What is AI search optimisation (AIO) and why does it matter?

AI search optimisation (AIO) is the practice of structuring content and digital presence so that AI-powered search engines such as ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews cite your brand as an authoritative source. Unlike traditional SEO, which optimises for ranking in a list of links, AIO optimises for being the answer itself. For high-consideration sectors like education, healthcare, and B2B, buyers increasingly arrive with decisions already shaped by AI-generated research before reaching your website.

Which industries and markets has Gargi Thakur worked across?

Higher education and international student recruitment, EdTech and training providers, B2B SaaS, and service businesses, across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and the Middle East. Much of the work involves marketing to global, multilingual audiences spanning 100+ nationalities.

How does Gargi Thakur approach a new marketing challenge?

She starts by listening to the data and to the people closest to the customer, because the gap between what a brand says and what its audience needs is where most campaigns fail. From there it is about connecting strategy, creativity, and execution into measurable outcomes: clear positioning, the right sequence of channels, and feedback loops that let AI surface patterns a team can act on.

Senior Marketing Leader & Growth Strategist · Burnaby, BC, Canada

More customers.
Sharper strategy.
A senior mind on your business.

Q: What does Gargi Thakur specialise in?

Gargi Thakur specialises in building performance marketing engines at the intersection of AI and human judgement. Core focus areas are AI search optimisation (AIO) and generative-engine visibility, performance marketing across paid search and paid social, full-funnel demand generation, and cross-cultural campaign strategy, applied across higher education, EdTech, B2B SaaS, and service businesses over 14+ years.

Q: What kind of results has Gargi Thakur delivered?

Highlights include approximately 500% growth in indexed keywords through AI search optimisation (AIO) strategy, customer acquisition cost reduced from 104% to 30%, a 625% lift in paid social conversion, consistent double-digit year-over-year growth while managing $4M+ in annual marketing investment, and campaigns across 100+ nationalities. The common thread is AI-driven segmentation and disciplined experimentation paired with human judgement.

Q: Is Gargi Thakur open to new opportunities?

Yes. Based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, Gargi Thakur is open to senior marketing roles, fractional and advisory engagements, and growth partnerships, both in Canada and remotely with international teams. The easiest way to reach her is by email at gargi.singh@hotmail.com or via WhatsApp.

Gargi Thakur is a Senior Marketing Leader and Growth Strategist with 14+ years building performance marketing engines across AI search, demand generation, and global audience growth. Senior thinking applied to real problems — wherever sharp marketing makes the difference.

14+ years experience Proven growth record Open to new opportunities

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Gargi Thakur — Marketing Consultant and Growth Strategist, Burnaby BC Canada

500% Keyword growth via AIO

$4M+ Annual budgets managed

100+ Nationalities marketed across

104→30% CAC reduction achieved

AI Search Optimisation Performance Marketing Fractional CMO Demand Generation Small Business Growth

Gargi Thakur, Senior Marketing Leader and Growth Strategist, Burnaby BC Canada

About Gargi Thakur

The thinking behind the strategy.

I started my career in client acquisition and complaint management, which turned out to be the best possible foundation for marketing. You learn quickly that listening matters more than messaging, and that the gap between what brands say and what customers need is where most campaigns fail.

Over 14 years, that curiosity has taken me from managing enterprise portfolios in India to leading digital marketing strategy across education, technology, and services — building campaigns that work across cultures, time zones, and 100+ nationalities.

Today I specialise in AI search optimisation (AIO), machine learning segmentation, and performance marketing strategy. I'm based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, and I work directly with founders, operators, and growth-stage organisations that need senior thinking applied to a real problem.

What genuinely excites me is the moment a model surfaces a pattern and someone says "we've been seeing that". That is when AI gives human judgement the evidence it needs to be heard in a budget conversation.

I write about AI in marketing, performance strategy, and what it takes to build campaigns that actually move people — across industries, cultures, and channels. If you're building something that requires both analytical rigour and genuine human understanding, I'd love to connect.

Expertise

What I'm known for.

Core disciplines built over 14 years across markets, channels, and organisational scales.

AI Search & AIO Strategy

Generative engine optimisation, AI Overview visibility, LLM citation strategy, and zero-click search adaptation for brands competing in AI-first environments.

Performance Marketing

Paid search, paid social, and demand generation at scale. $4M+ in annual media budgets managed across Google, Meta, and programmatic channels.

Fractional CMO

Senior marketing leadership on a part-time or retained basis. Strategy, team direction, and board-level reporting for growth-stage companies that need experience without the full-time overhead.

