Need help with B2B Marketing?
Let the smarketers’ team drive your pipeline with data-led campaigns and AI-powered growth strategies.
The search landscape has fundamentally changed. We are no longer just optimizing for ten blue links on a Google results page. Today, 73% of B2B buyers use AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude to research solutions, compare vendors, and make purchasing decisions.
If your brand isn’t being cited by these generative engines, you are invisible to a massive segment of your target audience. But here is the reality check: only 11% of domains are cited by both ChatGPT and Perplexity. Even more surprising, 89% of citations are platform-exclusive. Being mentioned by one AI doesn’t guarantee you’ll be mentioned by another.
This shift from traditional search engine optimization (SEO) to answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO) requires a completely new playbook. You can’t just stuff keywords into a blog post and expect an AI to recommend your enterprise software. You need to become the definitive entity in your space.
The Shift from Rankings to Citations
Think about how you search for information now. When a B2B buyer needs a new cybersecurity platform, they don’t want to sift through five different vendor blogs. They ask Perplexity: “What are the best enterprise cybersecurity platforms for financial institutions that integrate with legacy systems?”
The AI synthesizes information from across the web and provides a direct answer, complete with citations. If your company is one of those citations, you’ve just bypassed the entire traditional search journey. You are instantly positioned as a trusted authority.
This is the core of AEO and GEO. It’s about structuring your digital presence so that large language models (LLMs) understand exactly who you are, what you do, and why you are the best answer to a specific query. It’s a shift from chasing rankings to earning citations.
Why Traditional SEO Agencies Fail at AEO
Many traditional SEO agencies are struggling to adapt. They are still selling keyword density, backlink volume, and generic content creation. But AI engines don’t care about how many times you used a keyword. They care about information gain, entity resolution, and authoritative consensus.
Here is why the old playbook fails:
Lack of Information Gain: AI models are trained on vast amounts of data. If your content just regurgitates what’s already out there, the AI has no reason to cite you. You need to provide net-new information original research, unique perspectives, or proprietary data. Traditional agencies often rely on copycat content.
Ignoring Entity Optimization: Traditional SEO focuses on strings (keywords). AEO focuses on things (entities). An AI needs to understand your brand as a distinct entity with specific attributes and relationships. This requires advanced structured data and digital PR, not just on-page optimization.
Siloed Strategies: AEO requires a holistic approach. Your content, technical SEO, PR, and social presence all need to tell the same story to the AI. Traditional agencies often work in silos, leading to fragmented signals that confuse LLMs.
The Criteria for a True AEO/GEO Agency
So, how do you find an agency that actually understands this new landscape? Look for these specific capabilities:
- Cross-Platform Monitoring: They shouldn’t just track Google rankings. They need to monitor your brand’s visibility and sentiment across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews.
- Entity Optimization Expertise: They must know how to build and manage your brand’s knowledge graph. This involves advanced schema markup, Wikipedia/Wikidata strategy, and managing your presence on authoritative third-party sites.
- Information Gain Methodology: They should have a clear process for extracting unique insights from your subject matter experts (SMEs) and turning that into content that AI models crave.
- Digital PR for Citations: They need to secure mentions on the high-authority sites that AI models trust most. It’s not just about any backlink; it’s about the right context.
- B2B Focus: B2B buying cycles are complex. The agency needs to understand how to optimize for long-tail, highly specific queries that enterprise buyers use.
Quick Comparison Table
| Agency | AEO Capability | GEO Capability | B2B Focus | Key Strength | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Smarketers | High | High | 100% | AI-enabled tool stack (25 modules), Entity Mapping | Custom |
| Minuttia | Medium | Medium | High | B2B SaaS Content | Premium |
| Omniscient Digital | Medium | Low | High | Content Strategy & Link Building | Premium |
| Obility B2B | Low | Low | 100% | Traditional B2B SEO & Paid Media | High |
| GreenBananaSEO | Low | Low | Medium | Pay-for-performance SEO | Variable |
| Flow Agency | Medium | Medium | Medium | Technical SEO & AI Search | Mid-Tier |
| Graphite | High | Medium | High | Programmatic SEO & Growth | Premium |
The Top 7 Agencies
Let’s look at the top players in the space and see how they stack up.
