Breaking B2B · 2026-07-06 · 14 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
23 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
This episode features street interviews with London residents on contemporary B2B marketing challenges. Sam explores LinkedIn's evolving role - capturing perspectives on whether it's strayed from professional networking into social media territory, alongside practical growth tactics like visual content, posting about events, and treating LinkedIn as a personal brand. The conversation shifts to LLM and search engine preferences, with respondents weighing Google, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity, revealing that trust in Google persists due to habit and perceived peer-review mechanisms, while newer LLMs are viewed with skepticism around hallucinations. On getting recommended by AI models and ranking on Google, suggestions range from creating genuinely relevant content and keyword strategy to leveraging Reddit (where models train), paid ads, and focusing on user intent rather than keyword stuffing. The episode concludes with lead generation insights - that B2B success hinges on network effects and referrals, while word-of-mouth and positive user feedback remain underrated assets. Relevant for B2B operators navigating SEO, LinkedIn strategy, and AI search visibility.
LinkedIn serves as a professional network for job searching, connecting with peers, staying updated on industry trends, and company hiring - though respondents noted it has drifted from pure professional use toward social media behavior like puzzle games and personal posts.
Focus on showing your work through visual content, infographics, and case studies; post meaningful event learnings; tag content correctly; keep posts short and snappy; and treat your profile as a personal brand rather than listing achievements.
Most respondents trust Google more due to habit and perceived peer-review through user clicks, but they cross-check critical information (finance, work-related) on authoritative sources and run the same question through multiple LLMs to catch hallucinations.
Focus on creating genuinely relevant content around your keywords and use cases, consider leveraging Reddit and community sites where models train their data, and avoid keyword stuffing - the quality and authenticity of content matters more than SEO tricks.
Network-based referrals and word-of-mouth are most effective because B2B deals involve bigger contracts and knowing someone inside the target company; positive user feedback that spreads organically builds sector reputation better than cold outreach.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
This episode consists almost entirely of vox populi soundbites from random London residents with minimal depth. While a few respondents offer basic tactical advice (e.g., 'make it visual' on LinkedIn, 'use keywords' for SEO), the vast majority of content is surface-level repetition of common knowledge ('LinkedIn is a professional network,' 'Google is trustworthy,' 'word of mouth works'). There is almost no novel insight, no data, no frameworks, and substantial filler consisting of the host asking the same questions repeatedly to different people with predictable answers.
LinkedIn is a professional network.
Google ChatGPT Claude, what are we saying?
The episode recycles the most obvious B2B marketing platitudes without any fresh thinking or contrarian angle. The advice offered - post good content, use keywords, build word of mouth, have a good website - is generic and ubiquitous. There is no attempt at first-principles reasoning, no examination of why these tactics work or when they fail, and no original frameworks. The format itself (asking randos on the street) adds novelty in presentation but not in substance.
show, don't tell
word of mouth is always particularly effective
The 'guests' are random members of the public with no demonstrated expertise, experience, or track record in B2B marketing, SaaS, or SEO. While one person mentions working for AWS and another claims to have 'done SEO before,' there is no vetting of credentials, no deep practitioner knowledge, and no indication that any respondent has built or scaled a B2B business. This is the opposite of credible operator testimony.
I'm trying to find a job and I access the free premium one month trial.
I've got a good answer.
The episode is almost entirely devoid of specific examples, data, metrics, or concrete evidence. There are no named companies, no revenue figures, no case studies, no timelines, and no measurable outcomes. The few tactical suggestions (tag posts, make visuals, use keywords) lack any supporting numbers or real-world validation. One respondent mentions 'brute force' SEO tactics involving backlinks and clicks, but offers no specifics or proof of efficacy.
make it visual, make it short and snappy
relevant keywords are how you get there
The host's questioning is repetitive, surface-level, and rarely probes deeper. The same questions are asked in nearly identical form to multiple respondents without meaningful follow-ups or pushback. When respondents make unsupported claims (e.g., 'paid ads are the only way'), the host does not challenge or dig into the reasoning. The format - quick street-level soundbites - inherently prevents substantive conversation or intellectual rigor. There is no evidence of preparation, domain expertise, or ability to extract real insight.
