SEO isn't dead: AI search actually boosts qualified B2B leads

Mar 6, 2026 · Breaking B2B
🎧 PodShort 22 min squeezed to 3 AI SprinklerAS Marketing Automation
Episode artwork
Sam Dunning
Founder/Director at Breaking B2B
Breaking B2B
22 min squeezed to 3
Full episode from Breaking B2B
Quotable Moments

Let's remember that Google is still a demand capture beast for driving leads, demos, sign-ups, and revenue.

Sam DunningFounder/Director at Breaking B2B
02:30

having your brand mentioned consistently when dream clients are in market for your software and solutions is absolutely crucial.

Sam DunningFounder/Director at Breaking B2B
08:37

And that's why so many of the big players in your niche or your category have great visibility on AI search and LLMs because they've got so many external niche-relevant websites mentioning their brand.

Sam DunningFounder/Director at Breaking B2B
14:38
Key Insights
  • Contrary to popular belief, SEO is not dead. New research analyzing 40,000 of the biggest websites in the US contradicts the idea that AI search is killing organic traffic.
  • The myth that SEO traffic is down 25% or more is largely an overestimation; in reality, SEO traffic is only down 2.5% year-on-year, aligning with Google's own statements of stable organic click volume.
  • Google remains a dominant 'demand capture beast,' processing over 14 billion searches daily. Even with the rise of various LLMs, Google maintains a staggering 93.57% market share of total search volume.
  • AI Overviews primarily impact informational (top-of-funnel) keywords and only appear in about 30% of searches, decreasing click-through rates by roughly 35% when present. They do not significantly affect commercial or high-sales intent queries.
  • The shift in buyer behavior means many prospects now conduct extensive research and evaluation within AI search tools, leading to more qualified inbound leads that often mention AI tools in 'how did you hear about us' questions.
  • Building your brand through external mentions on niche-relevant websites, review sites, industry blogs, podcasts, and YouTube is crucial for visibility in AI search and LLMs, effectively bridging the gap between classic SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
  • Classic bottom-of-funnel, pipeline-focused SEO, especially using listicle articles for 'best X software' and competitor comparisons, still serves as a solid foundation for getting recommended and cited in AI searches.
  • The key is to view SEO and AI search not as isolated channels but as an integrated ecosystem. This means consistently showing up, building trust, entertaining, and educating dream clients across all relevant platforms.
Metrics Mentioned
  • 40,000 of the biggest websites in the US (Number of websites analyzed by Graphite and Similarweb for their research.)
  • 2.5% down year-on-year (Actual decline in SEO traffic according to new research, not the previously claimed 25% or more.)
  • 6.9% increase (Traffic to search engines increased from 2019 to 2020.)
  • 1.5% decrease (Slight decrease in traffic in 2022.)
  • 0.8% increase (Traffic to Google increased slightly in 2025.)
  • 4% increase (Overall increase in traffic across all search engines.)
  • 1.35% growth (Visitors to Google grew when comparing Q4 2024 to Q4 2025.)
  • 14 billion searches each and every day (Number of searches Google processes daily.)
  • 37.5 million chat-like prompts each and every day (Number of prompts ChatGPT handles daily.)
  • 373 times more searches (Google receives this many more searches than ChatGPT.)
  • Under 2% of the total search market (Combined market share of daily prompts across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini.)
  • 93.57% market share of search (Google's maintained market share.)
  • 35% decrease (Click-through rates decrease when Google AI Overviews appear.)
  • 30% of the time (Frequency with which Google AI Overviews appear.)
  • 90% of all clicks (Proportion of clicks still going to organic listings.)
  • 10 times more (Organic clicks are this much more frequent than paid clicks.)

RevBots.ai View:

  • SaaS Hoarders panic about AI killing SEO while missing integrated brand-building opportunities.
  • AI Sprinkler teams bolt on Answer Engine Optimization without connecting to revenue operations.
  • ARM maturity requires treating SEO and AI search as one ecosystem for demand capture.
  • Tab Hoppers still debating SEO's death while ARM leaders optimize the full buyer journey.
🎧Full Episode:Breaking B2B →