SEO vs. AI Discoverability: What Matters Most for Building Product Brands?

By Alice Dickerson · 6 min read · December 16, 2025

Why the Future of B2B Marketing Requires Both Search Optimization and AI-Ready Structure

For years, building product manufacturers, suppliers, and construction-industry marketers focused almost exclusively on search engine optimization (SEO) to drive visibility—aiming to rank on Google for high-value keywords with substantial search volume and relatively low keyword difficulty.

Today, the landscape has changed.

Content is no longer discovered only through traditional search engines. Architects, specifiers, contractors, and owners increasingly rely on AI-powered tools—such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity—to research products, understand technical differences, and evaluate solutions long before they visit a website.

This shift raises an essential question for B2B organizations in the building products and construction industry:

When creating content, what is more important—SEO or writing for AI discoverability?

The answer is not either/or. The most effective strategy integrates both, with authority and clarity as the foundation.

Understanding the Difference Between SEO and AI Discoverability

Although SEO and AI discoverability overlap, they serve different purposes and evaluate content differently.

What SEO Is Designed to Do

SEO helps content:

• Appear in search engine results.

• Rank for relevant keywords

• Earn clicks and website traffic.

• Support measurable performance metrics.

Search engines evaluate factors such as keyword placement, page structure, metadata, internal linking, site performance, and backlinks. For building product manufacturers, SEO remains critical for visibility when architects or contractors actively search for technical guidance, specifications, or suppliers.

SEO answers the question: Can your content be found?

What AI Discoverability Is Designed to Do

AI discoverability determines whether content is:

• Understood clearly by AI systems

• Trusted as an authoritative source

• Summarized or cited in AI-generated responses

• Recommended during conversational research

AI systems prioritize clarity, structure, and expertise. They extract meaning from how content is written, not just which keywords are present. Well-structured answers, direct explanations, and consistent terminology carry more weight than keyword density.

AI discoverability answers the question: Can your content be understood and trusted?

Why Authority Is the Real Priority

Before optimizing for SEO or AI, content must establish authority.

In the building products and construction industry, authority is demonstrated through:

• Technical accuracy

• Industry-specific language

• Clear explanations of systems, standards, and performance

• Consistent terminology aligned with how architects and specifiers think

If content lacks authority, it will struggle to rank in search engines and will not be surfaced by AI platforms. Authority is the prerequisite that enables both SEO success and AI discoverability.

The Correct Priority Order for 2025 and Beyond

Based on current search behavior and AI adoption trends, the most effective content strategy follows this sequence:

1. Authority and Clarity (Foundation)

Content must clearly explain:

• What a product or system is

• How it performs

• Why it matters

• When it should be specified or used

For example, an article on retrofit security glazing should clearly differentiate forced-entry resistance from ballistic protection, explain performance standards, and outline where retrofit solutions fit into existing buildings.

2. AI Discoverability (Structure and Semantics)

Once authority is established, content should be structured to make it easy for AI systems to extract meaning.

This includes:

• Question-based subheadings

• Direct, concise answers

• Short paragraphs

• Lists and tables where appropriate

• Clear product, brand, and category references

AI-friendly content anticipates the questions architects, contractors, and owners are asking—and answers them explicitly.

3. SEO Optimization (Distribution Layer)

Finally, SEO techniques ensure the content is discoverable through traditional search.

This includes:

• Strategic keyword placement

• Optimized meta titles and descriptions

• Internal linking to related resources

• Image alt text

• Schema markup when applicable

SEO acts as the delivery mechanism that brings readers—and AI systems—to authoritative content.

What Is AI Discoverability vs. Answer Engine Optimization?

AI discoverability and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) are closely related but serve different roles. AI discoverability refers to how easily content can be understood, trusted, and surfaced by AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini. It focuses on clarity, structure, and authority.

Answer Engine Optimization, by contrast, is the practice of intentionally structuring content to directly answer specific questions AI systems are designed to respond to. In short, AI discoverability ensures content can be found and understood by AI, while AEO ensures it is selected, summarized, and referenced as a reliable answer.

Why Writing for AI First Is Gaining Importance

AI platforms increasingly influence how information is consumed. In many cases, users receive answers directly from AI tools without clicking through to a website.

If content is not structured for AI discoverability:

• It may never be cited or summarized.

• Brand authority may be overlooked.

• Competitors with clearer content may become the default reference.

Writing with AI discoverability in mind helps ensure that your company’s expertise shapes the answers being delivered—whether or not a click occurs.

