HubSpot increases leads by 1850% with AEO: optimization lessons for search engines

What happened?

HubSpot, the leading CRM and marketing platform, has achieved an 1850% increase in qualified leads from artificial intelligence, along with a conversion rate three times higher than traditional organic traffic. This was revealed by Aja Frost, Senior Director of Global Growth and Paid at HubSpot, in an interview with TechRadar published on December 4, 2024. The key: an Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategy that prioritizes visibility in responses generated by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity, instead of relying solely on classic click-based SEO.

According to Frost, traffic from LLMs (large language models) converts approximately 3 times better than traditional search traffic. Additionally, 90% of HubSpot's leads now come from non-blog sources, such as YouTube (whose leads grew 100%), newsletters (90% more), and podcasts. The company has diversified its presence wherever humans and AI models consume content.

These results are no coincidence. HubSpot has been experimenting with content strategies since 2022, when it began to notice a decline in traditional organic traffic due to the growing adoption of Google's AI Overviews and conversational engines. The company invested in creating structured content for LLMs, including original data from its annual marketing trends reports, which AI assistants frequently cite for their authority and uniqueness.

Why is it important?

This case marks a turning point in digital marketing. For over a decade, the recipe was simple: find keywords, rank content, and convert visitors. But the emergence of AI-generated summaries (AI Overviews) and conversational answer engines is drastically reducing clicks from traditional search results. Many websites are seeing their organic sessions drop and need new metrics to demonstrate ROI.

HubSpot shows that it is possible not only to survive but to thrive in this new ecosystem. Its approach shifts the north star from traffic to AI visibility, brand search, and pipeline quality. For Frost, “traffic volume is no longer the right metric. When an AI responds including your brand, you may not get clicks, but you have generated awareness that can convert later.”

The market impact is significant. According to a 2024 Gartner study, traditional organic traffic is expected to drop by 25% by 2026 due to AI-generated responses. Companies like HubSpot that adapt early can capture a competitive advantage. Frost noted that “many brands are seeing 30-50% declines in organic sessions,” making the adoption of AEO urgent.

What consequences will it have?

HubSpot's AEO strategy lays the foundation for a new marketing discipline. Brands will need to:

• Structure content to be easily interpretable by LLMs, using original data, direct answers to conversational questions, and clear formatting. For example, include FAQs in Q&A format and use schema.org markup like FAQPage or HowTo.
• Diversify channels: YouTube, newsletters, podcasts, and other platforms where LLMs train and cite. HubSpot reported that YouTube leads grew 100% and newsletter leads 90%.
• Systematically measure AI visibility: know how assistants describe their products, which competitors appear, and how their share of voice evolves. Tools like BrightEdge or LLM tracking platforms can help.
• Reuse legacy content but adapt it: content written for Google often does not explicitly answer conversational questions. Frost recommends reviewing the most popular articles and reformulating them into direct Q&A formats.

For Frost, “your content must answer conversational queries directly and authoritatively. Think about how your buyers will ask an answer engine, not how they would type keywords into Google.”

Additionally, HubSpot's strategy includes creating original content and proprietary data. LLMs tend to cite sources with unique and verified information, so investing in proprietary market research can increase the likelihood of being mentioned. For example, HubSpot's annual trends report is frequently cited by ChatGPT and Perplexity.

What should readers know?

AEO is not a passing fad but a necessary evolution. Companies that ignore this shift risk losing visibility to competitors that optimize for AI. Some concrete actions:

• Identify the conversational questions potential customers ask and create content that answers them directly and authoritatively. For example, instead of an article titled “CRM Guide,” create a page that answers “What is a CRM and how to choose the best one?”.
• Include unique data and original studies, as LLMs tend to cite sources with differentiated information. Frost mentions that “original data is the fuel of LLMs.”
• Monitor presence in AI responses with specific tools (e.g., LLM visibility tracking platforms). Some startups like AIPRM or SearchPilot already offer features to measure mentions in ChatGPT and Gemini.
• Do not abandon traditional SEO but complement it with AEO. SEO remains relevant for traditional search, but AEO captures AI traffic that converts better.

HubSpot's case is a proof of concept: with the right strategy, exponential growth in leads is possible even when traditional clicks decline. Frost concludes: “The future of marketing is not about attracting clicks, but about being present in the answers that AI offers to your customers.”

“Traffic from LLMs converts 3 times better than traditional search traffic.” — Aja Frost, HubSpot

For marketing professionals, the lesson is clear: adapt or fall behind. The window of opportunity is narrow; those who implement AEO now will have a significant competitive advantage in the next 12-18 months.