AI Search is Rewriting the Cleantech Buyer’s Journey — and Many Brands Aren’t Ready - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights a significant shift in the cleantech buyer’s journey driven by the rapid adoption of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. Traditionally, cleantech marketing focused on Google rankings, website traffic, and event presence, but now up to 95% of B2B buyer interactions occur within AI tools before any direct website visit. This shift means that cleantech companies must adapt their marketing strategies to ensure accurate and favorable representation within AI models, which rely on both pre-trained memory and live web searches to provide information. A study conducted with SEO agency Rampiq analyzed AI visibility across 100 leading cleantech firms, revealing critical gaps and opportunities. The research found that AI’s pre-trained memory often provides vague or inaccurate company descriptions, while live search yields more precise and current information. However, many cleantech companies lack sufficient third-party citations, especially from high-authority media, which AI heavily favors over company-owned content. Additionally,