners invested in your success.
Loyalty is also measured through recurring behaviors: the rate of customers who renew their contracts, how frequently your audience returns to consume your content, how many people subscribe to and actually open your newsletter, the engagement rate on your LinkedIn posts. When positive and consistent, these behavioral metrics send strong signals to AI systems about the perceived value of your brand.
Investing in loyalty also means personalizing your relationship with your audience. Segment your communications based on the interests and specific needs of different groups within your B2B audience. A financial decision-maker does not have the same concerns as an operations director, even if they work for the same client company. By showing that you understand the nuances of each role and adapting your message accordingly, you strengthen trust and long-term loyalty.
Implementing the CURL framework : an integrated strategy
The effectiveness of the CURL framework does not lie in optimizing each pillar in isolation, but in their synergy. Credibility strengthens reputation, utility generates loyalty, and loyalty amplifies your credibility through recommendations and organic sharing. This circular dynamic creates a flywheel effect that progressively accelerates your digital authority.
For successful implementation, we recommend starting with an honest audit of your current positioning across each of the four pillars. Evaluate the depth and regularity of your expert content to measure your credibility. Analyze whether your publications address concrete issues and offer actionable solutions to gauge your utility. Then map your brand mentions across the web and social networks to understand your reputation. Finally, measure the engagement and recurrence of interactions with your audience to evaluate loyalty.
Once this diagnostic is established, you can prioritize your efforts based on your most critical gaps and most accessible opportunities. If your credibility is low, invest in creating an expert content hub that becomes the reference in your niche. If your utility is insufficient, turn theoretical content into practical guides with downloadable tools and templates. If your reputation is limited, develop a digital PR and strategic partnership strategy. If loyalty is lacking, create engagement programs that reward and empower your community.
Adaptation is also essential. AI systems continuously evolve, integrating new data sources and refining their authority evaluation criteria. Stay informed about changes in the AI assistant ecosystem, regularly test how your brand is represented in their answers, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
The future of brand authority in an AI-first world
We are at the dawn of a major transformation in how B2B companies build their market presence. Conversational interfaces are gradually becoming the first point of contact between decision-makers and commercial information. In this new paradigm, being discovered is no longer enough — you must be the reference that AI naturally chooses to cite and recommend.
The CURL framework provides a strategic roadmap to navigate this transition. By systematically cultivating your credibility through demonstrated expertise, creating tangible utility that solves real problems for your audience, building a strong reputation across the digital ecosystem, and developing loyalty that turns your clients into ambassadors, you position your brand to thrive in the AI economy.
Companies that integrate the CURL framework into their digital strategy today are not merely adapting to a technological shift — they are redefining the rules of brand authority for the next decade. They are building a sustainable competitive advantage that transcends algorithms and rests on authentic value recognized by both humans and the intelligent systems that assist them.
Brand authority in the age of artificial intelligence is not a destination but an ongoing journey of improvement and adaptation. Every expert content piece you publish, every customer problem you solve remarkably, every strategic partnership you develop, and every meaningful interaction with your community strengthens your position in the AI-driven digital ecosystem.
The question is no longer whether your company must adapt to this new reality, but how quickly you can implement the CURL framework to secure your future relevance. Brands that act now will benefit from a significant first-mover advantage, establishing their authority while competitors remain hesitant.
Are you ready to make your B2B brand the undeniable reference that artificial intelligence systems naturally recommend?
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