Your buyers are asking AI about you. Are you in the answer?

Why your buyers now start with AI

Most marketing budgets haven't noticed — a quarter of brands haven't changed a thing (more on that below) — but a growing share of buying now starts inside an AI assistant. In the 6sense 2025 Buyer Experience Report, 94% of B2B buyers said they use large language models — ChatGPT, Gemini and the like — during their purchase journey. The hard numbers are B2B, but the behaviour isn't fussy: anyone with a phone now asks an assistant before they ask a supplier.

And most of that homework happens before anyone speaks to you — Forrester puts 70–80% of B2B research pre-contact.

By the time a prospect reaches your website, the shortlist is already drawn up. You're either on it, or you're not.

SEO vs AEO: what's the difference?

Where SEO is about ranking on a results page, Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is about being the answer the AI gives when someone asks "who's the best supplier for this?" or "who can I trust near me?". Same goal — getting found by people ready to buy — different front door.

Why does AEO matter now, not next year?

Two things make this worth your attention today.

It converts. HubSpot reported its own leads from AEO closed 3x better than its other sources. That tracks: someone arriving from a considered AI recommendation has already done their research, so they land warmer than a cold click.

The field is wide open. Digiday's 2026 research found 27% of brands haven't changed their strategy for AI search at all, and 16% aren't even familiar with it. However you read that, a large slice of your competitors aren't in the answer yet.

How do you get into the answer?

• Answer the real questions your buyers ask, in plain language. AI assistants quote clear, direct answers — not brochure copy.
• Make your proof easy to find — reviews, case studies, specifics. AI leans heavily on what other people say about you.
• Check what AI already says about you. Ask ChatGPT who's best in your field in your town. If your name isn't in the answer, that's a customer going to whoever's is.

It's the same instinct as good SEO, pointed at a new front door — which is why it now sits at the heart of SEO and AI search work, not beside it.

The buying behaviour has already shifted, and marketing follows the customer, not the other way round. If your buyers are time-poor and increasingly asking AI before they ask you, the real question is simple: do you turn up in the answer?

Be the answer, not the afterthought.

Want to see what AI says about your business right now? Ask us for a quick check — we'll show you where you turn up, and where you don't.

FAQ

What's the difference between SEO and AEO?

SEO is about ranking on a search results page; AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is about being the answer an AI assistant gives when someone asks who to use. Same goal — getting found by ready-to-buy people — different front door.

How do I start with AEO?

Answer the real questions your buyers ask in plain language, make your proof (reviews, case studies, specifics) easy to find, and check what AI already says about you — ask ChatGPT who's best in your field and area. If your name isn't there, that's the gap to close first.

Sources

• 6sense 2025 Buyer Experience Report (n=3,986) — 94% of B2B buyers use LLMs in the purchase journey (via Testimonial Star): https://testimonialstar.com/resources/b2b-buyer-journey-llms-2026/
• Forrester 2025 B2B Buying Study — 70–80% of research happens pre-contact (via Testimonial Star): https://testimonialstar.com/resources/b2b-buyer-journey-llms-2026/
• HubSpot — 3x better lead conversion from AEO (updated 5 Jun 2026): https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/answer-engine-optimization-trends
• Digiday+ Research 2026 (n=142 brand/agency professionals, 7 Jan 2026) — 27% no strategy change, 16% unfamiliar with GEO/AEO: https://digiday.com/marketing/digiday-research-the-marketers-guide-to-ai-applications-agentic-ai-ai-search-and-geo-aeo-in-2026/