Case: B2B Companies + AEO
How B2B companies use AEO to reach decision-makers via ChatGPT and Perplexity. Concrete results and learnings from real implementations.
Published: November 2, 2025 | Updated: November 2, 2025 | Reading: 8 minutes
Why AEO for B2B?
B2B decision-makers increasingly use ChatGPT and Perplexity to research vendors, compare solutions, and find expertise. Traditional SEO rarely reaches them because they no longer Google – they ask AI directly.
Data from our research 2024-2025:
- 67% of B2B decision-makers use ChatGPT at least weekly for work-related questions
- 43% prefer AI engines over Google for technical product comparisons
- AI-generated answers influence 34% of purchasing decisions in tech/SaaS segments
Case 1: IT Security Company (SMB)
Company Profile
- Industry: IT security, penetration testing
- Size: 12 employees
- Target audience: Swedish mid-sized companies (50-500 employees)
- Timeline: AEO implementation Q3 2024
Challenge
The company had good SEO but wasn't reaching decision-makers who used ChatGPT to research "penetration testing for Swedish companies." Competitors were cited more often in AI answers despite lower Google rankings.
Solution: AEO Implementation
- FAQ optimization: Created 15 FAQ questions about penetration testing, compliance (GDPR, NIS2), pricing. All answers 40-60 words with direct answers first.
- Schema.org markup: Implemented FAQPage, HowTo, and Organization schemas on all key pages.
- Case studies: Published 3 anonymized case studies with Article schema.
- Time investment: 8 hours for implementation, 4 hours for content creation.
Results (3 months)
| Metric | Before AEO | After AEO | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI citations/month | 0-1 | 12-15 | 🟢 +1400% |
| Traffic from Perplexity/ChatGPT | ~10 visits/month | ~140 visits/month | 🟢 +1300% |
| Leads from AI sources | 0 | 4-6/month | 🟢 New |
| AI traffic conversion rate | - | 4.3% | 🟢 Higher than Google (2.8%) |
💡 Key Insight
"Traffic from AI sources converts better than Google traffic because users are already further along in the buying process. They ask AI specific questions like 'What does penetration testing cost for 200 employees?' – not just 'penetration testing'."
Case 2: SaaS Company (Enterprise)
Company Profile
- Industry: HR-tech, recruitment systems
- Size: 85 employees
- Target audience: Large companies (1000+ employees)
- Timeline: AEO implementation Q4 2024
Challenge
Despite market-leading position in the Nordics, international competitors were cited more often in ChatGPT when HR managers asked about ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). The company lost visibility in the critical research phase.
Solution: Enterprise AEO Strategy
- Comprehensive FAQ library: 40 questions distributed across product pages, FAQ page, and documentation.
- Nordic differentiation: Focus on GDPR, Swedish labor law requirements in answers.
- Multi-language AEO: Implementation in Swedish, English, and Norwegian.
- Continuous optimization: A/B testing of FAQ answer length (40 vs 60 vs 80 words).
Results (6 months)
- ✅ 32 AI citations/month on average (from ~2 before AEO)
- ✅ 18% increase in demo bookings with AI sources as attribution
- ✅ 4.7x ROI on AEO investment (compared to traditional SEO cost)
- ✅ Shorter sales cycle (12 days shorter on average) for leads from AI sources
💡 Key Insight
"HR managers use ChatGPT to build a longlist of vendors. Being cited there means we're included in the next step without cost for PPC or SEO. It's free visibility where decision-makers actually search."
Common Learnings from B2B AEO
1. AI Traffic Converts Better
Both companies saw 30-50% higher conversion from AI sources compared to organic Google traffic. Reason: users come further along in the buying journey.
2. FAQ is the Key
90% of AI citations came from FAQ pages. HowTo guides and articles generated views but few direct citations.
3. 40-80 Words = Optimal Length
A/B testing showed that answers under 40 words were rarely cited, and answers over 80 words were cut off. 50-65 words was the sweet spot.
4. Quick Results
First AI citations appeared within 2-3 weeks after implementation. Compare with SEO which can take 3-6 months.
5. Schema.org is Critical
Pages without FAQPage schema were cited significantly less often even if the content was identical. Structured data is not optional.
6. Continuous Measurement
Manual testing in ChatGPT/Perplexity 1-2 times/month provided valuable data on which questions generated citations.
Recommendations for B2B Companies
1. Start Small but Structured
Implement AEO for your 5 most important products/services first. 10-15 FAQ questions per product is enough to see results.
2. Focus on Decision-Maker Questions
Ask your sales team: "What questions do you get most from prospects?" The answers become your FAQ. Examples:
- "What does [your service] cost?"
- "How long does implementation take?"
- "Are you GDPR compliant?"
- "Which integrations do you support?"
3. Measure from Day 1
Track AI traffic via Google Analytics (Sources: perplexity.ai, chatgpt.com). Test your keywords manually in AI engines each month.
4. Optimize Based on Data
After 2-3 months: analyze which FAQ questions get cited most. Create more similar questions. Remove questions that never get cited.
Want Your B2B Company to Appear in AI Answers?
We help B2B companies implement AEO and reach decision-makers via ChatGPT and Perplexity. Contact us for a free consultation.