Impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) on B2B Marketing

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is changing how we find and consume information on the internet. Building on what we talked about last week, what SGE is and how it works, this article focuses on the immediate impact on B2B Marketing Teams.

 For marketers in the enterprise environment, this manoeuvre is critical for visibility and competition in the AI-powered search experience. In fact, 65% of B2B buyers primarily use search as their research tool before interacting with sales, and SGE can inject a makeover into the core of how leads are generated, brands are positioned, and buyers engage.

How SGE Changes the B2B Marketing Buyer Journey

Previously, the B2B Marketing search journey was linear. Users typed keywords, scanned ranked links, chose one of the links, viewed relevant content, and compared different options. SGE disrupts this journey because it generates AI summaries at the very top of search results pages, which is essentially at the start of this process. Instead of manually collating insights from several sources, decision-makers will receive synthesized, conversational responses directly in the search interface, which means the research phase is now much shorter for B2B Marketing decision-makers with a unified view of the research. SGE turns the B2B buyer journey from multi-click exploration into single-interaction discovery.

So, for B2B marketers, where once we thought about the homepage as the first spot of engagement for buyers, we can now think of where there used to be your website as potentially being replaced by a Google-generated overview that also cites some competitors, along with your content. Your positioning starts earlier in the buyer’s journey, possibly before the buyer ever visits your site. What we used to think of as evaluation criteria might simply be a response or action by Google. 

In instances when the SGE answer might mean the buyer skips steps 1-6 if Google presents them a conclusive answer, it is worth noting that a recent Gartner report suggests that 75% of B2B buying decisions will involve a period of independent online research. This will be before initial sales engagement. This means that SGE could act as a ‘gatekeeper’ at a critical stage of the buying journey.

SEO and Content Strategy Implications for B2B Marketing

Evolving Ranking Factors

While backlinks, domain authority, and keyword optimization are still critically important, SGE particularly emphasizes:

• Semantic relevance (considering topical relationships rather than just exact match keywords)
• Signalling expertise (content is from legitimate experts in the domain)
• Trustworthiness (cited sources, transparent claims, and accuracy)

Structured Data is Essential

Take advantage of schema markup such as FAQPage, How To, Product, and Organization so Google can parse your content effectively. Use JSON-LD format to support the extraction of your content into AI summaries. By applying structured data, you could improve click-through rates from rich results by as much as 30%! 

Conversational Content Matters

Use natural language and a Q&A format that closely relates to how buyers phrase questions in a search query. For example. Rather than use “B2B lead scoring best practices,” use “How can B2B companies improve lead scoring in 2025?”

E-E-A-T Signals Drive Visibility

Provide evidence of the backgrounds, qualifications, certifications, and writing experience of your authors. Include links to third-party validations, research, and talks from industry conferences. This will help E-E-A-T Signals.

Long-Tail Keywords are Rising

Optimize for multi-intent queries (“best Saas security tools for fintech startups”) to align with how SGE contextualizes content. According to BrightEdge, long-tail keyword queries were up 49% year-over-year. These are exactly the types of queries that AI models can really return great answers for.

Lead Generation and Demand Capture Opportunities

Effect on Qualified Leads

You should expect a lower amount of total clicks due to zero-click behavior in lead Generation. but also higher lead quality from those visitors who come through. According to a SEMrush study that we cited above, snippets through SGE led to a CTR drop of up to 50% for some queries. For B2B Marketing, this effectively means double down on conversion optimization to drive better results for a smaller yet more intent-driven audience.

Effectively Capturing Intent-Driven Traffic

Have you engaged in a process for identifying your decision-stage keywords and ensuring all related pages have proof elements (e.g., ROI calculators, applicable compliance mappings, or performance benchmarks)? The best example of this concept is a cybersecurity provider that can target “HIPAA-compliant zero-trust implementation” with both the technical depth and compliance components.

Conversion Tactics Measured for SGE

Once again, place action-oriented CTAs earlier in the content, as many users will not scroll down. Integrate trust signals within close proximity to the CTAs, such as client case study snippets, security badges, or ISO certifications. Consider interactive features (like cost estimators or readiness checklists), which can both engage the visitor as well as qualify the prospect.

For example, a B2B SaaS vendor could publish an “AI for supply chain risk management” buyer’s guide, optimized for structured data and highlighted by subject matter expert commentary, which could appear in SGE summaries while also capturing high-intent clicks from supply chain leaders.

Risks and Challenges for B2B Marketers

Reduced CTR and Traffic

With CDM succinctly fulfilling user intent through AI-generated summaries, organic click-through can drop significantly. Zero-click searches increased to 69% of all searches in 2024. B2B websites in some niche verticals may be more susceptible.

Reliance on Google to Frame Your Positioning

If Google misrepresents your positioning or omits your content altogether, visibility suffers. Mitigation: Refresh content on a regular basis, improve extraction by utilizing schema, and develop lead-generation channels that do not rely solely on searches.

Content Ownership & Inclusion

AI-generated summaries might collate your competitors and content from publishers without any indication of attribution. Protect your intellectual property by embedding licensed content notices, watermarking images, and keeping track of citations where applicable.

Measurement Challenges

Out of the box solutions for analytics don’t offer insight into AI Overview impressions. The best strategy is to use SERP feature tracking products (like Semrush or STAT Search Analytics) while measuring any lift in query mentions of the brand over time.

Tangible Strategies for B2B Marketing Unlimited Teams

• Optimize for AI overview inclusion: Create pillar + cluster content that accurately and authoritatively responds to buyer questions.
• Use multi-modal assets: Use images, infographics, and videos. SGE usually displays mixed media results for more engagement.
• Amplify E-E-A-T: Include author bios, evidence of industry recognition, and real-world data points — all of these signal trust.
• Set up ongoing monitoring: Record anytime the SGE cites your content and track how those citations correlate to lead metrics.
• Increase cross-team collaboration: Everyone in SEO, content, and sales needs to work together so SGE visibility leads to pipeline growth.

Conclusion

Google’s SGE is transforming B2B Marketing search and the buyer journey. Even as SGE compresses the top-of-funnel traffic, it opens up language and timing opportunities for early engagement that are more targeted and at higher intent. And to be relevant in this evolving landscape will require adapting and evolving your SEO practices, namely with structured data, E-E-A-T, and niche authority, and with the understanding that monitoring your AI visibility is important. Ultimately, who is the best answer for a search is more important than being the first blue link. 

FAQs Related To SGE in B2B Marketing

How does SGE impact B2B buying journeys?

The way SGE will impact B2B buying journeys is by shortening research phases and delivering AI-created summary answers directly in SERPs; ultimately keeping engagement creeping in the evaluation stage instead of the research phase with multiple site visits.s

Will SGE replace traditional SEO in a B2B Marketing context?

No. Traditional SEO is still extremely useful for marketers in B2B Marketing contexts, but again, marketers will have to consider how to target inclusion in the AI Overview.

How will B2B companies maintain visibility in AI-generated summaries?

By publishing content that is structured, authoritative, conversational in nature, and supported by strong E-E-A-T signals.

What types of content often work well in SGE in B2B Marketing?

Expert explainers, structured FAQs, industry benchmarks, and visual types (or displays) such as charts and infographics.

How can marketers measure ROI from SGE-optimized content?

Marketers should track and report SGE impressions, frequency citations, click-through rates, lead quality, as well as traditional SEO KPIs.

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