SEO for Inbound Sales

I shifted from chasing rankings to driving revenue. This week, I spoke to an entrepreneur struggling to grow his organic traffic. He found a technical issue that affected every page on his site. He fixed it. Then, he waited for his traffic to spike. It didn't. Now, he's looking for the next technical issue to "fix" his organic traffic. But he's not going to find it. Technical SEO shines for custom-coded and huge sites. But, for your typical website, it fails to deliver on marketers' expectations. Old-school "checklist" SEO tactics give marketers false confidence in their organic strategies. Examples: Improving page load speed, fixing broken links, and increasing article word counts might influence rankings. However, these tactics won't deliver the substantial organic sales growth that some marketers expect. Most brands maintain a site built on a modern CMS with hundreds or thousands of pages (not millions). They should fix low-hanging fruit technical issues, then quickly move on to authority building, content development, and CRO. The modern CMS solves most technical issues. When your goal is conversions and sales (not just rankings and traffic) you do SEO differently. Questions you should be asking: - Which relevant keywords have purchase intent? (purchase intents convert much better than informational intents) - How do we track organic conversions? (double-down on keywords/pages that generate organic sales) - How does SEO support conversions on other channels? (direct conversion may not be the best organic conversion strategy) Consider a more conversion-focused and multi-channel approach to SEO. Growing organic sales (not just traffic) ensures that SEO has a real impact on your business.

It’s no secret that AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and zero-click search are eating TOFU. The real secret is which levers do we pull now? Because while search behavior is changing, what we’re seeing inside real client data is clear: A fintech client achieved a 544.4% YoY increase in SEO-sourced sales meetings. Stratabeat has already generated a record number of SQLs and pipeline from SEO this year. Strong SEO performance is absolutely possible. It just requires a shift in focus. Here’s where I recommend concentrating your efforts now: 1. Industry-Specific Content Broad, generalist content is losing momentum. Industry-specific content is outperforming in every B2B SaaS SEO study we’ve conducted. It attracts the right buyers and signals true expertise. 2. Pain-Point-Driven Content Your prospects search for relief, not for “keywords.” Address the friction they feel. Even low-volume topics can generate high-impact results when they directly eliminate buyer pain. 3. Product-Led Content Show how your product resolves the problem step-by-step. Position the product as the guide, not the pitch. 4. Deep Focus on Your Number-One Topic Decide which topic you MUST own. Study the landscape, identify gaps, and go deeper than everyone else. Concentration creates authority. 5. Structured Q&A Search engines and LLMs reward structured thinking. FAQs and question-driven content help your brand become the answer in both traditional and AI-driven search. 6. Data-Driven Original Research Original research continues to be one of the most reliable growth engines in B2B. It earns attention, earns trust, earns citations, and earns high-intent visibility across human and AI-driven channels. For one client, research was a primary factor in growing revenue from $24M to $65M. 7. MOFU Content This is one of the biggest performance drivers we’re seeing right now. MOFU content clarifies the problem, builds understanding, reduces confusion, and moves qualified buyers closer to a confident decision. 8. BOFU Content Lower volume, higher intent. Competitor comparisons, alternatives pages, ROI and TCO tools—these consistently generate sales conversations and pipeline. Brands prioritizing depth, clarity, originality, and buyer pain are the ones rising fastest. It’s wild what happens when you stop creating noise and start solving problems.