What Does this Mean for Building Product Manufacturers?

For manufacturers and suppliers in the construction industry, content must now serve multiple discovery paths:

• Traditional search results

• AI-generated summaries

• Conversational research tools

• Specification research workflows

Articles, blogs, and technical resources should:

• Address real questions from architects and specifiers.

• Use industry-accurate language

• Explain systems, not just products.

• Balance technical depth with readability.

This approach supports brand authority while improving long-term discoverability across platforms.

Authority, AI Discoverability, and Community Visibility

Authority and AI discoverability also influence how content enters broader industry conversations. Clearly written, well-structured, and technically accurate content is more likely to be referenced in community-driven platforms such as Wikipedia and Reddit, where neutrality, clarity, and verifiability are essential.

These platforms favor sources that define concepts clearly and demonstrate subject-matter expertise. As AI systems increasingly surface and summarize authoritative content, visibility across search, AI tools, and community forums reinforces credibility, encourages peer discussion, and positions manufacturers as trusted contributors within the industry knowledge ecosystem.

The Key Takeaway

When creating content today, the most important priority is not choosing between SEO and AI discoverability. It is designing content that performs well in both environments.

• SEO helps content get found.

• AI discoverability helps content get referenced.

• Authority ensures content gets trusted.

A Final Question Worth Addressing

Are content marketers concerned that artificial intelligence could replace their role or reduce demand for their services? The short answer is no—at least not for experts who understand their industry. AI does not replace domain knowledge, strategic thinking, or real-world experience. Instead, it functions best as a research and efficiency tool—one that helps organize information, surface patterns, and accelerate execution.

The strongest B2B marketing strategies in the building products and construction industry align authority, SEO, and AI discoverability—creating content that ranks, informs, and influences decisions at every stage of the buying and specifying process.

Division 08 Marketing specializes in strategic marketing, content development, and consulting for building product manufacturers across the construction industry—and, beyond the CSI Division 08 category. Our approach aligns brand authority, technical accuracy, and discoverability to support long-term growth and specification success.

Exhibit with purpose: Strategies for trade show success

Trade Shows Are Still One of Your Best Investments

Trade shows remain one of the most effective ways for product manufacturers and suppliers to reach qualified buyers, specifiers, partners, and press. Whether you're exhibiting at AIA, GlassBuild America, World of Concrete, or a niche vertical event for architects, contractors, or facility management leaders—success comes down to strategy.

And not just at the show. The most productive exhibitors plan several months in advance to ensure their presence delivers measurable returns.

Long-Range Planning: Start Early to Secure Strategic Advantage

If you're exhibiting at a major industry event, start planning at least 90 days—and up to a year if you intend to:

• Upgrade your exhibit display or create a new one

• Host a hospitality event or business meeting

• Secure premium booth placement or offsite venues

Prime exhibit locations and hospitality spaces sell out quickly. Early planning ensures you don’t miss your opportunity to make a lasting impression. No one wants to be on the back wall, next to the restrooms or freight elevator!

Pre-Show Preparation: Build Momentum Before You Arrive

Here’s how to make your presence known before the show floor even opens:

• Set clear goals. Are you focused on lead volume, partner meetings, brand awareness, or customer retention? Define what success looks like and align your team.

• Promote early and often. Use email campaigns, social media, and your website to announce your participation. Share booth highlights, product debuts, demos, and an invitation to your company’s hospitality event if applicable.

• Ask your team members who will be staffing the booth to be an advocate for the event by sharing, liking, and commenting on event-related social media posts to help spread the word.

• Include calls to action. Offer free guest registration codes, links to your meeting scheduler, or previews of what visitors can expect to experience in your space.

• Publish a press release. Announce product launches, strategic partnerships, or what you’ll be demonstrating at the booth.

• Get your entire team involved. Don’t just rely on reps attending the show. Ensure that all sales and customer service teams are promoting the event to their contacts—regardless of whether they’re attending. Don’t assume who is or isn’t going. Share widely.

• Book meetings in advance. Reach out to customers, vendors, and media contacts well in advance of the show. Fill your schedule with strategic touchpoints.

Driving Booth Traffic: Make Your Exhibit a Destination

In a crowded expo hall, proactive engagement strategies can dramatically improve foot traffic.

• Be an event sponsor. Gain exposure through signage, show app placements, or sponsored sessions.

• Offer to speak or facilitate an AIA continuing education course. This will position your company as an industry expert.

• Promote live demos. Publicize specific times when you'll be showcasing a product or feature.