Google ChatGPT Claude, what's your go to?
Any thoughts yourself?
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
Wanna know how to use SEO + GEO to generate revenue right now? Book a call here: Book a call ► Sam is out on the road again! - This time he's headed to the heart of London to ask Londoner's their take on B2B marketing. Some surprising insights are learned as they say what they think of LinkedIn, Google rankings, and take a guess at how ChatGPT recommends! In Podcast episode #491 you get: Marketing Strategies for Lead Generation SEO for AI Search: Why Prompts are so important ChatGPT vs Google, who does the public trust more? Is LinkedIn THE professional network or just another social channel? How to Get Your Business Recommended by AI Search Engines Today's Best Marketing Strategies for Lead-Gen Grab the 90 days to revenue guide from our SEO playbook Website LinkedIn Breaking B2B podcast (top 2.5% b2b marketing show) Daily newsletter (unlock 4 weird b2b gifts instantly) If you this content was helpful,
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Speaker A: I've traveled all the way to central London to ask the public B2B marketing questions. We're going to ask them things like what's the point of LinkedIn? How do you grow on LinkedIn? How do you get recommended on ChatGPT? How do you rank top of Google? And a bunch of other funny, interesting, unusual B2B marketing questions. To see what the general public here in London think. Let's get stuck into it. Guys, I know I'm interrupting, but could I ask a quick random question?
Speaker B: It depends on who you are.
Speaker A: My name's Sam, but uh, I'd like to ask you what is the point of LinkedIn?
Speaker B: I'm not LinkedIn because I thought it was another social tool where it has gone away from its actual purpose of connecting professionals. And uh, people who are not professionals or professionally linked are now using LinkedIn, you know, as another tool for social connections. So I thought it has lost its taste in my own personal opinion, although a lot of people vouch by IT that it's how they get their next job and whatnot. I know it might still be useful for people out there to connect people who use it to their advantage.
Speaker A: Sounds like you might have had a bad experience with LinkedIn.
Speaker B: Not necessarily bad, but just the fact that people that are not linked to professionally want to get connected with me on LinkedIn. Like having somebody who is a carpenter. I want to connect with someone who's an IT gambler. What was the purpose for that?
Speaker A: This guy's up for it. What's the point of LinkedIn?
Speaker C: LinkedIn social media, finding jobs.
Speaker A: Are you on LinkedIn?
Speaker C: Yeah, but not really active.
Speaker A: Oh, not active.
Speaker C: Yeah, I'm trying to find a job and I access the free premium one month trial.
Speaker D: Yeah.
Speaker C: So I'm trying to try to figure it out.
Speaker E: Just connect with the people. It's the best platform where I can also find a job as well as I can connect to the persons who would like to refer me as.
Speaker F: Well, it's a professional network.
Speaker A: Is it professional?
Speaker F: Well, it should be professional but loads of people now are putting up social media comments. But I think it's good in terms of professional connecting with your network, be it from a business perspective or your own personal professional perspective.
Speaker G: LinkedIn is like the Instagram for professional in a sense of it's a follow up. You connect with someone and you want to see them again or network with them again or something in a professional capacity. Add on LinkedIn.
Speaker A: What's the point of LinkedIn?
Speaker H: It's a tough one but I'd say it's more of a professional Facebook. You could say so. I mean, I use it and I'm not sure why I use it. A lot of people do excel their careers through there. Connecting with a lot of people in companies where they want to work in, you know, mark their face out quicker and I don't really know what else it could be, to be honest with you, but I just see it as m more of a professional Facebook.
Speaker I: The point of LinkedIn is to stay connected and make connections with people that. Oh yeah, if you just stand there, it's perfect. Make connections and understand other people's professional profiles. Also stay connected in terms of what's going on in the industry in their world.
