In a recent LinkedIn post, Mariam Gogidze delves into the surprising success a B2B software company, Leadpipe, has experienced with AI-driven discovery, highlighting a nuanced approach that moves beyond traditional SEO tactics. Mariam Gogidze emphasizes that achieving significant sales growth through AI is less about algorithmic manipulation and more about establishing genuine authority.
The post details Leadpipe’s journey, where AI recommendations began naming the company unprompted within 30 days. Within 60 days, this method reportedly drove approximately $300,000 in new annual recurring revenue. Today, Leadpipe attributes about 90% of its sales to AI-driven discovery, a remarkable outcome that Mariam Gogidze uses to illustrate a broader principle.
The Misconception of ‘AI SEO’
Mariam Gogidze challenges the common practice of agencies rebranding existing SEO strategies as ‘AI optimization.’ She argues that many so-called ‘AI SEO’ services are merely employing the same old playbooks—keywords, backlinks, and technical fixes—with a new label. This approach, according to Mariam Gogidze, is fundamentally flawed because AI models do not discover information the way traditional search engines do.
As Mariam Gogidze points out:
“Most ‘GEO’ and ‘AI optimization’ agencies right now are just SEO agencies that changed their slides. Same playbook. keywords, backlinks, technical fixes, rebranded with ‘AI’ on the cover. and it will struggle, because the machine doesn’t choose the way the old search engine did.”
Building Genuine Authority for AI Recognition
Instead of focusing on SEO, the strategy that proved effective for Leadpipe involved building authentic authority. Mariam Gogidze outlines three key components of this successful approach:
- Being referenced by trusted third-party sources that AI models already rely on.
- Making specific, verifiable claims that AI models can easily extract and repeat.
- Establishing a clear, consistent identity within a single category, rather than presenting as a generalist.
Mariam Gogidze contrasts this with conventional search optimization, stating that while they may appear similar from the outside, they are distinct disciplines. The former is about building trust and credibility, which AI systems are adept at recognizing.
She elaborates on this distinction:
“that’s not search optimization. that’s authority building. they look similar from the outside and they are not the same job.”
The True Winner in the AI Era
The core takeaway from Mariam Gogidze’s analysis is that in the evolving landscape of AI-driven discovery, success is not achieved by trying to ‘game’ the algorithm. Instead, companies that become genuinely valuable and worthy of citation are the ones that will ultimately win.
According to Mariam Gogidze:
“in this new field, the winner isn’t the company that games the algorithm. It’s the company that becomes genuinely worth citing. The machine is just very good at noticing which one you are.”
Mariam Gogidze encourages readers to question agencies that offer ‘AI SEO,’ urging them to inquire about how their methods differ from those used years ago. This critical examination, she suggests, will reveal the superficiality of many current ‘AI’ offerings and underscore the importance of building true, cite-worthy authority.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Mariam Gogidze on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on July 23, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →