Over the past two years, the way businesses acquire customers has visibly transformed. Previously, discussions about online promotion centered on Baidu bidding, feed ads, and Douyin advertising. Now, more business owners are asking: 'Since customers use AI search, will our website still be seen? Can AI tools like Doubao, DeepSeek, and Qwen actually generate inquiries?'
These questions reflect a fundamental shift in how users access information. As more people rely on AI search to learn about products, compare suppliers, or even make purchases, the logic of business visibility has moved from 'keyword ranking' to 'being recommended by AI.' If companies remain stuck in traditional website building and ad spending, they risk missing the next wave of traffic dividends.
Yunxuan Network Technology, a digital marketing service provider with 20 years of experience, has served numerous SMEs and local brick-and-mortar clients nationwide. We observe that industry changes are not sudden but evolve along a clear path. Understanding this path allows businesses to plan ahead and turn changes into opportunities.
1. Changing User Habits and Shifting Acquisition Channels
Ten years ago, users searched keywords on Baidu and clicked top-ranking websites. Five years ago, they scrolled Douyin and were influenced by short videos. Now, more users directly ask AI: 'Recommend some reliable machining factories in Guangdong with foreign trade qualifications.' AI provides a list, and the businesses listed gain access to that potential customer.
This shift means your online visibility is no longer determined solely by search engines but also by the recommendation logic of AI generative engines. If AI doesn't mention your company when answering user queries, you are effectively invisible in this new channel.
We once served an engineering company in Zhanjiang. The owner previously focused only on local business and saw little value in online promotion. Later, he realized that out-of-town customers always check a company's credibility online before inquiring. After investing modestly in a website and search promotion, his inquiries doubled. This case shows that regardless of company size, online presence and exposure are the foundation of customer acquisition.
Today, this foundation is being redefined by AI. Businesses must not only be indexed by Baidu but also be understood, remembered, and recommended by AI. That's why Yunxuan Network Technology launched GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) services—to help businesses seize the initiative in the AI search era.
2. GEO Optimization: Getting Recommended in AI Answers
Many are unfamiliar with GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Simply put, GEO optimizes content for AI search platforms (like Doubao, Qwen, DeepSeek) so that when AI answers user questions, it prioritizes citing your company information, product advantages, customer reviews, and more.
This shares similarities with traditional SEO but differs in logic. SEO focuses on keyword rankings, while GEO matches semantics and knowledge graphs. AI synthesizes information from multiple sources to generate an answer. If your website content is well-structured, accurate, and complete, the probability of being cited increases.
At Yunxuan Network Technology, we consider the underlying architecture for AI retrieval during website development. We don't just create beautiful pages; we emphasize structured, semantic content that AI can easily crawl and understand. For example, we add detailed technical specs, use cases, and FAQs to product pages—exactly the material AI needs when answering user queries.
Additionally, we deploy brand information across various platforms, including industry vertical sites, Q&A platforms, and social media. This ensures that when AI generates answers, it sees consistent positive portrayals of your brand regardless of the source. This is the synergy between comprehensive brand promotion and GEO optimization.
3. Balancing Local and National Reach: From Zhanjiang to the Whole Country
Many businesses ask: 'We're a local business; is nationwide promotion necessary?' The answer depends on the industry and stage. For local life services like restaurants, beauty salons, and renovation, the primary customer base is nearby. However, even these businesses need exposure on local platforms and short videos to be found by nearby users. In contrast, for manufacturing, foreign trade, engineering, and wholesale, customers may be nationwide or even global, making nationwide promotion essential.
Yunxuan Network Technology is based in Zhanjiang but serves clients nationwide. We understand the pain points of local brick-and-mortar stores and the brand needs of national enterprises. For local acquisition, we help physical stores with Douyin local accounts, Amap listings, and local life platform promotions, making it easy for nearby users to find you. For national reach, we use search engine ads, feed placements, and brand content distribution to connect you with target customers across the country.