If I was a CMO needing more demos by Q3 2026…I’d ignore all AI search tool hype and run this exact SEO & AEO play to scale inbound in 90 days: Grab the 34-minute video course: https://lnkd.in/et7yce7s 1. Define your money keywords. Map out every way a dream client could search for your solution when ready to speak to sales now. At a high level in SaaS that’s: “best X software/tools/platform” “X for industry” “competitor alternatives/pricing/reviews” “competitor a vs competitor b” And a variety of others. We use Ahrefs to help here. Ignore the top funnel traffic trap. Prioritise lower search volume and low difficulty at the bottom of the sales funnel. This is gonna rank and drive leads fast when done right. 2. Build & upgrade your money pages. Search your dream keywords on Google & LLMs and see what kind of content shows up or gets cited. Is it a listicle article, landing page, jobs to be done article, or something else. See if you have pages ranking page 1 but not top for a quick win with a refresh. 3. Blow ‘em out the water. Once you’ve researched what top-ranking pages are doing, figure out how to blow them out of the water. Leverage unique research, sales call Qs, plenty of social proof and feature ypur product as the painkiller and solution. 4. Most technical is a waste of time. (Until you get to 1000s of pages). Sort any big technical issues, but don’t obsess over technical. Get focus keyword in URL, meta data, H1 and sort internal links. Not a tonne more. And of course fast loading times. 5. Earn that rep. Build quality backlinks & brand mentions for $0. Get featured in podcasts and articles, and make sure they link back to your website. Earn top 3 placements & brand mentions from “Best X software” listicles for your category. This gives you an insane boost in LLMs and the backlink helps classic organic search. 6. Speed is your advantage. Quality matters, but speed is a competitive advantage. This is your superpower over the slow moving giants in your niche. 7. Craft pages to convert. Design and UX backed by customer researched copy to resonate with ICPs makes a big difference. 8. Great SEO is knowing good b2b marketing. Leverage sales calls, CS calls, and customer research to make your content as relevant as possible to dream clients jobs to be done. 9. Keep improving. Publish fast, and revisit your content 3 months later to make improvements. 10. It's part of the b2b ecosystem. Keep improving all your marketing efforts: YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit etc. all improvements in brand awareness will lead to more successful SEO. Ecosystem thinking is the b2b winner. This is how we make organic search a top pipeline driver for B2B/SaaS at Breaking B2B. ___ I just recorded an ultimate guide to drive pipeline fast w/ SEO & AEO. Taking learnings from running SEO for RB2Bs Adam Robinson and dozens more B2B SaaS orgs. Grab the 34-minute video course: https://lnkd.in/et7yce7s

Most don’t need a full SEO overhaul to show up in AI answers, they just need a Minimum Viable GEO Plan. Search has changed. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini are now the first stop for millions. They respond with summaries, not links. That means if your content isn’t being cited, you’re not being seen. That’s where the next evolution of SEO, built for LLMs: GEO. This newsletter edition is a guide to mastering GEO. It was inspired by a GTMfund Slack thread on the topic that blew up, which led to a community call. This is how it went:  Slack thread > community call > newsletter edition And here's a 5-step MVP to start showing up in AI-generated answers: 1️⃣ Pick a high-intent prompt Start with a buyer query that LLM users are actually typing: - “Best AI email tools for sales teams” - “HubSpot vs. Apollo” - “How to generate more B2B leads with content” If you're not sure what buyers are asking, use a generative search monitoring tool (e.g. Taisync, SGE Radar, Pure). 2️⃣ Optimize one page for that prompt On your homepage, blog, or comparison page: - Use a prompt-style H1 (e.g. “Best AI tools for outbound sales teams”) - Add bullet takeaways and FAQs - Include author name, credentials, and LinkedIn - Add schema markup: Article, FAQ, Person, Organization 3️⃣ Add a llms.txt file to your site This tells LLMs what content to crawl (like robots.txt, but for AI). Add it to your domain root: yourdomain.com/llms.txt 4️⃣ Get listed in one external source LLMs cite authority. Others pointing to you builds authority. Pick one of the following: - Submit to a “best of” listicle - Get mentioned in a high-ranking Reddit thread - Pitch a relevant niche blog or newsletter - Even one mention helps build model trust. 5️⃣ Track prompt visibility Use a tool to track whether you show up in model outputs: - Ask ChatGPT and Perplexity common prompts - See if your brand is cited - Adjust page content or external mentions as needed The edition also covers:  GEO vs. SEO, 4 proven GEO tactics, and how to track GEO performance (yes, it’s measurable). A huge shoutout to Hailey Friedman who shared a ton of insight both on the call and in this newsletter. – 📖 Full breakdown in the latest The GTMnow Newsletter (in the comments). 💡 Join 50k+ founders and GTM leaders in GTMnow by subscribing on the website or Substack.