1. The Smarketers
We’ll be upfront: we believe our approach at The Smarketers is the most comprehensive for B2B companies looking to dominate AI search. We don’t just bolt “AEO” onto traditional SEO services. We’ve built our methodology around the realities of generative engines.
We are an India-based agency with global delivery capability, serving clients across the US, UK, UAE, and India. Our hybrid ABM + Inbound model (1:1, 1:Few, 1:Many) is perfectly suited for the complex B2B buying journey.
Why We Stand Out:
AI-Enabled Tool Stack: We utilize a proprietary stack of 25 different modules and multiple connectors to monitor citations, analyze information gain, and map entities across the AI landscape.
Proven B2B Expertise: We’ve executed 40+ ABM programs with an 85% success rate. We understand the nuances of selling to enterprise accounts.
Award-Winning: We are proud recipients of the ITSMA Marketing Excellence Gold Award and the Web Excellence Awards 2025.
Real Results: For a cybersecurity client, we achieved 3x organic growth, including a 16.31% MoM increase in organic sessions and a 10% rise in queries, specifically by capturing AI-driven search intent.
We don’t just want you to rank; we want you to be the definitive answer.
2. Minuttia
Minuttia is a strong player in the B2B SaaS space. They focus heavily on organic growth through content marketing and SEO. While their primary background is in traditional search, they are adapting their content strategies to be more AI-friendly.
They excel at creating deep, well-researched content that naturally attracts links and citations. However, their focus is more on the content side rather than the deep technical entity optimization required for full AEO. They are a solid choice if your primary need is high-quality SaaS content.
3. Omniscient Digital
Omniscient Digital is known for its premium content strategy and link-building services for B2B software companies. They take a very analytical approach to content, focusing on business outcomes rather than just traffic.
Their strength lies in creating “barbell” content strategies balancing high-volume foundational content with highly specific, thought-leadership pieces. This thought leadership is crucial for information gain. However, they are less focused on the specific technical mechanics of GEO and cross-platform AI monitoring.
4. Obility B2B
Obility is a well-established B2B marketing agency with a strong track record in traditional SEO and paid media. They understand the B2B funnel deeply and are excellent at driving pipeline.
If you need a traditional, reliable SEO partner, Obility is a safe bet. However, they have been slower to adopt dedicated AEO and GEO methodologies. Their approach is still heavily rooted in keyword research and traditional ranking factors, which may not be enough to secure citations in ChatGPT or Perplexity.
5. GreenBananaSEO
GreenBananaSEO is known for its unique pay-for-performance model. You only pay if they achieve specific ranking goals. This can be attractive for companies looking to minimize risk.
While their model is interesting, their focus is almost entirely on traditional Google rankings. The pay-for-performance model doesn’t translate well to AEO, where success is measured by citations and entity understanding rather than a specific position on a SERP. They are not the best fit for a forward-looking AI search strategy.
6. Flow Agency
Flow Agency is a technical SEO powerhouse that is actively exploring the intersection of AI and search. They are strong on the technical fundamentals site speed, site architecture, and structured data.
They understand the importance of schema markup for entity recognition, which is a critical component of AEO. They are a good option if your website has significant technical debt that is preventing AI engines from crawling and understanding your content properly.
7. Graphite
Graphite is a growth agency that specializes in programmatic SEO and product-led growth. They are excellent at scaling content and capturing long-tail search demand.
Their programmatic approach can be very effective for building a broad footprint, which helps establish entity authority. They are also very data-driven. However, programmatic content sometimes lacks the deep “information gain” required to be cited as a primary source by AI models.
