The last time I sent you an email was October 2024.

That's over a year ago.

I won't bore you with excuses, but here's what happened:

I got deep into client work, and the newsletter fell off. Classic mistake we unknowingly fall into as agency founders.

But I'm back now, and honestly, the timing works out because a lot has changed in how B2B SaaS buyers find software.

If you're wondering what this newsletter will cover going forward, here it is:

In the last few months, I've watched B2B SaaS buying behavior fundamentally shift.

Your potential customers aren't just using Google anymore.

They're asking ChatGPT which CRM to use. They're using Perplexity to research project management tools. They're relying on Claude and Google's AI Overviews to shortlist software.

And most SaaS companies are completely invisible in these tools.

We've been calling this shift Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

And it's not just theory.

Here's what happened with OneCal:

In 2023, OneCal was a bootstrapped calendar sync startup competing against VC-backed competitors with millions in funding.

Reclaim. ai had raised $6.3M. CalendarBridge and Motion were both well-funded.

Today, when you search "calendar sync software" on Google, the AI Overview mentions OneCal first even before some of its biggest competitors.

That happened because we “unknowingly“ trained the AI models using their content. Today, they’re benefitting immensely from it.

So here's what this newsletter will cover going forward:

Every Thursday, you'll get insights on how B2B SaaS companies are adapting to this shift.

Some weeks it'll be tactical (what's actually working in AI search). Other weeks it'll be strategic (how to position your content for citations).

And yes, I'll still share relevant SEO observations occasionally, but through the lens of this bigger change.

You'll also get:

If that's not your thing, I totally get it.

The unsubscribe link is below. No hard feelings.

But if you want to understand how your potential customers are actually finding software now, and how to make sure they find you, stick around.

Next Thursday, I'll break down what I think is actually happening with listicles, and if it still matters for SEO & AEO moving forward.

Hit reply and tell me: have you noticed AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity showing up in your referral traffic yet? I'm curious what people are seeing.

To your startup success,

Shehu AbdulGaniy
Founder, Your Content Mart

P.S: I know the name still says "SaaS SEO Insights." Working on that. Bear with me.