SEO gets the 👀 Sales get the 💰 Sales and SEO—two teams chasing the same goal: revenue. But too often, they’re working in silos. SEO drives the traffic. Sales closes the deals. But what if they teamed up from the 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵? Here’s the thing: SEO without sales insight = content that ranks but doesn’t convert. Sales without SEO alignment = missed opportunities and cold leads. When they collaborate, magic happens: → Keyword strategy that sells → Content that closes → Smarter lead qualification → Optimized messaging & CTAs → Feedback loops that refine the funnel SEO brings them in, sales locks them down. But when they work 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 from the first click to the final call, the whole pipeline performs better. --- Follow Jeff Gapinski for more content like this. ♻️ Share this to help someone else up their Sales & SEO teamwork.

From Invisible to Inbound How Local SEO and Website Structure Generate Consistent Leads Many local businesses believe they have a traffic problem. More ads. More clicks. More visitors. But traffic alone doesn’t generate leads. Structure does. Speese Painting had strong craftsmanship and satisfied customers. But the digital system behind the business wasn’t supporting growth. The challenge was clear: • No consistent inbound leads • A website that didn’t build trust quickly • Local SEO not aligned with how homeowners actually search Because when homeowners hesitate, they move to the next option. Most local websites struggle for three reasons: ❌ Traffic without real intent ❌ Design that doesn’t build trust ❌ SEO without a clear conversion path So instead of chasing more traffic, We rebuilt the foundation. The strategy focused on three principles: Visibility → Trust → Action ✔ A conversion focused website structure ✔ Local SEO aligned with real service demand ✔ Clear messaging built for homeowner decision making The goal was simple: Make the business easier to find. Easier to trust. And easier to contact. The result? 📈 Increased local visibility 📞 More inbound leads 🎯 Better fit customers Because real growth doesn’t come from more clicks. It comes from better systems. “Better structure beats more traffic.” Ask yourself: Do visitors trust your site in the first 5 seconds? Does your SEO match real search intent? Is your website built to convert or just exist? 📘 Read the full case study https://lnkd.in/dt8qCvEA 🚀 Book a strategy call https://lnkd.in/e9NHzp3m #LocalSEO #LeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #WebsiteOptimization #DigitalStrategy #NationMediaDesign

New prospects are finding Directive through ChatGPT. That's not a coincidence, it's the new inbound. LLM discoverability is the 2016 version of ranking on Google. The B2B brands being cited in AI responses are building brand authority + status, while their competition is still optimizing for clicks. This is a fundamental change in what inbound means (and who gets discovered). We recognize this at Directive and have rebuilt our entire Customer Generation methodology around DiscoverabilityOS™. Inbound has structurally changed. SEO/Organic used to be a channel that was great for product led growth and low cost products. It worked and drove volume. SEO was a critical leverage point in a CMO’s go to market strategy and gave them an effective way to lower blended customer acquisition cost. Unfortunately, SEO struggled for sales led orgs in B2B and really didn’t support an up-market motion. LLMs changed that. For example, across Directive and our portfolio: the ACV and MQL > SQL rate both almost 3xd for us compared to organic. We went from “ranking” to being "recommended" and that’s the first principal that matters here. The C-Suite didn’t use Google search like they are now using ChatGPT or Claude. They are now doing “research” instead of “searching”. This pivot is massive in it's influence on ACV and win rates. The critical question for B2B marketers should now be: "When decision makers from your TAM are “researching” are we discoverable?" Here’s what I have found drives discoverability for Directive and the largest brands in B2B: Exceptional Informational Architecture, Content Marketing, & PR You need a world class “mega menu” a menu that allows you to thoroughly articulate + link to what your business does. SaaS vs Service Platform / Methodology Products / Services Features / Sub-Services Use Cases / Use Cases Each of these pages then needs 8+ pieces of supporting content for each one. I like to structure as follows: 1. Buyers Guide to X 2. Listicle 3. Ultimate Guide to X 4. Data Report 5. Thought Leadership = Opinionated long-form content on the subject 6. Thought Leadership 7. Thought Leadership 8. Thought Leadership 9. Thought Leadership And then tactically… - Make sure you are listed on every review site and listicle - Audit when Reddit ranks in top 10 for a keyword and leave a thoughtful response - Internally link 10+ in body links to every core/service/product/bofu page listed above - Do PR: speak, podcast, build a brand We are in the era of Discoverability and your highest value persona is researching. Is your brand Discoverable? Get an audit today from my team and learn how you can drive qualified pipeline. Link => https://lnkd.in/eiwUaPqx