Speaker C: I play puzzle games there. So for me it's that amazing. I think that for our company, we post marketing stuff there and look for job applicants. So that's probably the real point of LinkedIn.
Speaker A: Got it.
Speaker J: Business, isn't it?
Speaker A: Business Facebook.
Speaker J: So you can post things and pretend to be important.
Speaker A: That's a good summary if you want
Speaker J: to, like, change jobs. That's all I use it for.
Speaker A: If someone wants to grow on LinkedIn, get inquiries for their business or to get hired or something similar. What do you think is the best way to do that? Any thoughts? I'm on a video. He's on a video. Get him involved. Ask them.
Speaker G: I've got a good answer.
Speaker A: How'd you grow on LinkedIn?
Speaker G: I think it's always show, don't tell. So don't tell people about how amazing you are or what you've done is show them. So interesting content that aligns with yourself. I mean, everyone's a brand these days, right? And I think treating your LinkedIn as a personal brand is probably the absolute be all and end all for anything that follows.
Speaker E: Connect with the people and try to post some of the events. Like, you know, I have attended some of the events today, so try to post the event and what did you learn from that? So what did you gain from that? So most of the people allow to sit and connect with you and it might help with you and gain some connections and that might also help you with the getting a job.
Speaker A: Got it.
Speaker I: You got to post interesting content with lessons and it's very meaningful, but it can't be too long because people like to scroll.
Speaker A: Have you got any tips, tricks, secrets?
Speaker D: My biggest tip for LinkedIn is make it visual. People love a photograph or not an infographic in the traditional sense, but a more modern this is what I'm about. This is what my team has done. Um, this is what we've delivered and that automatically connects you to an audience who are interested in that particular topic, especially if you tag it in the right way. So tag it in the right way, make it visual, make it short and snappy.
Speaker A: Good tips. Any tips from yourself? Fair.
Speaker C: I think that to hire someone you just have to have LinkedIn Premium for sure and just have a big contact network because, uh, I think I wouldn't hire anyone good. But my colleagues there, they have big network already set up, so I think that's easier for them.
Speaker A: Is your network your net worth?
Speaker C: Uh, no. I think so.
Speaker D: No.
Speaker E: Real quick.
Speaker A: If you want to start fueling your sales team with a steady stream of leads, demos or booked calls from SEO and organic search across AI and Google, why not grab a call with myself over@breaking b2b.com we can chat through exactly how SEO could potentially help your business drive a steady stream of inbound through organic search. Head over to breaking b2b.com and hit the link in description below. Right back to the video. What's your kind of go to LLM or search engine? Like would you use Google or ChatGPT or Claude or something else or Gemini?
Speaker C: If basic question I just ask Google but if more complicated, I'd rather use like a large language model because for normal question if you ask in the Google they will have like AI things like you can just show up. So that's easier. Instead of asking in a large model, if more complex questions are just ask the uh. ChatGPT.
Speaker D: Yeah.
Speaker A: Do you use chat GPT much?
Speaker B: Yeah, I use it. Obviously these days you want quick answers and chat GPT is one of those that can give you quick answers.
Speaker A: Do you use chat GPT or Google or Gemini or Claude, what's your go to? Kind of LLM or search engine. That's your go see.
Speaker E: Yeah. And Claude I think and Claude. Yeah.
Speaker A: Have you stopped using Google?
Speaker F: No.
Speaker A: When do you use either? Like when would you use Google? When would you use ChatGPT for short
Speaker E: term, uh, search, like any random search for the, you know, if you want to get some more knowledge. So I will use a chat GPT or thing. So for any core or learning new skills or for anything. So but Google I just use for random stuff. This is a basic stuff.
Speaker A: Google ChatGPT. Claude, what are we saying?
Speaker F: Claude, Claude, Claude every day.
Speaker A: What about this chat? What was the question? Sorry, Google, ChatGPT. Claude, what's your go to? Definitely Amazon Nova. Uh, Amazon Nova, yeah. You didn't give you that option I didn't. So that's, that's nice there. What search engine or LLM, um, is your one of choice, for example Google or Claude or.
