Is SEO dead? How AI is changing B2B marketing

The way we consume information is changing drastically. While Google was once the ultimate destination for any query, today LLMs (Large Language Models), such as ChatGPT and Gemini, are taking on a central role in the decision-making journey. For B2B companies, this transition requires more than a simple keyword update; it demands a paradigm shift from traditional SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

In this article, we explore the insights shared by Patrícia Gomes, a leader at Edenred, on how organizations are using artificial intelligence to build reputation, hyper-personalize customer service, and prepare teams for the future.

What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?

GEO is the evolution of SEO for the age of generative artificial intelligence. While traditional SEO focused exhaustively on text density and technical aspects to rank on Google, GEO assumes that reputation is the main pillar of ranking.

LLMs don't just "see" the website; they read and process the content to deliver direct answers to the user. To be cited as an authority by generative AI, your brand needs other reliable sources to validate your expertise. It's not enough to talk about yourself; the digital ecosystem needs to confirm that your information makes sense.

PR strategy and dense content

To dominate GEO, Edenred adopted a "heavy editorial" approach, treating content as a Public Relations (PR) strategy. The tactics included:

• Presence in Tier 1 media outlets: coverage in major news outlets to generate external authority.
• Proprietary research: creating unprecedented data on the electric fleet market to become the primary source of information.
• Dense and structured content: website redesign focusing on Q&A (questions and answers), preparing the ground for AI prompts.

The impact of LLMs on the B2B customer journey

In the B2B market, technological complexity and the management of multiple environments often lead to slowdowns and information silos. The application of LLMs and AI agents emerges as the engine to solve these problems.

Hyper-personalization and operational efficiency

Artificial intelligence allows us to go beyond the "many options" that often generate anxiety in traditional marketing. With AI, it's possible to achieve hyper-personalization.

1. Objective communication: adapt the channel (WhatsApp, email, or books) according to the client's reading preferences.
2. Sales agents: assistants who analyze a company's profile (such as a telecom company with 10,000 vehicles) and deliver the sales pitch and ideal products even before the first meeting.
3. Sentiment and pain point analysis: using LLMs to study interviews and specific stakeholder pain points, enabling a direct and assertive conversation.

Compliance challenges and the era of private agents

As AI becomes ubiquitous, critical cybersecurity risks emerge. The use of publicly available AI for sensitive company data, such as sales or billing records, poses a real danger.

To circumvent this, the trend is towards adopting secure environments, such as "Edenchat" or Skyone Studio, which allow working with confidential information within a private LLM framework. In the European market, for example, regulation requires companies to rigorously control their AI applications, making compliance an extensive part of the technology strategy.

The future: superhumans or replacements?

Artificial intelligence is not meant to replace human thought, but to empower it, creating what Patricia calls "superhumans." The great challenge, however, is the development of critical thinking.

The art of asking questions (Prompt Engineering)

Traditional schooling taught generations how to answer, but the future demands knowing how to ask questions. A good leader in the age of AI is one who knows how to challenge the machine and use AI as a brainstorming tool, not as a crutch that atrophies cognitive ability.

In marketing, this translates to a professional who masters storytelling. The technique may be provided by AI, but the intrinsic value, the emotion and inspiration, the "heart" of the business, remain human.

Conclusion: AI as an engine for prosperity

The AI ​​revolution has already surpassed the impact of the internet. For businesses, the focus should be on solving real-world problems through the application layer, using robust infrastructures (such as cloud computing) to accelerate digital innovation.

Success in the age of intelligence depends not only on technology, but on the ability to keep curiosity alive and ethics at the heart of operations.

Would you like to delve deeper into this conversation? 

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Written by Skyone