The inbound marketing playbook is being rewritten by AI in real time. For years, inbound followed a predictable formula: Write long-tail SEO content → gate it → nurture with automation → hand off to sales. This approach shaped how marketing was done for more than a decade. Today, the funnel looks very different and far more fragmented. AI tools like ChatGPT, Google SGE, Perplexity, Claude, Bing Copilot, and even industry platforms like G2 now handle the curiosity-driven, top-of-funnel questions that once brought people to your blog. By the time buyers land on your site, they are already in evaluation mode. This shift changes the job of marketing: 1️⃣ Top-of-funnel hasn’t disappeared, but the mix has changed. Awareness is now fueled by social, PR, podcasts, events (virtual and live), advertising, and paid search. Long-tail SEO still plays a role, but it no longer drives demand on its own. 2️⃣ Bottom-of-funnel is where the battle is won. Your website has to function like your best salesperson. If it doesn’t clearly answer comparisons and proof questions, you won’t make the shortlist. 3️⃣ AI discoverability is the new SEO. Structured FAQs, schema markup, transparent product pages, and comparison content make it easier for AI search engines to surface your brand. 4️⃣ Citations build credibility. External validation from analysts, media coverage, awards, and customer proof increases trust with buyers and AI. 5️⃣ Cross-linking strengthens authority. Internal links and topic clusters connect your expertise and make content easier to surface. 6️⃣ Freshness signals relevance. Updated content is rewarded. Outdated content gets ignored. 7️⃣ Authority matters. Named experts and practitioner voices increase visibility and trust. 8️⃣ Multi-format extends reach. Blogs, webinars, videos, and transcripts all expand the ways AI and buyers find you. 9️⃣ First-party data differentiates. Proprietary insights and benchmarks set your content apart and make it citation-worthy. Where to double down right now: ✅ Customer stories with measurable results ✅ Industry and use-case pages showing how problems get solved ✅ Sales content repurposed for the site ✅ Robust FAQs and competitor comparisons ✅ Social proof that sounds like your buyers ✅ Event insights repurposed into ongoing content ✅ Citations from analysts, media, and customers ✅ Strong internal linking to build topic clusters ✅ Regular updates to keep decision-stage content fresh ✅ Expert voices with real names and credentials ✅ Multi-format content that feeds both buyers and AI ✅ First-party data that makes your content unique Inbound isn’t over, it is being redefined. The companies that adapt will build programs that convert faster and position their brand to be the one AI tools recommend when buyers ask, “Who should I choose?”

