Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are quickly becoming new traffic channels for digital content. With Google I/O 2025, we now know that the biggest search engine is also moving in the AI-first direction.
Whether it’s users asking for tool recommendations, feature breakdowns, or how-to content, these AI assistants are increasingly shaping the way people discover and interact with online information.
But while most industries report low conversion rates from LLM-referred traffic, SaaS stands out as an exception. Surprisingly, SaaS websites tend to see LLM traffic convert almost as well as traditional organic search traffic.
So, what makes SaaS different – and how should B2B marketers rethink their SEO strategies in response?
Let’s dive in.
Why LLM Traffic Tends to Convert Poorly in Most Industries
Here are some of the reasons why LLM traffic is not converting for most companies:
1. LLMs Are Built for Research, Not Transactions
Most consumer-focused industries – from ecommerce to travel – thrive on visual experiences, comparison shopping, and trust-building content like reviews. But LLMs aren’t designed to deliver that. They’re optimized for answering informational queries and summarizing broad topics, not showing the best prices or driving instant purchases.
When a user asks, “What are the best headphones under $200?” the LLM might list a few models with brief pros and cons – but it doesn’t offer dynamic filters, comparison tables, or user reviews. That puts LLMs at a disadvantage for purchase-driven industries where users rely heavily on visual or social proof to convert.
Although platforms like Perplexity now support payments and complete transactions via chat, this is still not the ideal buying experience.
2. Conversion Data Shows the Gap Clearly
Recent benchmarks show that LLM traffic underperforms across most industries:
- Travel: 28.9% organic KECVR vs. 24.3% LLM KECVR
- Consumer Ecommerce: 24.1% organic KECVR vs. 17.6% LLM KECVR
- B2B Ecommerce: 2.7% organic KECVR vs. 2.6% LLM KECVR
In short, while LLMs are good at generating awareness, they often fall short at driving conversions as effectively as organic search – especially for industries where buying decisions are visual, impulsive, or heavily price-driven.
3. A Few Outliers Exist
Interestingly, some sectors buck the trend. Health-related content, career advice sites, and large product catalog websites (like home improvement or auto parts) have seen slightly higher LLM conversion rates. But these are rare exceptions, not the norm.
Why SaaS Is the Exception: LLM Traffic Converts Decently
Here’s why the story for SaaS is different:
1. The Numbers Tell a Different Story
Unlike most industries, SaaS websites are seeing nearly equal conversion rates from LLM and organic traffic. Key event conversion rate (KECVR) benchmarks show:
- SaaS LLM traffic KECVR: ~6.7%
- SaaS organic search KECVR: ~6.7%
This parity is rare, and it speaks volumes about how SaaS buyers behave differently and how well LLMs are suited to meet those behaviors.
2. SaaS Buyers Are Hungry for Information
SaaS buyers don’t make decisions based on flashy visuals or quick discounts. They’re looking for context: how a product works, how it compares to alternatives, how it integrates with their existing tools, and whether it will solve their specific problems.
And this is the forte of large language models. When a prospect asks ChatGPT, “What’s the best project management tool for remote teams?” the model can reference detailed feature breakdowns, comparison blogs, use case articles, and even customer case studies – exactly the kind of content SaaS brands already invest in.
In this sense, LLMs act like a personalized product advisor, connecting users to content that builds trust and leads to meaningful conversions.
3. LLMs and SaaS Content Are a Natural Fit
SaaS content is inherently educational, technical, and often long-form – all characteristics that align perfectly with how LLMs consume and serve content.
Queries like:
“Best CRM for early-stage startups”
“AI tools to automate lead generation”
“Alternatives to Mailchimp for B2B emails”
…are answered by LLMs using structured, informative content that SaaS brands already publish. When that content is optimized for clarity and citation, it becomes a reliable source that LLMs reference frequently – resulting in qualified mid-funnel traffic.
How This Changes SEO for SaaS
Here’s how we’re seeing SEO strategies change for SaaS companies:
1. LLMs Are a Parallel Discovery Channel, Not a Replacement
While LLMs are not replacing Google, they’re emerging as a parallel discovery engine – especially for SaaS buyers who want quick context or early recommendations without sifting through search results. But now that Google has also announced its AI mode, it’s pretty simple, if you don’t rank on Google, you appear nowhere.
At the same time, it’s no longer just about ranking #1 on Google. Because earlier, you could rank on Google with basic content optimization and a decent site structure. But that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get visibility from LLMs too. It’s a different ball game. Your focus now should be on becoming citable by AI and appearing in the conversational journey of your prospects.
2. New SEO Strategies for a New Era
Here’s how SaaS marketers can adapt their SEO strategy to account for LLM-driven traffic:
Prioritize Deep, Technical Content
Target longer-tail queries with in-depth guides, technical documentation, feature comparison pages, integration walkthroughs, and API use cases. These are the types of content that LLMs are most likely to understand, summarize, and link to.
Structure Content for LLM Citations
Make your content easier for LLMs to parse and quote:
- Use clear headlines (H2s and H3s)
- Add bullet points and summaries
- Write FAQs with straightforward answers
- Avoid keyword stuffing – LLMs prefer clarity over tricks
Implement Schema Markup and Clean HTML Structures
Add FAQ, How-To, Product, and Article schema to improve machine readability. LLMs are more likely to reference structured content that’s easy to interpret.
Insert CTAs Within Educational Content
Since LLMs are driving mid-funnel traffic, your educational content should include conversion paths like:
- “Start a free trial”
- “Compare pricing plans”
- “Download the feature checklist”
- “Book a personalized demo”
These CTAs meet readers exactly where they are – seeking information – and guide them to the next logical step.
3. Publish on LLM-Friendly Platforms
Go beyond your own blog. LLMs frequently cite:
- Quora answers
- Medium articles
- Reddit discussions
- LinkedIn blogsÂ
- And in fact posts too (so those of you wondering why invest in social media marketing, it’s because LLMs are watching and grabbing context around you from everywhere on the internet)Â
Repurposing your content for these platforms increases your chances of being cited – and drives more qualified traffic back to your site.
4. Optimize for AI Crawl Bots and Referrer Tracking
Create an llm.txt file to signal to LLMs which parts of your site you want them to crawl. Also, keep an eye on traffic sources like chat.openai.com, perplexity.ai, or claude.ai using GA4.
You basically have to look for links that match this RegEx filter:
Understanding what type of content gets picked up – and where – helps refine your content strategy.
Conclusion
The rise of LLMs doesn’t mean traditional SEO is dead. Far from it. But for SaaS companies, it expands the playing field.
LLMs offer a new way to surface educational content and attract mid-funnel buyers who are actively researching their options. If you already have a content-rich site, you’re in a great position to benefit – as long as your content is structured, educational, and AI-readable.
At Contensify, we help B2B SaaS brands build content strategies that work across both Google and AI-driven platforms. From deep-dive blog content to LLM-friendly formatting and technical schema, we blend traditional SEO best practices with next-gen content distribution to make sure your product is always discoverable – no matter where your audience starts their journey.
Want to turn more of your content into qualified traffic – whether from Google or GPT? Let’s talk.
