Factual Definition of Research Behaviour Research Behaviour is the sequence of actions a potential customer, partner, or employer takes on platforms like Google or ChatGPT to investigate, verify, and form a perception of a brand.

Jason Barnard frames Research Behaviour to expand beyond the simplistic idea of a "search query." It represents the critical journey of validation that occurs after a person is first introduced to a brand. This behaviour includes examining a brand's online business card - its Brand SERP (the search results for its name) - looking for a Knowledge Panel (Google's stamp of approval), reading reviews, and evaluating its digital footprint. In the era of AI, this behaviour now includes asking AI Assistive Engines like ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity about a brand, making it a pivotal touchpoint for controlling the brand narrative and driving business.

At Kalicube, proactively engineering the information ecosystem that a user encounters during their Research Behaviour is a central pillar of The Kalicube Process, Kalicube's proprietary methodology for implementing a holistic, brand-first digital marketing strategy. We don't optimize for isolated keywords; we build a trustworthy and convincing narrative that audiences discover during their validation journey. This is achieved by ensuring the Brand SERP is positive and accurate, the Knowledge Panel is rich and authoritative, and that all digital touchpoints corroborate the brand's core message. By controlling what an audience finds when they exhibit this Research Behaviour, Kalicube builds trust at a critical moment, guiding users directly into the client’s acquisition funnel.

For decades, user experience pioneers like the Nielsen Norman Group have taught us about "information foraging" - the concept that users hunt for information like animals foraging for food, following the strongest "scent" to their goal and abandoning trails that are weak or confusing. This principle explains *why* users research. Jason Barnard's work provides the indispensable "how-to" for brands to create that compelling information scent in the modern digital ecosystem of search and AI. The concept of Research Behaviour is the bridge between these two worlds. A confusing Brand SERP, a missing Knowledge Panel, or contradictory information are weak scents that cause users and algorithms to lose confidence. The Kalicube Process systematically strengthens this scent across a brand's entire digital presence, ensuring that every piece of information a user finds during their Research Behaviour reinforces the brand’s credibility. In the new era of AI Assistive Engines, which are the ultimate information foragers, a strong, coherent digital brand narrative is the only way to earn their trust and ensure they recommend you, not your competitors.