In talking with customers, I hear similar challenges as it relates to optimizing their inbound demand funnel. The good news, there are very achievable, proven steps you can take to improve. What are the most common challenges? - difficulty attracting or converting the right prospects into leads - limitations in effectively prioritizing and routing the best leads - an inability to follow up with lead volumes fast enough...and some times at all. 🤦 But with the right inbound strategy, you can attract more of your desired prospects, identify who are most likely to convert into ACV / revenue, lead-route to the right sales reps, and have faster response times. The below article has more details on each, but a few important call outs, many of which are made vastly easier and more effective by leveraging AI tools: - Starting with research is key. You need to understand what your ideal customer cares about so that you can develop content that is valuable for them. Importantly, understanding their buying situations or "category entry points" and the associated mental triggers they have is critical - Create content that you leverage across channels. Your buyers will not all use the same channels, so developing versions of your content most appropriate for those channels is key. At the same time, being "consistently distinctive" across channels over time in your themes, visuals, etc. will help you stand out for when they are ready to enter a buying process - Build a community with users, brand ambassadors as well as thought leaders (including your leadership team and experts) -- and help them generate or share content for you. Buyers generally value content more when it comes from other individuals or reputable sources vs your brand, particularly those they trust. - Ensure your landing pages / experiences are optimized for conversion. Testing, testing velocity, and institutionalizing learnings from tests are key drivers of success - Robust & real-time scoring and associated routing, based on attributes that are tied to your key down-funnel metrics (ACV / revenue, LTV, etc.) is a must - Immediate follow up. I received outreach from a potential customer saying he was amazed that he received a call from one of our SDRs 8 seconds after he submitted the form. We do that because speed REALLY makes a difference - Great, quality responses from your sales team oriented around solving your prospects problems - And of course, having tight alignment between sales & marketing on what you are solving for, how you are solving for it, and how you are measuring success is key...with open, honest & frequent communication between the departments Get the essential tools and tactics that your teams need for effective inbound lead generation 🔗: bit.ly/3SmPsfz

Lead gen isn't just paid ads and spamming cold DMs. That's just one part of 3 unique layers: This is by far the best pipeline I've ever used for generating leads.  You build it once, and it keeps working even after you've moved on. All of this follows the SERVE Method approach to selling: S - Show Up Consistently: People trust what they see often. E - Educate Your Audience: Give away insight, frameworks and shortcuts. R - Reinforce With Proof: Use clear case studies, outcomes and testimonials. V - Validate Their Problems: Make it clear you understand their pain. E - Extend The Offer: Invite them into a solution when they are ready. It's about selling at the right time, with the right offer. The system below is the one I used to scale Searchable to $85 million,  Not to mention 3 other businesses to 8-figures. Here’s exactly how it works ↓ 📣 ATTRACT Around 3% of your audience is ready to buy at any given time. Your only job is to be the most visible, credible option. Personal Brand and Content:  ↳ Rotate 5 post types: awareness, personal story, education, conversion, and how-we-do-it Search Visibility: ↳ SEO is still the foundation. Pair it with AEO and GEO so your brand appears where your customers are looking. (Searchable tracks exactly where you show up in AI answers and optimises from there: https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi) Outbound and Partnerships: ↳ Focus on warm intros, direct outreach, and affiliates. 🔥 NURTURE Your feed should be where people come to learn for free.  Don't start pitching in your content until you've built real trust. Lead Magnets: ↳ Give away a resource people would happily pay for Email Sequences: ↳ Build separate sequences for hot, warm and cold leads.  (70% value, 30% soft pitch) Segmentation: ↳ Group your audience by behaviour and tailor what each group receives. 💰 CONVERT The warm-up is done, and only interested buyers remain.  Your job now is to make it easy to say yes. Sell at the Right Moment: ↳ Make a direct offer when the buyer is ready, with the relevant package. Lead with Proof: ↳ If a buyer can't click and confirm the result, the case study doesn't work Make the Next Step Obvious: ↳ One clear CTA, a fast path to book or buy ↳ Prompt a follow-up while intent is still high Throughout the pipeline, make sure to track these weekly: ✅ Conversion rate ✅ Response time ✅ Lead-to-customer ratio ✅ Cost per lead ✅ Reach and impressions Done correctly, this is the last lead gen system you'll ever need to learn. Build it in order, and each stage will compound on the one before. ♻️ Repost to help other founders build the ultimate lead gen system.  Follow Chris Donnelly for more on building and scaling businesses. -- And for more on building and scaling efficient businesses... 📌 Subscribe to my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb I send practical frameworks and breakdowns just like this every Sunday !