The way people search is fundamentally changing. While traditional Google search still dominates with over 16 billion daily searches, AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Google AI mode are rapidly gaining traction. For B2B marketers, this shift represents both a challenge and a significant opportunity to capture high-intent prospects in new ways.

And companies are already seeing real results, with some reporting AI search as their second-highest self-reported attribution channel.

To help B2B marketers understand how to win in AI search, we’ll unpack how AI search actually works, shifts in search behavior, and how to win in this new landscape.

Understanding the AI Search Landscape

Current Usage and Growth

The AI search ecosystem is expanding rapidly:

How AI Search Engines Actually Work

And to optimize effectively, it's crucial to understand the basic mechanics behind AI search engines and how they search:

ChatGPT's Process:

  1. User submits a query

  2. ChatGPT first checks its training data for evergreen information

  3. For queries requiring current information (especially product recommendations), it triggers a web search

  4. It searches multiple related queries using both Bing and Google APIs

  5. AI synthesizes information from multiple sources into a comprehensive answer

Google AI Mode:

  • Always searches the Google index (no reliance on training data)

  • Uses Gemini AI to synthesize results

  • Tends to show more balanced results regarding content recency

  • Generally aligns more closely with traditional Google search results

How Search Behavior is Changing in AI Search

Longer, More Specific Queries

Traditional Google searches average 3-4 words, while AI search prompts average over 20 words. Users are providing much more context and specificity:

  • Traditional search: "best running shoes"

  • AI search: "What are the best running shoes for men with flat feet who run on pavement and need extra cushioning?"

Reduced Click-Through Rates, Higher Intent

While traditional Google search sees 40% click-through rates, AI search shows less than 1%. However, the visitors who do click through demonstrate significantly higher intent:

This behavior pattern reflects users conducting research within AI tools before visiting websites with clear purchase intent.

Increased Search Volume

Google reports a 10% increase in search queries when AI overviews are present, indicating that AI search encourages more exploratory behavior and follow-up questions.

People are asking more follow up questions and diving deeper into topics when using AI search.

7 Tactical AI SEO Strategies for B2B Success

Based on analysis of companies already succeeding in AI search, as well as the shifts in search behavior discussed above these seven strategies represent the most effective approaches for capturing AI-driven traffic and conversions:

1. Define and Target Your Ideal Customer Profile

AI searches contain more context and personalization, making it essential to create content that speaks directly to your specific audience. Make it crystal clear:

  • Who you serve

  • How they use your product

  • What problems you solve for them

  • Your unique positioning in the market

2. Dominate the Long-Tail with Bottom-of-Funnel Content

This is the highest-impact strategy for AI search success. Create comprehensive content targeting specific, high-intent queries:

Content Types to Create:

  • Persona-specific product pages

  • Use case-driven landing pages

  • Competitive comparison content

  • Alternative solution pages

  • Job-to-be-done focused articles

Example Success Story: A company called Clue increased organic pipeline by 40% quarter-over-quarter by investing in long-tail terms and AI-optimized content formats.

Implementation Tips:

  • Map every use case to a dedicated landing page

  • Break out different personas into individual pages with detailed use case information

  • Create content that closely matches the specificity of AI search prompts

3. Leverage User-Generated Content Platforms

Reddit is the most cited source in AI search results, making user-generated content platforms crucial for visibility:

Reddit Strategy:

  • Identify relevant subreddits in your industry

  • Contribute genuine value, not blatant marketing

  • Follow community rules and engage authentically

  • Build presence across multiple relevant communities

Additional UGC Opportunities:

  • Industry forums

  • Community platforms

  • Review sites

  • Q&A platforms

4. Target Already-Cited Content Sources

Research what content AI search engines currently cite for your target queries, then work to get included:

Process:

  1. Create a list of high-intent prompts relevant to your business

  2. Run these prompts through AI search engines

  3. Analyze which sources are being cited

  4. Reach out to these sources to get listed

  5. Create similar content formats on your own site

Most Cited Content Types:

  • Listicle articles (33% of cited content)

  • Category comparison pages

  • Product recommendation lists

  • "Best of" compilations

5. Ensure Comprehensive Search Engine Indexing

This fundamental step is often overlooked but critical:

  • Submit sitemaps to both Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools

  • Regularly check indexing status

  • Set up automated sitemap updates for new content

  • Monitor crawl errors and fix technical issues promptly

6. Create Shareable, Industry-Notable Content

The more your brand appears across different web sources, the stronger the signal to AI search engines that you're a relevant solution provider:

  • Develop thought leadership content

  • Launch innovative features or tools

  • Participate in industry conversations

  • Build partnerships and collaborations

  • Generate backlinks from authoritative sources

7. Optimize Conversion Processes for High-Intent Traffic

Since AI search traffic converts at much higher rates, removing friction becomes even more critical:

Conversion Optimization Tactics:

  • Implement automated calendar booking (Calendly, Chili Piper)

  • Deploy intelligent chatbots for real-time engagement

  • Streamline demo request forms

  • Add clear calls-to-action on all pages

  • Enable instant scheduling during high-intent moments

With these strategies in place, the next critical step is measuring your success and understanding what's working. Traditional attribution models often miss AI search attribution, making measurement more challenging but not impossible.

Measuring AI Search Success

Self-Reported Attribution

Add a free-form "How did you hear about us?" field to demo forms. This captures attribution that might otherwise be lost due to complex user journeys across AI platforms.

Monitor Referral Traffic

Track direct referrals from AI search engines in Google Analytics. ChatGPT and other platforms are increasingly adding UTM parameters to their outbound links.

Brand Citation Tracking

Use tools like Otterly to monitor:

  • How often your brand appears in AI search results

  • Competitive positioning across different queries

  • Share of voice compared to competitors

  • Most frequently cited content pages

  • Sentiment analysis of brand mentions

The Business Impact: Real Results from Early Adopters

Companies implementing AI search optimization are seeing substantial results:

  • Missive: AI search nearly matched traditional search as their top attribution channel

  • Help Scout: AI search became their #2 self-reported attribution channel

  • Webflow: AI search drives 8% of all signups

  • Ahrefs: 12% of monthly signups attributed to AI search

  • Vercel: Growth from less than 1% to 10% of signups in under a year

Key Takeaways for B2B Marketers

AI search represents a fundamental shift in how prospects discover and evaluate B2B solutions. While traditional SEO remains important, companies that adapt their content strategy for AI search engines will gain a significant competitive advantage.

The opportunity lies in creating highly specific, long-tail content that matches the detailed, contextual nature of AI search queries. Combined with strategic presence on user-generated content platforms and optimized conversion processes, B2B companies can capture high-intent prospects who arrive ready to make purchasing decisions.

Success in AI search requires a more nuanced understanding of your ideal customer profile and the specific ways they might describe their needs to an AI assistant. Companies that invest in this approach now will be best positioned to capture the growing volume of AI-driven search traffic as these platforms continue to gain adoption.

Note that the content of this article is pulled from the below webinar (with data updated since the time of the recording). So, if you’d prefer to watch in video form, you can take a look at that!