The talk about AI Search is evolving fast. With AI-powered experiences like Google’s AI Overviews (AIO, formerly SGE), Bing AI, and tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT, users are getting answers without landing on websites.
But what does this mean? How can we as marketers take action in our channel strategies?
Well, for B2B companies, this shift has major implications. Whether you're in tech, manufacturing, consulting, or SaaS, where sales cycles are often quite long, getting users to your site so that you can tag and nurture them has gotten more difficult. For some users who are only looking at AIOs, getting users to your site for some searches depends on whether AI sees your site as clear, credible, and structured enough to reference as a source.
Welcome to the era of Generative Search Optimisation (GSO).
TL;DR
- AI search is here! Tools like Google’s AI Overviews (AIO), Bing AI, and ChatGPT now generate answers, not just links, lowering click-through rates from search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Visibility is omnichannel. AI pulls from websites, YouTube, LinkedIn, PDFs, and third-party content.
- Traditional SEO is no longer enough. Structure, clarity, and credibility across all formats are essential.
- Content must show E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trust). As it always has been, to be honest!
- B2B buyers are searching differently. Your content needs to meet them where they are, across platforms.
- GSO is a growth strategy. Optimise your full digital presence, not just your site.
What is Generative Search Optimisation (GSO)?
GSO is the process of optimising your website and content to appear in AI-generated search results, which Google calls AI Overviews (AIOs). In AI-driven search, the platform directly answers a user’s question by pulling from online sources (ideally your website). These AI summaries reference sites that are trustworthy, clearly structured, and semantically relevant.
In other words, it is not just about being found. It is about being chosen by the AI to represent the answer.
How some buyers are using tools like ChatGPT for search
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini are changing behaviours. For some users, they are becoming the search engine.
Instead of going to Google and clicking through multiple pages, users are increasingly asking AI tools to:
- Compare vendors and services
- Explain complex concepts in plain language
- Summarise key points from various sources
- Suggest solutions or providers based on specific needs
This means your website and content may be referenced, summarised, or paraphrased without the user ever visiting your site. If AI sees your content as credible and relevant, then your content will be visible alongside a link to your site.
The point that we see most people missing is that if your content is used by AI and referenced as a source, you will see traffic being driven to your site. Click-through rates from organic search are down, but the volume of searches and clicks is always increasing. We see ChatGPT as an ever-rising source of traffic for our clients and their competitors. However, we are only just hearing that Google will start showing AIO clicks in Google Analytics.
However, if these tools don’t see your content as a reputable response, you run the risk of rapidly losing the opportunity to get in front of your desired audience. We're still running a visibility race, and AIOs are just the latest contender.
Additionally, AIOs are being shown for searches with 'informational' intent. These are what we would think of as 'top of funnel' searches, the user is seeking education with searches including 'how do I', 'why does', 'what is'. AIOs are less apparent for 'commercial' or 'transactional' intent searches; these are the bottom of the funnel users, most likely to buy or convert. The lack of AIOs for these searches at the moment means we have to adapt.
So sure, AIOs and platforms are delivering consolidated answers, but users are and will still have to come to your site to convert. So make sure your site’s user experience (UX) is seamless.
What do AI search engines prioritise?
So now we understand the 'what' and the 'why', we need to get to the bottom of 'how'. How do we take this knowledge and get our brands and content in AIOs?
We feel like it’s a bit like the wild west at the moment. SEO used to work by keyword stuffing, and we all put that to rest a long time ago. People are jumping on quick and dirty solutions for getting into AIOs by writing low-quality ‘listicles’, but just like keyword stuffing, this won’t be the solution in the long term.
While AI platforms will continue to evolve, here are some of the key signals that influence AI visibility that, if you pay attention to, will see you playing the long game with GSO:
Structured Content
- Clear page hierarchy using proper heading tags
- Short, digestible paragraphs
- Question-and-answer formats such as FAQ's
Authoritativeness
- Demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
- Include author bios, credentials, and company-level credibility
Semantic Relevance
- Cover topics comprehensively
- Use natural language and related terminology
Technical Health
- Fast, mobile-optimised, well-coded websites
- Schema markup for articles, services, and reviews
Citations and Sources
- Use and link to reputable external sources
- Publish data-backed and referenced content
Understanding AI Overviews (AIO) and the expanding role of omnichannel strategy
Google’s AI Overviews are changing how visibility works in search. Rather than just displaying ten blue links, AIO presents users with dynamic summaries that pull information from a wide mix of content types, not just websites.
That includes YouTube videos, LinkedIn posts, product reviews, third-party articles, PDF's, and even community Q&As. In many cases, this content is surfaced alongside or in place of traditional web pages.
What This Means for B2B Brands:
- Your YouTube explainers or demo content may now appear directly in AIO results.
- A LinkedIn post from your leadership team could be cited to support a buying query.
Third-party publications or partnerships may outrank your own site if they offer better structure or authority.
As a result, visibility in AI search is no longer just about SEO in the classic sense. It’s about having a strategic, omnichannel presence across platforms and formats that reinforces your brand’s relevance and credibility.
GSO now means aligning not just your web content, but your entire digital footprint.
Practical steps to start optimising for GSO
- Review your content for clarity and structure
Ensure your content is skimmable, clearly headed, and broken into logical sections. Avoid dense corporate language. Write like a subject matter expert speaking to a time-poor user. - Add author bios and company credentials
AI trusts content more when it knows where it came from. Use author pages and a company About section that includes credentials, industry experience, and relevant certifications or affiliations. - Use schema markup
Structured data helps AI parse your content correctly. Mark up your blog posts, services, FAQ's, and more using schema.org standards. - Create high-value, evergreen content
Focus on content that answers real customer questions like “What is...”, “How to...”, or “Best way to...”. These are more likely to be surfaced in AI-generated responses. - Track emerging AI search results
Use tools like Google Labs (SGE), Bing AI, or Perplexity to see which content is being referenced in your niche. Adjust your strategy based on what appears and what is missing.
Bonus tip: Think beyond SEO and into sales enablement
GSO is not just an SEO strategy. It is part of a modern sales strategy. If your site is being cited by AI tools, you are being recommended before a prospect even lands on your page.
Combine GSO with strong calls to action, conversion paths, and CRM integration to turn visibility into leads and insight.
Final thoughts: GSO is the new SEO layer
Generative Search Optimisation is not about chasing the latest trend. It is about ensuring your company is seen and trusted in the next wave of digital discovery.
B2B buyers still need clarity, credibility, and confidence. GSO is one way to deliver it, even if they never visit your homepage.
If you're updating your content strategy or planning a new site, make sure GSO is built in from the start. Your visibility now depends on how your brand shows up across the full digital ecosystem. The future of search is already here, and your competitors are adapting.
If you would like to know more about GSO, contact Alice and the UP DIGITAL team here.
Generative Search Optimisation (GSO) is an emerging discipline that helps B2B companies increase visibility in AI-powered search experiences like Google SGE, Bing AI, and ChatGPT. As more buyers turn to generative tools to research and evaluate solutions, traditional SEO alone is no longer enough.
This guide explains how B2B marketers can prepare their websites for AI search by creating structured, high-quality content, demonstrating expertise and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), implementing schema markup, and aligning with changing user behaviour. It also covers how tools like ChatGPT are transforming search habits and why GSO is becoming essential to content strategy, sales enablement, and long-term growth in the B2B space.
Connect with Alice Smith on LinkedIn