One manufacturing factory had a competitive product but was virtually invisible online, relying solely on referrals. After we took over, we built a bilingual Chinese-English website, implemented SEO and GEO optimization, and published brand content on multiple foreign trade platforms and industry media. Within six months, their domestic and international inquiries grew significantly. The owner said, 'Previously we chased customers; now customers come to us.' That's the power of comprehensive online promotion.
Thus, local and national promotion are not contradictory but can be synergistic. The key is to know where your target customers are and choose the right channel mix. Yunxuan Network Technology develops customized promotion plans based on your industry, products, and budget, avoiding blind spending.
4. AI Agents: 24/7 Customer Acquisition
Traffic is useless if you can't capture it. Many websites have phone numbers and online chat, but inquiries often go unanswered. Especially at night or during holidays, potential customers may turn to competitors when they can't reach you. To address this, Yunxuan Network Technology offers AI agent setup services.
An AI agent is a dedicated digital assistant for your business, embeddable in your website, WeChat official account, mini-program, and other channels. It can automatically answer common customer questions, collect contact information, and even guide customers through initial qualification. For example, a machinery company's AI agent can answer 'What models do you have?' 'What's the delivery time?' 'Can you customize?' If a customer shows further interest, the AI guides them to leave a phone number or WeChat.
After deploying an AI agent for a client, nighttime inquiry capture rates increased by over 30%. The owner was amazed, saying, 'I never thought we'd get customers in the middle of the night.' That's the efficiency AI brings. Moreover, AI agents continuously learn and improve. They are not just customer service tools but acquisition tools.
Of course, AI agents cannot fully replace humans. They handle standardized questions, while complex needs require human intervention. But as the first line of reception, they already help businesses capture many opportunities that would otherwise be lost.
5. Performance-Based Acquisition: A One-Stop Closed Loop from Website to Promotion
Many businesses approach online promotion haphazardly: building a website today, running ads tomorrow, posting short videos the day after. Money is spent, but results are elusive. In reality, online promotion is a systematic project requiring a complete closed loop from website building, promotion, tools, to optimization.
Yunxuan Network Technology provides full-service digital marketing management, taking care of the entire process. We start with website construction, ensuring your site is not only aesthetically pleasing but also compliant with search engine and AI indexing rules. Then, based on your goals, we devise promotion strategies, including SEO, GEO, Baidu ads, feed ads, and Douyin promotion. Simultaneously, we deploy AI agents to capture traffic and convert leads. Finally, we continuously monitor data and optimize strategies to ensure every dollar is well spent.
The core of this closed loop is 'performance-based acquisition.' We don't just execute tasks; we work backward from customer acquisition goals to determine each step. For instance, if your goal is high-quality inquiries, we focus on keyword precision and landing page conversion rates rather than chasing exposure.
Yunxuan Network Technology's motto is 'Technology empowers growth, marketing creates value.' We believe that only by delivering real results can we build long-term trust. That's why we've maintained a five-star rating and a 9.8-point reputation for 20 years.
6. How Should Businesses Respond? Three Recommendations
Facing the acquisition changes brought by AI search, what should businesses do? Based on our experience, Yunxuan Network Technology offers three recommendations.
First, re-evaluate your online assets. Is your website mobile-friendly? Is the content clear and complete? Is it indexed by major search engines? Is it understood by AI? If these basics aren't in place, any promotion is built on sand. Yunxuan Network Technology can conduct a comprehensive online asset audit to identify issues.
Second, invest in AI search optimization. Don't wait until competitors have already moved. Starting GEO optimization now is still cost-effective and less competitive. Once everyone realizes the importance of AI search, it will be harder to rank. Our GEO optimization services can help your brand stand out in AI answers.
Third, leverage AI tools to boost efficiency. Whether it's AI agents or other marketing automation tools, they save labor and improve response speed. Yunxuan Network Technology can help you build a dedicated AI assistant to make acquisition smarter.
Industry change is constant, but within change lies opportunity. Yunxuan Network Technology is willing to work with businesses nationwide to embrace change and use professional digital marketing capabilities to achieve performance-based customer acquisition.