Why Our Industry Survey?
When AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews started redefining how people discover content, our team at DirectiveGroup saw two things happening in the B2B world:
- First, traditional SEO strategies that had delivered consistent results for years began losing traction.
- Second, B2B companies with strong marketing teams no longer appeared to be as closely aligned on focus or strategy as in the past.
Determined to get to the bottom of the disruption, we ran our first-ever AI SEO GEO Readiness Survey. We wanted a clear, data-driven look at how prepared B2B organizations really are for the most important shift in digital visibility since Google launched.
We surveyed 195 marketing leaders across the C-suite, VP level, and Director/Manager roles to capture perspectives from the strategic top, the executional middle, and the operational front lines. What we found was eye-opening—and in some cases, alarming.
A Readiness Gap Hiding in Plain Sight
Here are some of the findings we uncovered:
- High dependency, low urgency at the top. Many CXOs acknowledge their revenue depends heavily on organic search, yet fewer than half see AI search disruption as urgent—or feel confident their current strategies will hold up over the next 6–12 months.
- Directors are leading the charge—alone. Operational teams are experimenting, adapting, and even seeing performance gains in AI search interfaces. But without top-down strategic support, their efforts risk stalling.
- Everyone’s concerned, but for different reasons. Some worry about revenue loss, others about visibility or competitive lag. Without a unified view of the stakes, action gets delayed.
These aren’t minor differences. While all levels are experimenting with tactics that work, most lack an integrated, strategic approach. These structural misalignments, if left unresolved, will directly impact market share, brand visibility, and revenue.
Why This Matters to Your B2B
AI-driven search is already here, already shaping your brand’s discoverability, and already being used by your competitors. Companies that don’t address the disruption are about to find themselves invisible where it matters most.
AI SEO GEO is not just another technical SEO acronym. Similarly, this isn’t a “specialist-only” challenge. AI-powered search changes the playing field across organizational levels:
- PR teams must ensure brand narratives surface in AI-driven summaries.
- Social and content teams need to adapt formats and messaging for AI discoverability.
- Brand leaders must protect and grow visibility in a landscape where ranking #1 on Google may no longer matter.
- Executives are accountable for growth but must risk decision-making with an outdated perspective on customer search preferences.
The shift is ultimately about organizational alignment and speed to adapt before AI search reshapes the competitive landscape beyond recognition.
The Time to Act is Now
Our report shows that 46.6% of respondents recognize AI-powered search as a major disruption that requires urgent adaptation. At the same time, however, while many teams have started experimenting with AI SEO tactics, very few have a unified strategy that connects every customer-facing function.
This is where the competitive battleground is forming—and where your opportunity comes in. As an early mover, your B2B company can secure dominant positions in AI-generated results, forcing your competitors to play catch-up.
Why You Need to See the Full Report
As a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping our business clients generate more revenue and an admirable ROI, we ran this survey to give leaders like you the clarity and urgency to move decisively.
From there, we designed our industry report as a blueprint for action—one that works at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels. We provide recommended next steps for all three leadership levels and for organizations as a whole.
Now it’s your turn to act.
AI SEO GEO: Survey Results and the Opportunity You Can’t Afford to Ignore
Join our three-part webinar series beginning August 21 at 2 PM ET. In the first hour-long live session, our panel of experts will break down:
- Which roles are ahead, which are lagging, and why it matters.
- The biggest internal blockers to AI SEO adoption.
- How PR, brand, and social teams can claim their place in this disruption.
- A framework for turning fragmented efforts into a coordinated AI SEO GEO strategy.
Future sessions will dive into the technical foundations of AI-search and brand-level opportunities—so you leave the series with the strategic clarity and practical steps needed to protect and grow your visibility in the AI-driven era.
All webinar attendees will receive a full copy of our industry report, “The GEO Readiness Gap: B2B Marketing’s Next Competitive Battleground,” giving you a clear understanding of the strategic implications for your role and a clear path forward in handling the disruption now before budget season hits.
Ready to see where the market really stands—and where you stand against it?
Register Today for the First Webinar → 📅 August 21 at 2 PM ET