Speaker H: The only one I use. Google, yeah, it's the only one I use.
Speaker A: Use Chat GBT yet or similar a lot.
Speaker H: I was actually using it the whole time I was in there.
Speaker A: Oh, Chat gbt, yeah. Okay.
Speaker D: Pretty much shift between Gemini and Claude at the moment of Chat GPT before but just trialing different things at ah, different times. So nothing against Chat GPT, it's just I used it as my main tool and now I'm just moving around seeing which. Which gives me what I need myself.
Speaker I: Yeah, started off with Chat GPT, moved to Claude and Perplexity now and really like Gemini for images, image creation I
Speaker G: guess chatgpt but like once every two weeks, not regular.
Speaker A: And yourself, sir? About the same?
Speaker C: Yeah, same, yeah, I use every one of them. M. Well, Claude and ChatGPT or Codex.
Speaker G: Got it.
Speaker J: I just tend to use Google for searches.
Speaker C: Yeah, similar.
Speaker J: I've not looked for a couple of years.
Speaker A: Mainly Google, not ChatGPT or any others.
Speaker J: Not really. I use ChatGPT for very specific like use cases. So we do a lot of rapid development and it's very useful for that. But beyond that, once you know what you want, once you know what you're doing. No, it's more like. I'll go to documentation.
Speaker A: Which do you trust more?
Speaker E: Google.
Speaker A: How come?
Speaker E: Oh, I just love Google.
Speaker A: Which do you trust the most?
Speaker G: Probably Google, but I wouldn't really qualify as to why.
Speaker A: We've heard that a couple times. I'm trying to get to the crux of it. Like is it because it's the habit that dies hard kind of thing? Like you've used it so long or
Speaker G: I think you'd like to say it's because it's in a certain degree peer reviewed, because the more clicks that users click on things, the more it will rank content higher. So in an element it's almost peer ranked. But we all know that that's not actually the strict truth given ads. So it's a bit murky. It's a bit murky.
Speaker A: Any thoughts?
Speaker F: Well, because I work for aws, I would probably use Claude quite a lot. But then Google and Claude are very different. One is a search engine and one is an LLM. I know that they have built in Gemini, but given Anthropic's security I probably trust Claude a bit better.
Speaker A: And would you say you trust ChatGPT answers over Google?
Speaker H: Probably not, because I do still search Google as well.
Speaker A: Why do you think that is?
Speaker H: Comfort level. I'd say ChatGPT is still a new thing. Sometimes you don't know if it's going to be correct. But I'll be honest, it's not wrong either so I can't fault it.
Speaker D: It depends what it's for. If it's sort of personal like entertainment, travel, I'll kind of go to Gemini and trust the result. If it's something more complicated like a work related thing or a finance thing, I'll definitely double check the results it gives me.
Speaker A: Where would you check?
Speaker D: Usually on a website that has that same information. So if it's finance related, I'll go to a specific site where it's probably called the data from for example and then double down on that.
Speaker A: Would your response be different or.
Speaker I: I like seeing putting the same question in to multiple ones, see what they all come back with and then thing I like doing is actually saying, you know, don't agree with me tenure this expert and also find holes in this thing that you've just said. So what are the underlying assumptions that I'm not seeing that could be. Or what's a blindside angle that I'm not seeing?
Speaker A: I normally approach it with skepticism, but yeah, yeah, similar. Why do you think that is?
Speaker C: I guess the hallucinations I suppose.
Speaker J: Typically I can't go wrong with like Stack Exchange or Stack Flop for answers but I usually get there by Google. So I'll go into Google, go into Stack Exchange or subreddits and then get answers there.
Speaker A: How come Reddit?
Speaker J: Because it's got a pretty good AWS community. It's pretty active.
Speaker C: Well, depends on what I'm using it for. Like I'm backend engineer so uh, I trust codecs more for backend tasks but for front end I use Claude more and for like live stuff I use ChatGPT.