• Host a cocktail party, coffee service, or luncheon. Either in your booth or at a nearby venue. Invite customers, prospective buyers, media representatives, and other business partners for an extended networking.

• Use your platforms. Share teaser videos, product spotlights, and booth sneak peeks via LinkedIn and email campaigns.

• Send reminders. Don’t just promote once. Build anticipation with a content series and email reminders leading up to the event.

Booth Etiquette & Presentation: Your Brand Is on Display

Once the show begins, your booth becomes a live-action representation of your brand. Every interaction counts.

• Wear branded apparel to maintain professionalism and brand consistency. Especially if you have a large booth, otherwise, how will prospective buyers distinguish between exhibit staff and other visitors?

• Stand and engage—do not sit, eat, or scroll your phone while in the booth. If you must respond to a text, call, or email, step out of the space and into the aisle to do this.

• Keep the booth clean throughout the day. No coffee cups, water bottles, or clutter.

• Display materials prominently. Ensure product brochures, giveaways, and samples are easily accessible and clearly presented.

• Encourage interaction. Let visitors pick up, touch, or demo products where possible. Hands-on engagement is memorable.

• Train your exhibit team. Everyone should be aware of the key messages, differentiators, and next steps for visitors.

• Host live demos or micro-presentations. These draw crowds and spark conversation.

Lead Capture & Tracking: Every Contact Counts

Don’t leave leads to chance. Create a structured approach for collecting, qualifying, and organizing contacts.

• Scan every badge—even current customers. This helps track engagement and informs year-over-year metrics.

• Tag and qualify leads immediately. Note what products they showed interest in and what follow-up is required.

• Integrate with your CRM to reduce manual entry and shorten your sales cycle.

Post-Show Follow-Up: MovE Quickly and Learn From It

The show might be over—but the real work starts here.

• Send personalized follow-ups immediately following the event, or at least within 2–3 days. Thank visitors, share next steps, and offer helpful resources.

• Segment and prioritize leads. Sort contacts by urgency or buying stage. Create tailored follow-up cadences for hot prospects vs. long-term nurtures.

• Host a team debrief. Meet with your internal team and agency to discuss what worked and what didn’t—from booth design to staffing, to messaging.

• Document improvements. Note what should be refined for the next show—layout, visuals, lead retrieval tools, messaging, or engagement strategies.

• Ask for feedback. Include a short survey link in your follow-up emails to capture customer perspectives. What stood out? What was missing?

Final Thoughts: Successful Events Are Designed, Not Hoped For

Trade shows are too important—and too expensive—to leave to chance. With thoughtful planning, strong execution, and intentional follow-up, B2B exhibitors can turn events into long-term growth engines.

Whether you're exhibiting at a national, regional, or local event, your outcomes will reflect the quality of your preparation and execution.

Planning a trade show? Our free checklist covers everything you need to execute with confidence and impact. Download now.

Need help developing your next trade show strategy?

Let Division 08 Marketing support your team with strategic planning, promotional content, lead conversion tools, and more. Please feel free to contact us at info@division08marketing.com or submit a request for a free consultation.

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Aligning Building Products with 2024 Architectural Design Trends

Learn What’s Top of Mind for Architects

Despite talks of a recession in 2024, the U.S. construction forecast still predicts growth, particularly for multi-family, hotel and manufacturing projects.

 That said, high material costs and inflation—driven by energy prices, wages and consumer spending—is causing unpredictability while elevated interest rates have made lending more costly and difficult.

 With all these economic pressures, architects are increasingly seeking product manufacturers as partners to help deliver high quality, energy efficient, long lasting, and sustainable buildings.

Common Values

What are architects looking for when selecting manufacturers to work with?

 In addition to shared values—such as protecting the environment, transparency, diversity, and inclusion—architects are seeking products to help their designs reduce embodied carbon, decrease energy use, support circular practices and in some cases, enable net zero designs.

 Not only does the building industry generate 40% of annual CO2 emissions, but embodied carbon created by manufacturing products and materials accounts for 11% of global annual emissions and is connected to issues of public health and equity. Taking this responsibility seriously, more than 1,200 architectural firms have signed on to the American Institute of Architects’ AIA 2030 Commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Consequently, companies taking steps to reduce the use of fossil fuels, use renewable energy sources and reduce the environmental footprint of their products are best poised to help architects and building owners achieve important decarbonization targets,

This goes hand in hand with the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle.

With well-designed products, the use of resources and materials through manufacturing and fabrication can be reduced. Incorporating increasing percentages of recycled content in products is valuable. For example, with glass, this might mean incorporating recycled cullet into the manufacturing process.