How The Smarketers Approaches AEO for Complex B2B
At The Smarketers, we know that B2B marketing is never one-size-fits-all. Our approach to AEO and GEO is built on a deep understanding of your specific market, your ideal customer profile (ICP), and the unique value you provide.
Here is how we actually get you cited:
- Deep Entity Mapping We start by defining your brand as an entity. We map out your core attributes, your key personnel, your products, and your relationships to other entities in your industry. We then use advanced schema markup (JSON-LD) to communicate this structure directly to search engines and AI models. We ensure your presence is consistent across all authoritative databases (Wikidata, Crunchbase, G2, etc.).
- Information Gain Content Strategy We don’t write generic content. We interview your SMEs to extract proprietary insights, unique frameworks, and strong opinions. We create content that adds net-new value to the internet. This is what AI models look for when deciding who to cite. If you sound like everyone else, you won’t be cited.
- Cross-Platform Citation Monitoring We use our AI-enabled tool stack to monitor your brand’s visibility not just on Google, but on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. We track which queries trigger citations for your brand and which ones trigger your competitors. This allows us to identify gaps and optimize our strategy continuously.
- Digital PR for Authority AI models trust authoritative sources. We execute targeted digital PR campaigns to secure mentions and links from high-trust publications in your industry. We focus on context, ensuring that when you are mentioned, it reinforces the specific entity associations we are trying to build.
- The Build-Operate-Transfer Model We don’t just do the work for you; we build the capability within your team. Through our Build-Operate-Transfer model, we set up the systems, run the campaigns, and then train your internal team to take over, ensuring long-term success.
AEO vs GEO vs Traditional SEO
It’s easy to get lost in the acronyms. Here is a clear breakdown of how these disciplines differ:
| Feature | Traditional SEO | Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) | Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Rank high on search engine results pages (SERPs) | Be the direct answer provided by voice assistants and AI | Be cited as a source in generative AI responses (ChatGPT, Perplexity) |
| Target Platform | Google, Bing | Google Featured Snippets, Alexa, Siri | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Google AI Overviews |
| Key Metric | Organic Traffic, Keyword Rankings | Voice Search Visibility, Featured Snippet Ownership | Citation Frequency, Brand Mentions in AI Outputs |
| Core Tactic | Keyword optimization, Backlinks | Q&A formatting, FAQ schema, Concise answers | Information gain, Entity optimization, Authoritative consensus |
| Content Focus | Long-form content, Keyword density | Direct, factual answers | Unique insights, Original research, Expert opinions |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between AEO and GEO?
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on providing direct answers for voice search and featured snippets. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on being cited as a source by large language models like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Why is my B2B company not showing up in ChatGPT?
ChatGPT relies on authoritative consensus and information gain. If your content is generic or your brand lacks strong entity signals across the web, the AI won’t recognize you as a definitive source.
How long does it take to see results from GEO?
Unlike traditional SEO, which can take months, GEO results can sometimes be seen faster if an AI model updates its index or if you secure a citation on a highly trusted, frequently crawled site. However, building true entity authority is a long-term play.
Do backlinks still matter for AI search?
Yes, but context matters more than volume. AI models use links from authoritative, topically relevant sites as a signal of trust and to understand the relationships between different entities.
How do you measure success in AEO/GEO?
Success is measured by citation frequency, brand sentiment in AI outputs, and the appearance of your brand in AI-generated consideration sets for your target queries.
Can we just use our existing SEO agency for GEO?
Only if they have adapted their methodology. Traditional SEO tactics like keyword stuffing and low-quality link building do not work for GEO and can actually harm your entity authority.
What is information gain in SEO?
Information gain refers to the net-new value a piece of content adds to a topic. It’s the unique data, perspective, or expert insight that isn’t already widely available on the internet.
How does The Smarketers integrate HubSpot with AEO?
We use HubSpot to track the full lifecycle of leads generated through AI search, ensuring that the traffic we drive actually converts into pipeline and revenue for your business.
Swati Bansal
Sr. Content Strategist
