For years, Google search results have been the starting point for B2B buyers and search engine optimisation (SEO) meant fighting for page-one rankings, carefully crafting pages to match keywords. The more you spent the better your gains.
While that world is still here, but it is no longer enough because AI search is changing how buyers discover and evaluate companies. It is no longer about pages; it is about reputation.
AI does not behave like Google SERPs
Google shows a ranked list of links. AI answers questions by looking across your entire digital footprint and assembling a summary. AI weighs what has been published about you, where it was published, how recent it is, and whether it can be verified across multiple sources. The result is not “position one” but a recommendation, often framed as advice.
It feels closer to due diligence than to search.
Think Nokia, a once dominated mobile phone brand but ultimately failed to shift from hardware-driven devices to a software-led, app-driven ecosystem. Apple and Android redefined the rules of the game, and Nokia’s dominance evaporated. AI search is the same kind of shift.
Reputation is the new SEO
For AI, your brand is an entity and the question it will ask: Is this company credible, trustworthy, and relevant? To answer, it looks at the quality and quantity of your presence online, and the wider and more consistent your footprint, the easier it is for AI to recommend you.
Authority tiers matter
Not all mentions are equal. Think of your online presence in tiers:
- Tier 1: High-authority, independent coverage – news media, government announcements, industry analysts.
- Tier 2: Industry validation – association memberships, conference speaking slots, peer endorsements.
- Tier 3: Owned evidence – named case studies, white papers, audited results, long blogs.
- Tier 4: Community presence – podcasts, webinars, LinkedIn engagement, practitioner conversations.
- Tier 5: Low-signal content – thin blogs, generic directories, unverified press wires.
AI privileges Tier 1 and Tier 2 first, then checks whether Tiers 3 and 4 confirm the story. Tier 5 helps with visibility.
Media is a force multiplier
Being featured in credible media places you in Tier 1 and gives AI a reason to trust you. But media hits are just the start. AI cross-checks your claims against case studies, industry listings, and other proof points. The companies that win will have coverage and substance.
What this means for B2B buyers
Buyers no longer have to click ten blue links, skim websites, and compare PDFs. They can ask an AI system to shortlist vendors who meet their criteria, and receive an evidence-based summary. That means your footprint must be rich, consistent, and verifiable.
Building an AI-readable reputation
For B2B brands, the playbook is:
- Secure independent coverage that explains what you do and for whom.
- Contribute to associations and publish to recognised standards.
- Publish named case studies with measurable outcomes.
- Maintain active thought leadership and practitioner engagement.
- Keep profiles and facts aligned across every platform.
Beyond rank: new metrics to watch
Traditional SEO tracked keyword rankings. AI-era reputation tracking looks at:
- Independent Tier 1 mentions per quarter.
- Ratio of named to anonymous case studies.
- Consistency of facts across profiles.
- Share of voice in trade media and associations.
- Cadence of verifiable updates.
The future: presence over position
Google rankings will not disappear, but their role is shifting. Visibility still matters, but reputation is what AI will surface. The future of B2B marketing belongs to companies that publish proof, not just pages.
At Iron Road Communications, we help clients build that proof; turning their expertise into named case studies, media coverage, and thought leadership that AI can see, trust, and recommend.