Over the past year, we've noticed a clear shift: business clients are no longer asking 'Should we do online marketing?' but rather 'Why can't my brand be found on Baidu?' and 'Why doesn't Doubao or DeepSeek mention our company?' Behind these questions lies the fragmentation of search entry points from a single search engine to a combination of search engines and AI agents. As a digital marketing service provider for SMEs nationwide, Yunxuan Network Technology increasingly needs to place traditional SEO and emerging GEO optimization on the same strategic map when building websites and running full-network promotions for clients.
This article doesn't intend to discuss vague trends. Instead, drawing on our experience with clients in engineering, manufacturing, trading, and local brick-and-mortar businesses, we'll explore how SEO, GEO, and performance-based customer acquisition should work together to capture nationwide inquiries.
The Search Landscape Has Changed, but the Underlying Logic of Customer Acquisition Hasn't
Many business owners ask: 'We've been doing online marketing for over a decade. Previously, managing Baidu PPC campaigns and having technicians post articles was enough to keep the phone ringing. Now, why do we spend money but get fewer inquiries?' The truth is, it's not that marketing has stopped working—it's that user search behavior is migrating.
Previously, users looking for suppliers would open Baidu, type 'XX equipment manufacturer,' and scan a couple of pages. Now? Some still use Baidu, but others have gotten used to asking Doubao, DeepSeek, or Tongyi Qianwen: 'Recommend a few reliable packaging machinery manufacturers in Guangdong with export qualifications.' AI agents synthesize web content, corporate websites, and industry reviews to provide a list of recommendations. If your website content isn't effectively crawled and recognized by these AI models, even a top Baidu ranking won't capture this wave of AI search traffic.
But the underlying logic hasn't changed: users want to 'find you, learn about you, and contact you.' The difference is that there are now more entry points to 'find you,' each with its own recommendation mechanism. Traditional search relies on keyword matching and backlink authority; AI search places more emphasis on semantic clarity, content structure, and consistency of corporate information across the web. This is why we advocate that enterprises now need a dual-track content strategy combining SEO and GEO optimization.
SEO Optimization: Make Your Website Baidu-Friendly and AI-Readable
Many people think SEO is just about keyword stuffing and buying backlinks—that's a decade-old approach. Baidu is now highly adept at identifying low-quality content, and AI agents only trust logically clear, complete information. When we undertake SEO, the first step is never to rush into writing articles but to solidify the website's technical foundation.
For example, a Foshan aluminum profile factory client had a website built five years ago with messy code, images without alt tags, and product descriptions copied and pasted. Such a website won't attract Baidu's crawler no matter how many articles are posted. After taking over, we first restructured the site's information architecture: each product got its own page with titles, descriptions, and body content centered on core keywords, plus an FAQ section addressing common questions like 'minimum order quantity,' 'lead time,' and 'can you do surface treatment?' in a Q&A format.
The benefits are twofold. Baidu's crawler can index pages through clear hierarchies, and AI agents can extract key information from our structured content when answering 'which aluminum profile manufacturer is good.' Three months later, the client's core keyword moved from page 8 to page 2, and more importantly, Doubao began mentioning their brand in related answers. This illustrates that 'SEO is not just about rankings; it's about making content understandable and recommendable across more entry points.'
Another often-overlooked factor is website speed. Many B2B buyers now research on mobile; if a page takes five to six seconds to load, users will swipe away, and Baidu will lower the site's authority. When we redesign websites, we compress code, convert images to WebP format, and use BGP multi-line servers to ensure fast loading for visitors nationwide. After all, if your website is slow, you're wasting traffic when targeting a national audience.
GEO Optimization: Make AI Agents Recommend Your Business
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is a relatively new concept that many businesses haven't yet recognized. In simple terms, GEO optimization tailors your website content, brand mentions, and Q&A context to the recommendation mechanisms of AI search engines (like Doubao, Qianwen, and DeepSeek), increasing the likelihood that AI will include your business in its answers.