Demand Generation

Full-funnel acquisition strategy, lead quality improvement, and pipeline velocity. Bridging brand and performance in markets where the buyer journey starts before the first click.

Cross-Cultural Marketing

Campaign strategy and localisation across 100+ nationalities. International student recruitment, diaspora audiences, and multilingual market expansion in North America and the Middle East.

EdTech & Enrolment Marketing

Digital marketing strategy for higher education institutions, EdTech platforms, and training providers. Organic search, AIO, and paid channel integration for international student acquisition.

Go-to-Market & Growth Planning

End-to-end GTM strategy for product launches, market entries, and new audience segments. Positioning, channel sequencing, and growth model design for Series A–C companies and new market entrants.

Google Ads Meta Ads SEO AI Overviews LLM Visibility GEO Schema Markup Marketing Automation CRM Strategy Content Strategy Brand Strategy Analytics & Reporting Team Leadership Budget Management International Markets

What People Say

Trusted by people who have worked alongside me.

These are LinkedIn recommendations from colleagues and collaborators who have seen the work up close.

I had the pleasure of working closely with Gargi Thakur and was consistently impressed by her ability to connect strategy, creativity, and execution in a way that delivered meaningful results.

Gargi was essential in advancing new communication journeys targeted to multiple prospective student audiences across the full prospect lifecycle — from lead conversion to application, through guided registration and enrolment communications. Her work helped create clearer, more intentional pathways for prospective students while supporting stronger conversion outcomes at each stage of the funnel.

What sets Gargi apart is her combination of strategic thinking and operational discipline. She brings strong expertise in digital strategy, marketing automation, audience segmentation, and enrolment growth, but she also knows how to turn ideas into well-managed, measurable initiatives. Her approach is precise, timely, objective-oriented, and highly effective.

I would strongly recommend Gargi to any organization looking for a marketing leader who can think strategically, execute with discipline, and build the systems, relationships, and campaigns needed to support sustainable growth.

Scott Slaney

Executive Strategist · Business Development Specialist · Communications Specialist

LinkedIn Recommendation

Gargi is one of the most effective and organised marketers I have the pleasure of working with. She's proactive and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure everything is on the right direction. Looking forward to working with her again!

Richard Benjamin

Seasoned Marketing Strategist & Growth Hacker · 10 years of Experience · Million Dollar Projects across 9 Industries

LinkedIn · Client

💬

More recommendations available on LinkedIn. Reach out to learn more about my past work.

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Frequently Asked

A few good questions.

Quick context on how I work, what I focus on, and the thinking behind the numbers — useful whether you're hiring, partnering, or simply curious.

Building performance marketing engines at the intersection of AI and human judgement. My core focus areas are AI search optimisation (AIO) and generative-engine visibility, performance marketing across paid search and paid social, full-funnel demand generation, and cross-cultural campaign strategy. Over 14+ years I've applied these across higher education, EdTech, B2B SaaS, and service businesses — from enterprise portfolios to growth-stage teams.

AIO is the practice of structuring your content and digital presence so that AI-powered search engines — such as ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews — cite your brand as an authoritative source. Where traditional SEO competes for a place in a list of links, AIO competes to be the answer itself. For high-consideration sectors like education, healthcare, and B2B, that shift is profound: people increasingly arrive with decisions already shaped by AI-generated research before they ever reach your website.

A few highlights: roughly 500% growth in indexed keywords through AIO strategy; customer acquisition cost reduced from 104% to 30%; a 625% lift in paid social conversion; and consistent double-digit year-over-year growth while managing $4M+ in annual marketing investment across 100+ nationalities. The throughline is always the same — AI-driven segmentation and disciplined experimentation, with human judgement deciding what the data actually means.

Higher education and international student recruitment, EdTech and training providers, B2B SaaS, and service businesses — across Canada, the US, the UK, India, and the Middle East. Much of the work involves marketing to global, multilingual audiences spanning 100+ nationalities, where the channel and the culture carry meaning long before a single word is read.

It starts with listening — to the data, and to the people closest to the customer. The gap between what a brand says and what its audience actually needs is where most campaigns quietly fail. From there it's about connecting strategy, creativity, and execution into something measurable: clear positioning, the right sequence of channels, and feedback loops that let AI surface patterns a team can act on with confidence.

Yes. Based in Burnaby, British Columbia, I'm open to senior marketing roles, fractional and advisory engagements, and growth partnerships — both in Canada and remotely with international teams. Whether you're hiring, building, or simply weighing whether there's a fit, the easiest way to reach me is a quick email or a message on WhatsApp.

More customers.
Sharper strategy.
A senior mind on your business.

The thinking behind the strategy.