A company looking to hire a technology, financial services, or digital marketing provider may begin its research by asking ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude which options are available, how they differ, and which one might best meet its needs. Within seconds, it receives a response that may include company names, service descriptions, and references for further research, without having to visit the websites of every provider mentioned.
This behavior is changing how companies reach potential customers, particularly in B2B markets, where purchasing decisions require comparing alternatives, justifying budgets, and evaluating the risks of hiring a provider. Google remains one of the main starting points, but it now shares that process with artificial intelligence tools, professional networks, specialized media, and other platforms that influence buyers before they make commercial contact.
For marketing teams, this presents a challenge: a company may have active campaigns, appear in search results, and receive website traffic, yet still be absent from the recommendations a potential customer receives when using other resources to research which providers to consider.
Your Customers Are Researching Before Contacting You
In March 2026, Gartner published the results of a survey in which 67% of B2B buyers said they preferred a purchasing experience without interacting with sales representatives, while 45% reported having used artificial intelligence during a recent purchase. These findings show that buyers want to move independently through much of the research and evaluation process, consulting different sources before speaking with a salesperson.
Similar findings emerged from 6sense's 2025 B2B Buyer Experience Report,an international study involving nearly 4,000 buyers. According to the report, in 95% of cases, the provider ultimately selected was already on the buyer's initial shortlist, and approximately four out of five deals favored the provider the buyer preferred before making commercial contact.
For companies investing in lead generation, these findings deserve attention because they indicate that a significant part of commercial competition takes place before an opportunity is recorded in the CRM. By the time someone completes a form or requests a meeting, they have probably already researched several alternatives and formed an opinion about which providers deserve their trust.
This also helps explain why two companies can generate similar numbers of leads through digital campaigns and achieve different commercial results. Brand recognition, the clarity of the commercial offering, and available references can influence a buyer's decision long before marketing or sales teams have an opportunity to interact with them.
Artificial Intelligence Is Changing How Providers Are Discovered
One of the differences between a traditional search and a query made through an artificial intelligence tool lies in how information is presented. While Google allows users to explore results, advertisements, and pages related to a search, platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini can gather information from different sources, compare alternatives, and generate responses based on specific needs.
For example, an IT manager may request a comparison of cybersecurity providers for a medium-sized company in Mexico, specifying its budget, infrastructure, and operational requirements. Another buyer might research which financial platforms operate in Latin America or which agencies have experience working with B2B technology companies.
The responses depend on the information available, the sources consulted, any existing reviews or opinions on the internet, and how each platform operates. These systems can also make mistakes, omit relevant companies, or present outdated information, meaning that no organization can guarantee its inclusion in a recommendation.
However, companies can work to ensure that clear, consistent, and verifiable information exists about their products, services, and experience. This includes keeping their websites updated, developing specialized content, and ensuring their track records are documented in spaces relevant to buyers, such as media outlets, industry publications, and professional profiles.
In this context, concepts such as GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) y AEO (Answer Engine Optimizationreferring to content optimization for answer engines and artificial intelligence systems. Although there is still no universal methodology that guarantees inclusion in their results, many recommended practices are based on familiar SEO principles: well-structured information, useful content, topical clarity, and reliable sources.
The opportunity lies in understanding what questions buyers are asking and whether the information available about a company can adequately answer them.
What This Means for Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Many organizations continue to manage Google Ads, SEO, LinkedIn, content, and Public Relations as independent activities, with separate budgets and performance indicators, even though buyers may use all these channels during the same research process.
Someone may discover a company through advertising, search for additional information on Google, review its executives' LinkedIn profiles, consult an artificial intelligence tool, and read a specialized publication before returning to the corporate website to request a proposal. Some of these interactions will be visible in analytics tools, while others will be difficult to attribute to a specific campaign.
For this reason, before increasing advertising investment or incorporating new platforms, companies should review how they appear in the spaces where their potential customers conduct research.
A relatively simple exercise involves selecting three competitors and conducting searches on Google, ChatGPT, and Gemini using questions a real buyer would ask. For example, which providers are most recommended for a particular solution, which companies have experience in a specific industry, or what the main differences are between the available alternatives.
The results may reveal outdated information, a lack of references, better-positioned competitors, or questions that corporate content does not yet answer. Although AI-generated responses can vary and a single query does not constitute a definitive measurement, repeating this exercise periodically can help identify opportunities and compare them with other indicators.
The evaluation should also consider branded searches, organic traffic, visits from external referrals, competitive visibility, and the quality of leads generated. In B2B companies, where sales cycles can extend over several months, connecting these indicators with information from the sales team helps provide a better understanding of which activities are contributing to the development of business opportunities.
Priorities will depend on each organization. Some will need to strengthen their organic search positioning, while others may need to improve their search campaigns, develop specialized content, or expand their presence on professional platforms. What matters is that these decisions respond to buyer behavior and specific business objectives.
Your Next Business Opportunity May Begin Outside Your Website
The expansion of artificial intelligence tools does not mean abandoning Google or automatically changing digital advertising budgets. Search engines will remain relevant, but companies need to recognize that their customers are using an increasing number of resources to research and compare providers before making contact.
To achieve business results in B2B digital marketing, this means taking a broader view of the purchasing process, understanding where brands are discovered, what information influences their evaluation, and which channels can contribute to generating business opportunities.
While a company analyzes the clicks and conversions generated by its campaigns, its next customers may already be comparing providers, consulting recommendations, and building a shortlist of companies they will eventually contact. Being present during that research can influence who gets the opportunity to participate when the sales process finally begins.
Reach the companies that need what you sell.
At CEMPR Digital, we develop B2B digital marketing strategies to improve companies' positioning and generate new business opportunities.
