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SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 |
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Key stat: 41% of US B2B professionals who use AI tools for work start their research with AI and then validate the answers via traditional search, the most common workflow of any, according to April data from Semrush. |
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Beyond the chart: |
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That instinct to verify shows up in what buyers trust. Among global B2B software buyers, 51% now start research with chatbots more often than with Google, but 45% say a citation from a review site is the single thing that would most make them trust a chatbot's answer,
according to G2. -
Meanwhile, traditional search is holding its ground at the top of the funnel. Some 57% of US B2B decision-makers use search engines during early research, more than any other channel,
according to Reddit and SurveyMonkey. |
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Use this chart: Drop this in your B2B search strategy deck when someone argues SEO is dead. Your buyers meet your brand in an AI answer, then go looking for proof on Google. Show this to justify funding both, and use it to frame GEO as an addition, not a replacement. |
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