SEOx: The new rules of search in the AI era

The truth about getting found in 2025 and beyond

Look, we’re going to tell you something that’s going to upset a lot of SEO agencies and marketing gurus: Search as we know it is dying. And if you’re still dumping your entire budget into ranking #1 on Google, you’re playing yesterday’s game. 

The market always evolves faster than most people are willing to accept. And right now, we’re seeing a massive shift in how people actually find and consume information. 

Let me break this down with some real talk. 

The hard truth about modern search 

You know what’s crazy? We just got this research from 6sense showing that B2B buyers spend 70% of their time researching before they ever talk to a vendor. And here’s the kicker—they’re not just sitting on Google. They’re in communities, on LinkedIn, watching YouTube, engaging in Slack groups, and now leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT to get answers. 

But what are most companies doing? They’re still obsessing over the same old SEO playbook that worked in 2015. It’s like trying to win on Instagram using Facebook strategies from 2010. The game has changed. 

What’s really happening?

1. AI is eating traditional search alive. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity—these tools aren’t just giving links anymore. They’re giving direct, synthesized answers. And if your brand isn’t being cited by AI, you’re invisible. 
2. Search has completely fragmented. Research shows B2B buyers have 800+ interactions during their buying process. They’re: 
   • Diving deep into LinkedIn discussions 
   • Watching detailed YouTube breakdowns 
   • Reading Reddit threads for real user experiences 
   • Engaging in Slack communities for peer advice 
   • Checking G2 and Trustpilot for validation 
3. The old metrics are dead. Bounce rate? Page views? Meaningless. AI is answering questions without sending traffic to websites. 

The new game: Search Everywhere Optimization (SEOx)

Most companies are looking for some SEO hack while missing the bigger opportunity. It’s not about hacks anymore. It’s about being everywhere your audience searches. 

Take this real example. A CMO was spending $50K a month on SEO—content, backlinks, technical optimization. But when we mapped where his buyers were researching, here’s what we found: 

• His target CTOs were in specific Reddit communities. 
• Engineering managers were active in Slack groups. 
• Procurement teams were using AI tools for initial research. 
• Peer networks and review sites were their final validation points. 

Where was his brand? Nowhere. Just chasing Google rankings while missing 90% of the actual conversation. 

This is why SEOx—Search Everywhere Optimization—is the new game. It’s about building what we call “brand gravity”—being omnipresent across every platform where your buyers search. 

The SEOx Playbook 

Step 1: Find your audience’s digital watering holes 

Use these methods to uncover where your buyers hang out: 

• LinkedIn activity audit: Stalk your best customers’ activity and track the communities, content, and influencers they engage with. 
• Reddit deep dive: Find the subreddits your buyers participate in, analyze top posts, and extract common questions and concerns. 
• Review mining: Go to G2, Trustpilot, and Capterra. Read the reviews like your business depends on it (because it does). 
• Slack and Discord detective work: Join the niche Slack and Discord communities where your audience is exchanging insights daily. 

Step 2: Optimize for AI search 

AI search is predicting what people will ask before they search—and Google is no longer the gatekeeper. 

• Get AI-cited: AI tools pull from trusted sources. If you’re not appearing in industry reports, authority blogs, or research papers, fix that now. 
• Format for AI: AI models love structured content—bullet points, clear sections, well-researched facts. 
• Track AI mentions: Tools like Perplexity Labs and BrandMentions show where AI is referencing you. 
• Leverage experts: AI prioritizes credibility—partner with industry leaders to build authoritative content AI trusts. 

Step 3: Dominate community-driven search 

People trust their peers more than they trust your marketing. Your brand needs to be actively contributing value in: 

• LinkedIn and Reddit discussions (not just lurking—adding insights) 
• Industry-specific Slack communities (providing expertise, not sales pitches) 
• YouTube and TikTok search (short-form video is now a search engine) 
• Decentralized search engines like Neeva and Brave (early adopters win here) 

Step 4: Build an AI-first content strategy 

• Predictive SEO – AI isn’t just answering searches; it’s predicting them. If your content isn’t positioned before people even search, you’re too late. 
• Multimodal optimization – Search isn’t just text anymore. Optimize for: 
  • Video SEO (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels) 
  • Voice Search (Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa) 
  • Image Search (Google Lens, AI-driven visual discovery) 
• Citation network expansion – AI doesn’t rank pages, it ranks sources. Get mentioned in: 
  • Industry research reports 
  • Podcasts and YouTube interviews 
  • Analyst publications and peer discussions 

The bottom line 

Search is no longer about just ranking—it’s about being found wherever users search. 

• Buyers are doing 70% of their research before talking to vendors. 
• They’re having 800+ interactions during their buying journey. 
• AI is shaping search behavior before users even type a query. 
• Peer recommendations now outweigh traditional marketing. 

The companies that execute SEOx well will own their categories in the AI era. The ones that don’t? They’ll become invisible. 

Your 90-day SEOx action plan

Month 1: Build your foundation 

• Execute audience research and map digital watering holes. 
• Audit your brand’s AI presence. 
• Create structured, AI-optimized content. 

Month 2: Expand your citation network 

• Secure mentions in authoritative industry sources. 
• Join and engage in peer-driven communities. 
• Develop video and voice-optimized content. 

Month 3: Scale what works 

• Track AI citations and community engagement. 
• Double down on content formats with high impact. 
• Build deeper relationships with influencers & analysts. 

Final thought: Will you adapt or be left behind? 

The rules of search are shifting faster than ever. 

• Google’s dominance is fading. 
• AI-driven search is reshaping how information is found. 
• Peer-driven, decentralized discovery is now the real battleground. 

Most brands won’t adapt—they’ll cling to outdated SEO tactics, watching their traffic evaporate. But the brands that embrace SEOx? They’ll own their space. 

So, will you evolve or disappear?

The new era of marketing execution: AI, speed, and scale

Marketing execution is evolving—traditional models are too slow and costly. AI-driven search is changing buyer behavior, and execution must keep pace.

2X offers on-demand, AI-powered marketing execution that integrates seamlessly with in-house teams, eliminating inefficiencies and accelerating impact without adding headcount. 

Stay ahead of the shift. Discover how 2X helps marketing leaders execute smarter and scale faster. 

Author

Lisa Cole

Lisa Cole serves as the CMO at 2X, where she helps marketing leaders deliver greater impact with fewer resources. Former CMO for Huron, FARO Technologies, and Cellebrite, and author of The Revenue RAMP, Lisa has a proven track record of transforming marketing organizations into high-performing, scalable growth engines. She specializes in leveraging AI, strategic outsourcing and growth marketing strategies to scale marketing, driving operational excellence, and accelerating revenue growth.

Author

Hassan Radwan

Hassan is a passionate SEO specialist who thrives on navigating the dynamic landscape of digital marketing. With a solid background in SEO ranking and a keen eye for emerging trends, he has played a pivotal role in driving client growth across a spectrum of businesses. From startups and SMEs to large corporations, Hassan believes in delivering a tailored approach that consistently results in enhanced visibility, improved ranking, and increased revenue.