For years, SEO meant ranking on Google. True search optimization requires a presence on all platforms where discovery happens—like YouTube, Reddit, and social media—as they are all search engines in their own right, a fact now critical with the rise of AI.

Five years ago, a B2B organic strategy meant SEO. Today, it's about social channels. A company's organic presence is defined by what its CEO, employees, and users are posting on platforms like X and LinkedIn, making "building in public" and community engagement the new pillars of organic growth.

Vanity metrics like views don't drive business results. A better approach is to focus on "conversation metrics"—the quality and quantity of interactions in comments and DMs. Speed and personalization in responses build relationships and are a stronger indicator of impact.

AEO is influenced by a brand's entire digital footprint, from Reddit to YouTube to LinkedIn. This counters the startup advice to focus on one or two growth channels, suggesting that a broader, more holistic marketing strategy is now necessary to win in AI search.

With consumers increasingly using AI models like ChatGPT for discovery, traditional SEO metrics are becoming insufficient. Brands must now prioritize appearing in LLM responses, as invisibility in these platforms means missing key moments in the customer's decision-making process.

The customer journey now happens within Google, AI tools, and social media. Marketers must embrace "zero-click marketing"—creating influence and brand preference in these ecosystems, as users may complete their journey without ever visiting the company website.

As users turn to LLMs for answers, brand visibility depends less on optimizing owned web content. The focus must shift to nurturing the community and third-party content (e.g., Reddit, forums) that AI models are trained on. What customers say about you is the new SEO.

For years, the customer journey started with a Google search. That paradigm is now shifting as users begin their discovery process by having conversations with LLMs. This fundamentally changes product design and go-to-market strategy, as the primary interface is no longer a company's website.

Platforms like Reddit are primary data sources for AI models. To shape their narrative in AI-driven search, B2B brands must overcome their fear of these communities. Proactive, human engagement is now a crucial part of brand reputation and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).