Speaker A: You kind of switch between depending what you needed to do. If a business or a company wanted to start getting recommended like on ChatGPT or Claude or start showing up on Google, what do you think they need to do so their company or their service uh, or their solution starts being consistently recommended on Google AI search, LLMs.
Speaker E: It depends on everything. So it's based on everything. What prompt do you give? So everything has a very base so it's nothing like you know, chargeable gives them very good and generally doesn't give the bad. So it's almost everything. It uh, gives the same thing appropriately. So it's how well you give the prompt to the GPT. That is how it works to have
Speaker F: a really good website, to have some really good use cases. It's all about having the right content, uh, knowing your audience and kind of filtering down to those maybe.
Speaker G: Can't say I've tried a solution just yet, but I'm very intrigued on sort of the agentic approaches on SEO. On SEO rather so kind of the LLM Search Engine optimization, which I believe is just a brute force attempt where ultimately one hand you're buying backlinks on certain websites, try and rank yourself higher into training assets and on the other side just brute force of agents running sheer number of clicks onto your traffic via some MCP service.
Speaker A: This guy M might have done SEO
Speaker G: before to have written a few things to say the least.
Speaker H: Paid ads. Paid ads. I think that's the only way to get to the top of the page for everywhere. So I think that's the only way to go.
Speaker C: I'm not sure how that works. So how do you get like GPT results?
Speaker K: Given the fact that they train a lot on Reddit data, perhaps it's wise to focus the marketing on these sites to get into the input data of the model and hope for the best.
Speaker A: So go on Reddit and hope for the best.
Speaker K: Yeah, yeah, basically, yeah.
Speaker G: I like that.
Speaker A: That's a great response.
Speaker J: Keywords. You need to know what relevant keywords are for what you want to promote and how you want to be promoted. And if you can ideally get that into some sort of viral video, you're even better off putting keywords are how you get there. Genuinely relevant content. Any of the companies that are doing the just keyword stuffing and nonsense posting. Google's not going to prioritize a website that doesn't show what people are actually looking for.
Speaker A: What does relevant content mean?
Speaker J: Depends on the person searching for. If you're a car sales company then actually promoting stuff to do with car sales, uh, and maybe some techniques on how to be better car salesperson. It would be completely pointless if it's like, hey, here we are skydiving.
Speaker A: What do you think is the most effective marketing strategy today for lead generation?
Speaker K: Well, I guess that this depends on the product because if you are going for like B2C it's uh, good to be in the community of your users. Like if you are focusing gamers, it's good to be in gaming community. And for B2B I guess this boils down to network. Yeah because these are usually bigger contracts and it really helps if you know someone at the company and you get the Doors opened to them.
Speaker A: I get it.
Speaker J: Yeah.
Speaker A: Any thoughts yourself?
Speaker C: Yeah, I agree with everything he said.
Speaker J: Um, I mean, word of mouth is always particularly effective because you're not going in cold. Yeah. Having, like, a genuinely positive user feedback. So for people to be like, yeah, I would highly recommend these guys. They went above and beyond for me. Then that sort of word of mouth will spread, and then you'll become known in your sector as being reliable and that your customers like you. And, um, you can put a price on that.
Speaker A: Not much beats word of mouth.
Speaker J: Yeah.
Speaker A: What do you think is the worst marketing strategy that you've seen?
Speaker K: Well, I guess the worst thing is that you build the product. You take it like it's. Yeah, the product is really good. I, uh, did a really good engineering work. But you never put it to customers, so you never get real feedback. And it's very hard to make good decisions then.
Speaker A: So building for ego, not your dream clients.
Speaker K: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A: Ego's the enemy.
Speaker K: Yeah.
Speaker A: And there you have it. And if you want to see if we can increase your pipeline demos and revenue as quick as 90 days with SEO and AI search, why not grab a call with us over at breakingb2b.com or hit the first link in the description below. Or if you're still not Ready, grab our 90 days to revenue, SEO and AI search playbook and video over@breakingbtb.com and hit that newsletter tab and you can, uh, unlock it instantly. And with that, I shall catch you on the next one. Cheers.
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