The opinions of contributing entrepreneurs are their own. </p><div>
Key Takeaways
- Improve your authority and visibility beyond your website by consistently appearing on trusted review platforms, trade publications, forum discussions, major media outlets, and even authoritative niche blogs.
- Make your website easy to understand for both AI tools and Google, with clear titles, headings and text that make it clear what you do and who you help.
- Create bottom-of-funnel content, such as comparison posts and product overviews, that answer buyer questions and position your brand as the credible choice.
Two years ago, attracting new B2B customers online was quite easy. You would create useful, SEO optimized content, rank among the top three on Google for your target keywords and most likely Capturing 18% to 40% of clicks for those terms.
But now, heading into 2026, AI search tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and even Google’s own AI Maps and AI Mode are changing the way people search, discover, and decide which vendor fits their needs.
Higher visibility surveyed 1,500 people to understand how search behavior will develop in 2025. 71.5% have used AI tools for search, especially for product comparisons and recommendations, to support purchasing decisions.
This same behavior – using AI to limit options – is likely happening in your industry. But if buyers ask AI tools for recommendations and your business isn’t on that list, you’re losing a high-intent buyer right when he or she is ready to make a decision.
That’s why you need to optimize for both search engines and AI tools so that your business shows up everywhere buyers search. Here are four ways to do it.
Related: Why AI Search will soon decide whether customers will ever find your brand
1. Build authority beyond your website
When AI tools decide which vendors to recommend, they don’t just look at your website. They scan various sources, such as review platforms, trade publications, Reddit discussions, social media posts, major media outlets and authoritative blogs.
Research by Profoundwhich analyzed 680 million AI quotes, found that community platforms like Reddit and review sites like G2 often appear in AI-generated answers in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
The more consistent and high-quality listings you have in these trusted sources, the more likely AI tools are to recognize, cite, and recommend your business.
Even Google now shows Reddit threads, review sites, and community discussions more prominently in search results, especially for commercial and product-related searches, making this strategy valuable for traditional SEO and AI.
To build authority beyond your website, make sure your listings consistently reflect what your brand is known for and the specific problems your product solves. This consistency helps AI tools accurately categorize and recommend you.
Here’s how:
- Claim and optimize your profiles on trusted review sites like G2 and Capterra for software or Clutch for agencies. Make sure your business descriptions and summaries are consistent across these sites, and encourage satisfied customers to leave detailed reviews that highlight specific results and use cases.
Join relevant Reddit communities or industry forums where your buyers hang out. Provide thoughtful answers, share resources, and give real advice before you ever list your product. Once you’ve built trust (and if you already have an engaged audience), you can start your own subreddit: like Semrush did with r/Semrush — to connect directly with users and share insights.
Pitch your insights to industry publications and trade magazines that your buyers actually read. Be a useful resource by providing original data, examples, or expert commentary that journalists can cite in their articles.
Related: Want to Get Discovered in AI Search? These are the resources that matter
2. Make your website easy for AI to understand
AI tools read your site the same way Google does, scanning your titles, headlines, and content to find out what you do and who you help.
Start with what appears in your browser tab or when someone shares your homepage link: your meta title and description. These are among the first signals that tell both search engines and AI tools what your company stands for.
Let’s say you’re a cybersecurity company for financial institutions. If the title of your home page is just ‘Home | [Company Name]”, it doesn’t tell anyone (or any AI system) what you’re doing. A better version would be “[Company Name] | Cybersecurity solutions for banks and financial institutions.” That way, both people and search engines immediately understand what your business has to offer and who it is for.
Apply the same clarity to your headers and page copy on your homepage, product pages, and use case pages using these principles:
- Format your H2 and H3 headings like questions buyers actually ask, such as “How are you [your product] work?” or “What makes [your solution] different?”
Use bullet points to highlight product features, benefits, or step-by-step instructions, rather than writing everything in dense blocks of text.
Include screenshots of your product and write descriptive captions that explain what each image shows. For example, instead of simply labeling an image as “Dashboard,” use a caption like “Monthly Usage Trends Dashboard.”
Add an FAQ section that shows how buyers naturally formulate their questions when using AI tools or search engines. Answer questions with the most important information in the first sentence and then go into more detail below.
3. Create content that answers real buyer questions
AI and Google’s algorithms both prioritize content that is useful, credible, and experiential. Instead of stuffing your content with keywords, focus on actually answering the questions your buyers ask when they’re looking for solutions like yours.
The best way to find these questions is to look at what your buyers are already asking in real life. View your sales call notes, customer emails, and support tickets. You can also check out forums like Reddit, Quora, or industry Slack groups to see how people describe their problems in their own words.
Then turn it into BOFU (bottom-of-funnel) content, the kind that helps buyers compare options, evaluate features, and make their final choice. Two BOFU formats that are consistently cited by AI tools and rank well on Google include:
- Comparison items: Write honest, in-depth pieces like “[Your product] vs [Competitor]” that clearly explain the differences in features, pricing, use cases, and integrations. This helps AI tools gather accurate information about your product when people ask questions. It also takes care of how your strengths are presented, rather than leaving it to competitors and review platforms.
Product overviews: Create useful, curated lists such as ‘Best [solution type] for [specific use case].” These guides make it easy for buyers to explore their options and give AI tools a solid reference source.
Open each piece of content by immediately addressing the specific pain point your buyer cares about. Then explain in detail what makes your product stand out and for what use cases, while being honest about how competitors compare.
Related: The Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Successful B2B SEO Campaign
4. Distribute your content where AI tools actually look
Google and generative AI tools also index LinkedIn posts, YouTube videos, Medium articles, and forums where your buyers are already searching for answers.
Make it easy for them to find you on those platforms by doing the following:
- Turn written manuals into explainer videos or walkthroughs on YouTube
Repurpose your best blog posts into LinkedIn carousels with key insights
Share your expertise in subreddits or Quora threads where buyers ask questions
The more places you visit with useful content, the more likely AI tools are to discover, index, and recommend you as buyers search for solutions.
As you implement these strategies, track your visibility by periodically searching for your product category on ChatGPT and Perplexity to see if you appear.
You can also check your Google Analytics for referral traffic from chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, and claude.ai to see what is or is not showing and adjust your digital content marketing strategy accordingly to build authority and trust in the long term.