Have you heard the news about LinkedIn’s recent experiences with AI-powered search? It turns out that Google’s AI Overviews have significantly impacted our non-brand B2B awareness traffic, cutting it by up to 60% in some areas, even while rankings remained steady. This shift compels us to rethink our discovery strategies fundamentally.
I’ve noticed we’re transitioning from the traditional ‘search, click, website’ model to a more dynamic approach: ‘Be seen, be mentioned, be considered, be chosen.’ This new paradigm reflects a deeper understanding of modern digital visibility.
By the numbers. Early in 2024, our B2B organic growth team started researching Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). By the time SGE evolved into AI Overviews in 2025, the impact was undeniable. Our non-brand, awareness-driven traffic took a hit of up to 60% across specific B2B topics.
Yes, but. Many of the insights we’re gathering are reiterations of established SEO and AEO best practices. I’ve learned that LinkedIn’s guidance emphasizes strong headings, clear information hierarchy, improved semantic structure, and accessibility. It also stresses publishing authoritative, fresh content by experts and moving quickly to gain an early advantage.
Why we care. These strategies should be familiar to anyone versed in technical SEO and content-quality fundamentals. LinkedIn’s article may not present new tactics, but it highlights the relevance of modern SEO/AEO and AI-driven visibility.
Dig deeper. If you’re curious about optimizing for AI search, explore these 12 proven LLM visibility tactics.
Measurement is broken. A significant challenge we face is the ‘dark’ funnel—the difficulty of quantifying how visibility in LLM answers affects our bottom line when discovery occurs without a click.
LinkedIn has seen triple-digit growth in LLM-driven traffic to its B2B marketing websites. However, while we can track conversions from these visits, many websites are also experiencing similar growth. Although it’s an emerging channel, LLM-driven traffic still represents a small portion of overall traffic.
What LinkedIn is doing. To tackle these challenges, we’ve formed an AI Search Taskforce that spans SEO, PR, editorial, product marketing, and more. We’re correcting misinformation in AI responses, publishing new content optimized for AI visibility, and testing social content for AI discovery strength.
Is it working? It’s exciting to see our efforts yielding results. Our early tests are showing a meaningful increase in visibility and citations, particularly from our owned content. According to one external datapoint from Semrush, our structural advantage in AI search is significant, with Google AI Mode citing LinkedIn in 15% of responses.
Incomplete story. While LinkedIn’s developments are noteworthy, some details remain unclear. We’re still waiting on specifics like the exact topics behind the traffic decline, how much click-through rates have softened, sample sizes, and timeframes. These details could provide clarity on the broader industry impact.
Bottom line. I believe LinkedIn’s insights affirm that visibility is the new currency in digital marketing. However, there’s still much to prove if our playbook truly differentiates us from basic SEO practices.
Curious to learn more? Check out LinkedIn’s detailed article on our adaptation strategies: How LinkedIn Marketing Is Adapting to AI-Led Discovery
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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