We served a Shandong machinery company that had been in foreign trade for over a decade and had a domestic website mainly for existing clients. Last year, they noticed that some domestic buyers were using AI assistants to find suppliers, and their company was often absent from AI recommendations. Our analysis revealed the problem: insufficient content depth. The product pages were all specifications and parameters, lacking application scenarios, solutions, and industry case studies. AI agents tend to favor content sources that comprehensively answer user questions.
We then devised a GEO optimization plan: first, we identified 20 industry questions clients frequently ask, such as 'What parameters should I consider when choosing a laser cutting machine?' and 'What's the difference between fiber laser cutters and CO2 lasers?' We produced long-form content around these questions and published it in the 'Industry Knowledge' section of the website. Second, we distributed brand information on Baidu Baike, Zhihu, and industry portals to ensure cross-referencing. Third, we added structured data markup to the website to make it easier for AI to extract key fields like product names, certifications, and contact details.
Three months later, they tested by asking Doubao for 'recommendations for laser cutting machine manufacturers in Shandong,' and their company appeared with the rationale: 'Has ISO certification, offers customized solutions, and has good customer reviews.' This effect generates far more trust than simply running feed ads, because users perceive it as AI's 'intelligent' selection rather than advertising.
It's important to emphasize that GEO optimization doesn't exist in isolation; it's tied to SEO and content marketing. A significant portion of the content AI agents crawl still comes from web pages indexed by search engines. Without quality content on your website, GEO is a castle in the air. That's why we always plan SEO and GEO together rather than separately.
Performance-Based Customer Acquisition: The Last Mile from Traffic to Inquiries
Many businesses fall into the trap of focusing solely on traffic rather than inquiries. They spend tens of thousands on marketing, see website visits rise, but get no form fills or phone calls, leading them to conclude marketing is ineffective. The problem often lies in landing pages and conversion paths.
Our approach to performance-based customer acquisition isn't just about placing ads; it's about optimizing the entire chain from click to inquiry. For example, an environmental equipment client in Jiangsu ran Baidu feed ads with decent click-through rates but low consultation volume. We audited their landing page and found three issues: first, no phone number or WeChat on the first screen—users had to scroll to the bottom to find contact info; second, product advantages were vague phrases like 'high quality' and 'advanced technology' without concrete data; third, there was no online customer service, so users with questions had to search on their own.
We made three adjustments: added a prominent 'Get a Solution' form on the first screen with only three fields (name, phone, requirement) to reduce friction; changed product advantages to quantifiable statements like 'processing capacity of 100 tons per hour, 15% lower energy consumption than peers'; and integrated our self-developed AI agent customer service that automatically answers high-frequency questions like 'What types of wastewater can your equipment handle?' and 'Do you have case studies?' If users leave their phone numbers, the system immediately alerts sales for follow-up.
A month after the revamp, the client's ad spend remained the same, but consultations increased 2.3 times, with nighttime inquiries accounting for 30%—all handled by the AI agent. This is the essence of performance-based customer acquisition: not obsessing over traffic volume from a single channel, but focusing on the number of qualified leads each channel generates.
Another example is a local brick-and-mortar client in Zhanjiang, a door and window store that previously relied on foot traffic and referrals. They wanted to attract orders from nearby cities online. We did three things: optimized their store listings on Baidu Maps and Amap to ensure they appeared for searches like 'Zhanjiang custom doors and windows'; created several short videos on Douyin showcasing their workshop processes and installation cases, geotagged to the store; and promoted discount coupons through local life platforms. Within three months, they received inquiries not only from Zhanjiang but also from Maoming and Yangjiang. This shows that the customer acquisition radius of physical stores can extend beyond their locality if the right methods are applied.
How Can SMEs Nationwide Leverage This Combined Approach?
Our clients span the country, from electronic component factories in the Pearl River Delta to precision parts processors in the Yangtze River Delta and agricultural product processors in central and western regions. While tactics vary by industry, the core framework remains consistent.
Step one: Diagnose. We don't pitch services upfront. Instead, we assess the client's website, Baidu indexing, industry competition, and target customers' online search habits. Some businesses should prioritize SEO because their website foundation is too weak to convert ad traffic; others should prioritize GEO because industry keywords are dominated by large enterprises, but AI search still presents opportunities.
