Transitioning to a search everywhere strategy in 2026
Google is no longer the sole gateway to buyers. In 2026, prospects discover brands across AI assistants (ChatGPT, Perplexity), social platforms (LinkedIn, TikTok), and vertical directories (G2, Capterra).
A search everywhere strategy ensures your brand appears wherever decisions are made—online or via AI.
B2B buyers now validate solutions through multiple trusted sources before engaging sales.
To win, your content must serve as the authoritative data source for both humans and AI.
Combine this with a comprehensive multilingual SEO strategy to capture high-intent leads across languages, regions, and search surfaces.
What you need to know: executive summary
- Search is fragmented: Users bypass Google for AI tools, social feeds, and niche platforms.
- GEO is essential: Optimise for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) so AI cites your brand as the definitive source.
- Vertical search dominates B2B: G2, Capterra, and industry directories drive procurement decisions.
- Multilingual ≠ translation: Localised content must align with regional search behaviour and hreflang best practices.
- Facts beat fluff: Structured data and explicit facts increase AI citation accuracy far more than narrative prose.
Need help implementing this? Explore our multilingual SEO services to build a unified search everywhere presence.
The end of the Google monopoly
“Zero-click” searches and AI overviews have dismantled the traditional SERP. Today’s buyers start journeys on LinkedIn, refine queries in Perplexity, and validate vendors on G2. If your visibility is limited to Google, you’re missing 70% of B2B touchpoints.
Modern search delivers answers—not links. Success now depends on becoming the “source of truth” behind those answers. Shift from keyword targeting to entity-based content clusters that demonstrate deep topical authority across all digital surfaces.
Key search surfaces in 2026
| Search Surface | User Intent | Optimisation Focus |
|---|---|---|
| AI Assistants (ChatGPT, Gemini) | Synthesised research | GEO + structured data |
| Social Search (LinkedIn, TikTok) | Social proof & trends | Native video + thought leadership |
| Vertical Engines (G2, Amazon) | Product comparison | Review management + attributes |
| Traditional Search (Google, Bing) | Navigational queries | E-E-A-T + technical SEO |
Mastering Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
GEO optimises content for AI models that synthesise answers—not rank pages.
To be cited by ChatGPT or Perplexity, your content must be machine-readable, fact-dense, and structured for easy extraction. See our GEO framework for implementation guidance.
AI prioritises credibility over marketing. Use tables, lists, and explicit data points—avoid salesy language. As agencies like First Page Sage confirm, citation frequency is the new backlink.
Want AI to recommend you? Discover our GEO services.
Social platforms as vertical search engines
LinkedIn is now a primary B2B search engine. Optimise your profile with industry keywords to appear in internal searches. Similarly, TikTok and YouTube serve “how-to” queries—especially for complex topics like EUDR compliance or SaaS demos.
Treat each platform as a unique search ecosystem. Hashtags, captions, and on-screen text act as metadata. Consistent visibility here builds real-world authority—signals AI models use to verify your credibility.
Optimising for B2B vertical platforms
- LinkedIn: Embed keywords in headline and About section.
- G2/Capterra: Solicit reviews mentioning specific features or use cases.
- YouTube: Use “how-to” titles, timestamps, and detailed descriptions.
- TikTok: Pair trending audio with clear on-screen text.
- Directories: Maintain consistent NAP data across listings.
Multilingual SEO in a fragmented world
International expansion demands more than translation. Dutch, Spanish, and German users search differently—even within Europe. Apply multilingual SEO best practices to align with local intent.
Technical execution matters: use hreflang tags and country-code domains (.de, .es) to signal local authority. The BeTranslated network dominates European markets through this approach.
For AI, local expertise is non-negotiable. Firms like Delaguía y Luzón rank across four languages by offering legally precise, regionally relevant content—securing visibility in Valencia, Brussels, and beyond.
Planning global growth? Discuss your multilingual SEO strategy with us.
Building machine-readable content
In 2026, content must serve machines as well as humans. Use clear headings, schema markup, and explicit data to reduce AI ambiguity. Follow a technical SEO audit checklist to ensure infrastructure supports GEO.
Schema.org is now essential. Implement FAQPage, Organization, and Product schema so AI models like Gemini can map your expertise into knowledge graphs.
As Go Fish Digital confirms, structured data is the backbone of modern search.
Format impacts extraction: tables and bullet points outperform dense paragraphs. Prioritise scannable, authoritative content—this wins with both AI and human audiences.
Minor schema errors cause AI to ignore your content entirely. Explicit data points extract reliably; narrative statistics do not. Lists and tables consistently outperform paragraph-buried information in AI citation tests.
A unified search strategy
Integrate SEO, GEO, social, and localisation into one framework. Repurpose a single research piece into a LinkedIn carousel, YouTube short, and FAQ schema—maximising ROI across channels.
Track new KPIs: AI citation share, social mentions, and vertical directory referrals. Tools like Semrush now support these metrics, but manual audits remain critical to assess how AI perceives your brand.
The goal: omnipresence. Whether you’re Bemelman Spuiterij in the Netherlands or Texas International Freight in the US, consistent, machine-readable authority across all search surfaces is your competitive edge.
Ready to dominate AI search?
Schedule a GEO strategy session to future-proof your presence.
Frequently asked questions
How is GEO different from SEO?
SEO ranks pages in Google. GEO ensures AI models cite your brand as the source of truth. GEO prioritises structured data, factual density, and source credibility—not keywords or backlinks.
Will GEO replace SEO?
No. They coexist. Use SEO for navigational queries, GEO for research-heavy AI interactions. A complete strategy requires both.
How long to appear in ChatGPT or Gemini?
Real-time AI (Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) can index new content immediately if it’s authoritative and well-structured. Static models depend on training cutoffs—but consistent publishing improves inclusion odds.
Can I measure GEO performance?
Yes—via AI citation tracking, hallucination checks, and referral traffic from AI platforms in analytics tools. It’s qualitative but actionable.
Do I need separate GEO and SEO content?
No—create hybrid content: engaging for humans, structured for machines. Use H2/H3 hierarchies, FAQ schema, and data tables to serve both audiences.
Is a search everywhere strategy expensive?
Initial setup requires investment, but repurposing core content across channels lowers cost per lead. Start with high-impact AI and local signals for maximum ROI.
Ready to dominate AI-powered search?
Traditional SEO won’t get you cited by ChatGPT in 2026. You need visibility across every surface where buyers search—and trust.
Request a GEO audit to see how AI currently views your brand—and how to become its recommended expert. We combine technical precision with multilingual reach to generate high-ticket B2B leads.
Start your GEO transformation →
Not ready? Read our guide on the future of SEO in 2025.