Architects are also interested in products and materials that can be recycled at the end of life. In addition to reducing waste, circular materials reduce carbon in the atmosphere and can help building teams qualify for credits in building certification programs.

On the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), architects and building owners are looking to incorporate these values and principles into their supply chains and designs. Consequently, they want to partner with manufacturers who share these same values.

Green Building Certifications

The grandfather of sustainable building certifications and the most well-known is the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC) LEED program. LEED-certified buildings have been documented to consume 25% less energy and 11% less water than a typical building.

LEED-seeking buildings will favor building products which can help the project earn points. For example, in the Indoor Environmental Quality category, products supporting daylighting can help earn points in two credits: Daylight and Quality Views.

Currently under development, LEED v5 is evolving to include timely issues like equity, health, ecosystems, and resilience.

Whereas LEED awards points for predicted energy efficiency, the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge takes things a step further, requiring metered energy consumption after one year of operation. Another difference is design teams have more liberty to pick and choose the credits they want to pursue with LEED while the LBC is more holistic and rigorous in its requirements for certification.

Another program gaining traction is the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL Building Standard. Unlike some other rating systems, which primarily on the building's environmental impact, WELL distinguishes itself with its emphasis on occupant health and well-being.

Other programs growing in popularity include Passive House and Green Globes.

Some qualities which architects are seeking in building products to help support any or all these certifications are volatile organic compounds (VOC) content, thermal performance, natural light, ventilation, and connection to the outdoors.

Here are just a few examples:

• Water-based coatings1 for the use in manufacturing spandrel glass is an excellent example of a solution that supports a no—to low VOC finished product.

• Fire-rated glass ceramics1 produced without the use of hazardous heavy metals antimony and arsenic.

• Prefabricated fire-rated steel columns1 delivered to the jobsite ready to install and with an intumescent layer incorporated in the column design, eliminating aftermarket coatings being applied in the field. 

• Guardian Glass1 and Vitro Architectural Glass1 continue to innovate high-performing glass coatings to improve energy efficiency.

• Operable Glass Wall Systems support biophilic design by connecting indoor/outdoor spaces, increasing the flow of natural daylighting while also offering large views.

Also key, and often required for certifications, is transparency. Consequently, it is essential for product manufacturers to develop and provide updated Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) to help architects quantify environmental information on a product or material’s life cycle.

Adaptive Reuse

Another key trend to look out for in 2024 is growing interest in adaptive reuse projects. Driven by carbon reduction goals, conserving resources, reducing waste and historic preservation, developers and building owners are commonly choosing renovations and adaptive reuse over new construction.

By reusing a building’s existing structure and shell, project teams are tapping savings in material costs and labor, not to mention reducing their environmental footprint.

Of note, a former American Institute of Architects (AIA) President Carl Elefante once said, “The greenest building is the one that already exists.”

To help support retrofits and adaptive reuse, it behooves manufacturers to both promote these product applications and continue developing solutions for this growing demographic of project types.

As an example. various architectural glass applications were incorporated in the Wheeler Kearns design that transformed an old Kraft Food Plant constructed of concrete and masonry in Bentonville, Ark., into a contemporary art exhibit at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art’s Momentary, paying homage to the site’s history as Osage hunting land.

More Trends

To better target architects with their marketing efforts, manufacturers should pay heed to a few more trends in 2024 – modular solutions, prefabricated components, and biophilic design.

According to the Modular Building Institute, modular construction has tripled since 2015. Assembled and tested in factory-controlled settings, these solutions are reducing waste, increasing quality control and delivering savings in construction costs and project schedules.

In a similar vein, prefabricated construction offers many advantages including enhanced quality and durability, lowered costs and project timelines, less waste and reduced on-site labor.

Biophilic materials and designs have been proven to increase health and wellness, healing, job satisfaction, employee retention and productivity. Popular biophilic elements include daylighting, water features, greenery, natural and natural-looking materials like wood and stone.

Increase Your Reach

For guidance in positioning your building products for greater architectural reach, contact the industry experts at Division 08 Marketing2. Of note, the company is a full-service marketing and advertising agency specializing in the building products and construction industry, including—but not limited to CSI Division 08, 05, 03, and 010 categories.

Footnote1: Product or company references are not intended to imply these are clients of Division 08 Marketing, LLC. The intent is to educate through examples shared and are not paid promotions.

Footnote2: Since the inception of Division 08 Marketing, the company has expanded to serve clients in various CSI division categories.