Step two: Build a digital base. The website is a company's digital stronghold. Both SEO and GEO require a content platform. Our custom websites automatically adapt to desktop and mobile, and are coded to be AI-friendly, using semantic HTML tags and JSON-LD structured data to help AI understand the content. This is far superior to template sites, which often have redundant code that hinders indexing.
Step three: Create content. Content is the common foundation of SEO and GEO. We plan keyword libraries based on industry characteristics, then produce FAQs, technical articles, and case stories from the perspective of 'how users would ask.' This content must satisfy Baidu's ranking requirements while also being citable as a knowledge source by AI agents. Our copywriting team regularly reviews which keywords drive inquiries and which content is most cited by AI, then adjusts strategies dynamically.
Step four: Multi-channel traffic. Feed ads, short videos, and B2B platforms are 'proactive outreach' channels that can quickly generate traffic. Based on industry profit margins and customer decision cycles, we recommend budget allocation across channels. For high-ticket equipment clients, Baidu search ads plus SEO are more suitable because users search with clear intent; for fast-moving consumer goods, platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu are better for content seeding.
Step five: Leverage AI tools for efficiency. We've built AI agents for many clients, essentially turning common pre-sales questions into a knowledge base that AI handles automatically. This is ideal for SMEs without dedicated online customer service. For example, a packaging materials client receives numerous repetitive questions daily—'What's your minimum order quantity?' 'Can you ship via SF Express?' 'Do you have test reports?'—all of which the AI agent answers accurately, escalating only when necessary. This ensures no nighttime inquiries are missed and reduces the workload on sales staff.
Pitfall Guide: Three Common Ways Businesses Waste Money on Online Marketing
As a service provider, we've seen many clients take detours. Here are three common pitfalls to help SMEs nationwide avoid them.
Pitfall one: Believing 'the more keywords, the better.' Some marketing companies promise '5,000 articles per year,' but these are machine-generated, low-quality pieces that Baidu won't index and AI won't cite—a waste of money. In our content creation, each article goes through six stages: topic selection, writing, review, formatting, publishing, and monitoring, ensuring every piece has search value. Rather than publishing 5,000 unread articles, it's better to write twenty well-crafted, in-depth pieces that generate inquiries.
Pitfall two: Ignoring mobile experience. Over 60% of B2B inquiries now come from mobile devices, yet many corporate websites are relics of the PC era—text is small, buttons are hard to tap, and forms don't pop up on mobile. When we build websites, we always use responsive design and optimize mobile conversion as a core metric. A user might search while waiting for the subway; if the experience is poor, they'll immediately check a competitor's site.
Pitfall three: Only looking at ad platform data, not actual conversions. Click-through rates and impression counts look nice, but if they don't convert into sales leads, they're meaningless. We require clients to review 'cost per qualified lead' weekly—dividing ad spend by the number of genuine inquiries. Sometimes a channel has a high cost per click but also a high conversion rate, making it worthwhile. Without tracking final deals, you can easily be misled by surface metrics.
In the Next Two Years, the Integration of Corporate Websites and AI Search Will Accelerate
It's foreseeable that AI agents will increasingly intervene in purchasing decisions. Perhaps next year, a buyer won't 'search' for products but will directly tell AI their needs, and AI will provide a list of recommendations. By then, if your company's information isn't indexed and understood by AI, you'll be 'nonexistent' in the digital world.
Yunxuan Network Technology has always been about combining traditional online marketing capabilities with AI technology. We help clients with foundational website building and SEO, as well as GEO optimization and AI agent deployment, with one goal: to ensure SMEs nationwide, regardless of size, don't fall behind in the next shift of traffic entry points and truly achieve performance-based customer acquisition.
If you're struggling with 'online marketing that doesn't work' or want to assess your website's performance in AI search, feel free to contact our consultant team. We won't push you to spend money upfront. Instead, we'll first provide a free digital asset diagnosis to identify your most critical gaps. After all, online marketing isn't gambling—it's an investment, and every penny should be spent where it can generate inquiries.