How to increase B2B and manufacturing brand visibility in an age of AI

AI has changed the B2B buying journey.

Over the last year, we’ve seen a major shift in how prospects interact with brands online, especially in the B2B and manufacturing sectors.

Since Google introduced AI-powered search in October, the majority of B2B and manufacturing brands we’ve analyzed have experienced a 20% year-on-year drop in website traffic (source: Similarweb). That’s not a blip. It’s a change in customer behavior.

ChatGPT has become a top referral source, in some cases leapfrogging traditional search engines altogether. We’re also seeing a sharp rise in cross-browsing between brand websites and ChatGPT, suggesting that LLMs like ChatGPT are now key touchpoints in early-stage discovery.

Search queries have evolved, too. What used to be two to three keywords are now questions with 20-plus words. People aren’t searching anymore. They’re asking.

And AI tools are answering, with or without your brand’s content in the mix.

What this means for B2B and manufacturing brands

These shifts have real implications for marketing performance and funnel health:

• Lower top-of-funnel discovery. Your audience might never reach your site if AI answers their questions directly.
• Fewer content-driven conversions. If AI serves the answer, your carefully crafted content might be bypassed.
• Weaker retargeting signals. Less traffic means less pixel data, reducing your ability to nurture or retarget.
• MQL decline. Your lead gen forms won’t fill themselves.

AI companions like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity aren’t just influencing decisions. They’re shaping the B2B buying journey. If you’re not visible within these platforms, you’re already behind.

Enter GEO: Generative engine optimization

To compete in this landscape, traditional SEO isn’t enough. It’s time to add generative engine optimization (GEO) to your playbook.

Where SEO was about ranking higher on Google, GEO is about ensuring your brand’s content becomes the answer within AI platforms, whether that’s a chatbot, an AI-powered search result or a voice assistant.

That means:

• Creating content AI models understand, trust and cite.
• Structuring your site for clarity, authority and crawlability.
• Making your insights easy to quote, summarize and surface.

This is about building brand visibility inside LLMs, not just search engines.

Optimizing for AI: How ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini differ

Each platform has its own quirks, and your strategy needs to reflect that.

General visibility tips for all LLMs

• Get mentioned in user-generated content (Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter, Trustpilot).
• Be included in expert roundups (“Best X for Y”).
• Use visuals with proper schema and context.
• Submit your business to structured directories.

Rethinking measurement: From clicks to visibility

In an LLM-first world, web traffic is no longer the only success metric. You’ll need to rethink how you demonstrate value:

• Are your brand’s insights being quoted in AI answers?
• Are you visible in zero-click generative summaries?
• Is your content winning trust even without a visit?

Educating internal stakeholders on these new success indicators is vital. Otherwise, you risk being judged on the wrong KPIs.

Where to start with GEO

At Valtech, we’re helping B2B and manufacturing brands run GEO audits, build AI-optimized content plans and shift measurement frameworks to match today’s buying journeys.

We can help you:

• Identify where your brand is (and isn’t) visible in LLMs.
• Optimize your site for AI-citable content.
• Build a roadmap for growth in a post-SEO world.
• Create content workflows with clear roles and responsibilities.

Ready to make GEO your competitive advantage?

Let’s talk about what’s next. If you're looking to future-proof your marketing strategy, increase visibility across AI platforms and maintain growth in the face of declining web traffic, we’re here to help.