AI is changing how people search—and how they buy.
With the rise of Google’s AI Overview, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI-powered assistants, the traditional search journey is being rewritten in real time. Brands that adapt will unlock higher-quality leads, mid-funnel dominance, and scalable sales growth.
This isn’t just about ranking on page one anymore. It’s about owning the answer in generative search and positioning your brand as the trusted solution during key decision-making moments.
In this blog post, we’ll break down:
- How AI search reshapes buyer behavior
- What kind of content gets visibility in AI-generated responses
- How to optimize for mid-funnel, high-intent queries
- Tactics to drive sales through AI SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
The Rise of Generative Search: What Changed?
Traditional search relied on users typing queries, scanning results, and clicking into websites. But AI search platforms like Google’s AI Overview and ChatGPT summarize answers within the interface—reducing clicks and reshaping how people evaluate their options.
This means the sales funnel is no longer linear. Instead of “awareness → consideration → decision,” users now bounce between moments of curiosity, discovery, and validation—all within a single AI response.
If your business doesn’t show up at the moment of recommendation, you’re invisible.
How Buyers Make Decisions in AI-Powered Search
AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overview are now the first impression for your brand. Here’s how users typically behave:
- Ask conversational questions (e.g., “What’s the best email marketing tool for startups?”)
- Receive a synthesized answer with recommended products or services
- Click on suggested sources or brands within the AI snippet
- Evaluate a short list of options—often skipping traditional SERPs entirely
- Make a mid-funnel decision directly from a recommendation, listicle, or brand mention
Buying decisions are increasingly made inside AI interfaces, not by scrolling ten search results deep.
Content That Converts in Generative Search
The key to winning AI search is creating content that earns trust, citations, and visibility. This includes:
1. Topical Authority Pages
Content that fully explains a topic with depth and accuracy is more likely to be referenced by LLMs and AI search engines. Aim for comprehensive guides, expert explainers, and semantic coverage of your niche.
2. List-Style Recommendations
AI assistants love list formats: “Top 10,” “Best for…,” and “Recommended Tools for…” These often get surfaced in answers and cited as objective summaries.
3. FAQ and Comparison Content
Buyers ask detailed questions. Content that compares, contrasts, and explains trade-offs between options (especially yours vs. competitors) tends to appear in follow-up prompts.
4. Schema and Structured Data
Use structured markup to help AI systems understand your product, services, pricing, and reviews. Schema helps your site show up in rich snippets and enables machine-readable content parsing.
5. Third-Party Mentions and EEAT Signals
Google’s AI Overview pulls from trusted sources. Get your brand mentioned in relevant roundups, review articles, press, and directories to increase your authority footprint.
Mid-Funnel Optimization: The Missing Link in Most SEO Strategies
Most marketers focus on top-of-funnel visibility or bottom-funnel conversions—but the AI era rewards mid-funnel influence.
These are the moments where the buyer is:
- Actively researching options
- Comparing features or pricing
- Asking for “best” tools, services, or vendors
- Seeking proof points (testimonials, case studies, reviews)
To win these moments:
- Build comparison landing pages (e.g., “Proven ROI vs. [Competitor]”)
- Write AI-optimized blog posts that answer mid-funnel questions (e.g., “How to choose the right CRM for mortgage companies”)
- Use first-party data in posts (real stats, customer results) that AI can cite
- Submit your content to aggregators and B2B directories—these often show up in ChatGPT responses and Google AI citations
How to Show Up in Google AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overview pulls from multiple sources, not just your site. Here’s how to improve your visibility:
- Write authoritative, semantically rich content on high-intent keywords
- Use headings and question-based subheads that mimic user prompts
- Publish under expert bylines to boost EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness)
- Earn backlinks from respected sources to improve your content’s reputation in Google's algorithm
- Submit to Google News, business listings, and industry sites—AI Overviews pull heavily from trusted domains
How to Get Mentioned in ChatGPT and Bing AI Results
ChatGPT and Bing Chat often cite recent articles, product listings, or directories. To show up:
- Publish product-focused content with clear descriptions and benefits
- Update blog posts regularly with fresh statistics, use cases, and pricing
- Answer niche questions that your ideal buyer is likely to ask
- Leverage platforms like Product Hunt, G2, Capterra, and industry blogs
Also: start conversations in public forums like Reddit, Quora, and X (formerly Twitter)—ChatGPT often references these when generating responses.
GEO: Generative Engine Optimization Is the Future of SEO
SEO is evolving into GEO—Generative Engine Optimization—the art of being cited, mentioned, or surfaced in AI-generated results.
Key GEO tactics include:
- AI-friendly formatting: Use H2/H3 questions, bullet points, summaries, and answer-first paragraphs.
- Topic clusters: Build interlinked content hubs around a niche to show authority.
- Natural language: Write like your audience speaks—AI favors human-like phrasing.
- Citation-ready content: Include stats, case studies, and unique data that’s easy to quote.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Rank—Get Referenced
The future of search is recommendation, not ranking. AI-powered engines like Google’s AI Overview and ChatGPT are becoming gatekeepers to the modern buyer journey.
To drive sales, your brand must be reference-worthy.
That means building high-quality, helpful, and relevant content that answers real questions and supports mid-funnel decision-making.
At Proven ROI®, we specialize in AI SEO and GEO—helping brands like yours dominate AI-driven search, increase authority, and turn visibility into revenue.
Let’s optimize your next chapter. Contact us to learn how we can help you win in the age of AI-powered buyer behavior.
