GNW Consulting has released its 2026 State of Generative Engine Optimization in B2B Marketing study, revealing that Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is quickly evolving from an experimental strategy into an operational discipline for B2B organizations. The research, co-published with Demand Metric, surveyed 225 B2B marketing and revenue leaders to examine how organizations are adapting to AI-driven discovery and search behavior.
The report suggests that businesses investing in GEO are beginning to see measurable business outcomes as AI-generated search and recommendation systems continue reshaping digital visibility strategies.
According to the study, 92% of surveyed organizations are already experimenting with or operationalizing GEO initiatives, highlighting the growing urgency around AI-driven search optimization.
The report also found that 78% of organizations currently investing in GEO are already reporting measurable return on investment. Companies allocating more than 5% of their marketing budgets toward GEO initiatives reported even stronger measurable impact.
The findings indicate that businesses delaying investment in AI-focused search optimization may face increasing competitive pressure as buyer discovery behaviors evolve across large language models and AI-powered search experiences.
"GEO has already reached a market tipping point," says Raja Walia, founder and CEO of GNW Consulting. "We're in an execution phase, with companies betting on measurable performance. As the early advantage narrows, B2B leaders have an opportunity to better understand how GEO works and where it can drive impact within their organizations."
The research highlights how organizations are increasingly reevaluating traditional SEO approaches in response to the rise of AI-generated answers and AI-driven content discovery.
Several key findings from the study include:
The report found that 22% of respondents stated AI-driven traffic now accounts for more than 5% of total website traffic, exceeding commonly referenced industry benchmarks that place AI traffic below 1%.
According to the study, 88% of SEO agencies now claim to offer GEO or AI search optimization services, though 37% of those services are still described as loosely defined.
Respondents identified community platforms and AI-optimized content as increasingly important drivers of AI discovery, ranking them slightly ahead of traditional SEO tactics.
Despite widespread adoption activity, fewer than 15% of organizations reported having a dedicated GEO owner or team responsible for AI search optimization initiatives.
GNW Consulting stated that the research reflects how rapidly organizations are transitioning from testing AI visibility strategies to building repeatable operational processes around GEO.
The report also notes that budget allocation remains a challenge for some organizations, particularly as businesses experiencing measurable ROI face pressure to scale successful GEO programs more aggressively.
"Most emerging marketing categories take two to three years to produce defensible ROI," said Andrea Lechner-Becker, chief strategy officer at GNW Consulting and co-author of the report. "What's notable here is how quickly organizations are beginning to measure impact from GEO efforts. This isn't a theoretical category anymore. It's a working one, and the companies treating it like an experiment are losing share to the ones treating it like a discipline."
The report includes additional findings, research methodology details and a GEO assessment framework intended to help organizations evaluate their AI search readiness and optimization strategies.
About GNW Consulting
GNW Consulting is a strategic marketing operations agency that guides companies through implementation, integration and optimization of marketing technology, including a growing practice in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) for B2B clients. Andrea Lechner-Becker, chief strategy officer, is a frequent contributor to Fast Company on AI search and marketing strategy. Since its founding, the company has become known for going beyond implementation to integrating and optimizing MarTech stacks regardless of industry.
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