We’re standing at a crossroads in B2B marketing—and no, this isn’t just another AI hype cycle. This shift is real, and it’s already changing how your buyers discover brands, evaluate vendors, and decide what makes it onto their shortlist.
In this episode of Growth Activated, I sat down with Mark Goloboy, AI consultant and founder of Market Growth Consulting, to unpack what’s actually happening beneath the surface of modern SEO. What we discovered? The rules of buyer discovery have changed, and most marketers are still playing by the old playbook.
From how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini decide what content to surface, to the underestimated power of PR, paid media, and social signals in shaping brand authority—this is the conversation every B2B leader needs to hear right now.
The SEO Landscape Has Fundamentally Shifted
Let’s start here: SEO isn’t dead. But it’s evolving—fast.
Mark breaks it down simply: “The new path to brand discovery doesn’t start with a Google query. It starts with an LLM prompt.”
When your buyers want a quick answer, product comparison, or vendor recommendation, they’re increasingly asking tools like ChatGPT or Gemini. And these tools don’t just pull from your website. They reference:
- Third-party review sites (e.g., G2, TrustRadius)
- Industry publications
- Press releases
- Social content
- Paid placements and PR hits
If you’re only optimizing for Google, you’re ignoring the new discovery engines your buyers are using daily.
(Need more context? Our B2B marketing AI strategy recap with Nicole Leffer expands on this shift beautifully.)
LLM Optimization 101: What It Actually Means
LLM optimization (sometimes called LLMO or GEO) is about training the AI tools to recognize and recommend your brand.
That requires:
- Publishing content on high-authority third-party sites
- Using keywords and competitors’ names in owned and earned media
- Understanding which LLMs your audience uses (ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Perplexity)
Mark's go-to tactic? Use prompts like:
"What does [your company] do? Who are their top competitors? What features are they best known for?"
Try it in 2–3 LLMs. You’ll quickly discover:
- How well your brand is represented
- What’s missing or outdated
- Which sources the LLMs are pulling from (and ignoring)
(For more leadership-level insights into how CMOs are shifting strategy, check out Shirin Shahin’s playbook for AI-forward marketing teams.)
Search-Everywhere Optimization: Beyond Google
You’ve heard of SEO. Now meet its more comprehensive cousin: Search Everywhere Optimization.
Buyers aren’t just Googling. They’re searching on:
- YouTube
- TikTok
- G2/Capterra
- ChatGPT
Mark puts it plainly: “You have to show up where the models and the buyers are searching—not just where you wish they were.”
This includes:
- Repurposing blogs into social posts
- Getting strategic with review site placements
- Reinvesting SEM dollars into LLM-favored channels
- Reviving PR as a growth function (more on that below)
(Speaking of holistic strategy: revisit our RevOps perspective on marketing ROI with Jeff Ignacio.)
PR and Paid Media: Your New Secret Weapons (Again)
One of the most surprising findings from Mark’s AI-powered audits? The outsized influence of PR coverage and industry media in shaping what LLMs surface.
These aren’t just branding plays anymore. They're performance drivers in AI ecosystems.
Recommendations:
- Create keyword-rich press releases that mention competitors (yes, really)
- Partner with industry media on sponsored content
- Publish roundup-style posts where your company ranks itself alongside peers
Why it works: LLMs assign more weight to third-party mentions than your own site. So while your blog post might get ignored, a shoutout on a trusted industry outlet won’t.
(Need more career-proofing ideas? Don’t miss our deep dive on The Future of Marketing Leadership in 2025.)
How to Measure LLM Optimization Performance
Traditional SEO metrics—clicks, rankings, backlinks—don’t tell the whole story here. Instead, LLM optimization is measured through:
- Prompt-based brand audits
- Competitive ranking in AI-generated results
- Brand visibility across LLMs (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)
- Source analysis (which domains AI trusts most)
Mark uses a tool called Brand Luminaire to track this. It’s not his software, but he’s a partner—and he uses it to:
- Benchmark visibility
- Identify content gaps
- Recommend spend shifts across media, PR, and SEO
If you’re investing in AI-informed marketing, you need a measurement framework built for LLM behavior.
Real-World AI Marketing Use Cases
Mark isn’t just consulting—he’s building. Here are two standout examples:
1. AI-Powered Content Factory
One public company hired his team to:
- Turn 50 product specs into 1,600+ translated, optimized web pages
- Use LLMs for initial content generation
- Loop in SEO, LLM optimization, and multivariate testing via Optimizely
The result? More pages, more languages, higher visibility—all with faster turnaround.
2. Gong-Powered Revenue Insights
Another client is using Gong call transcripts to:
- Detect churn risk and expansion ops
- Pipe insights to leadership in real time
- Fuel proactive outreach across teams
AI isn’t just for content anymore. It’s for insight at scale.
Where to Start If You’re a B2B Marketing Leader
Not sure where to begin? Here’s what Mark recommends:
1. Run an LLM brand audit
Open ChatGPT or Gemini and ask:
- What does my company do?
- Who are my competitors?
- What are my top strengths/weaknesses?
2. Challenge your team
Encourage marketers to:
- Ask an LLM a question about your brand
- Report back what they learned
- Use it to update content and positioning
3. Redirect spend intentionally
Look at where you're investing in SEO, SEM, and paid media. Then ask:
- Which of these sources show up in LLM results?
- Should we experiment with G2, TrustRadius, or paid content instead?
(For another deep dive on high-performance content strategy, check out Zoe Hawkins’ episode.)
TL;DR: What Mark Wants You to Know
“AI won’t replace marketers. But marketers who use AI will replace those who don’t.”
Here’s how to stay relevant:
- Treat LLMs like real discovery engines
- Prioritize content off your website (PR, review sites, media)
- Measure what matters: brand presence, not just web traffic
- Repurpose smartly for "search everywhere" visibility
- Stay curious. Experiment. Get uncomfortable.
AI isn’t just another channel—it’s reshaping how trust is built.
If this post sparked ideas or gave you a new way to approach SEO, share it with your marketing team. Because the brands that adapt early will own the future.
And if you're building your 2025 strategy now, don't miss our CMO Playbook or this look at marketing, growth, and profitability through the CFO lens.