Voices of Search Podcast

Episode: The Most Underrated Signal Brands Should Optimize For
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Tim Sanders, Chief Innovation Officer at G2
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the evolving landscape of content and search engine marketing, focusing on how enterprise brands can remain discoverable in the AI-driven future of search. Tim Sanders draws from G2’s massive dataset on B2B software buyers to reveal surprising shifts in research habits and spotlights a highly underrated optimization tactic—using key takeaways formatted in markdown language. The discussion spotlights why old SEO tactics are rapidly losing relevance and what brands should do now to adapt.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Most Underrated Signal: Markdown Language for Key Takeaways

[01:24 - 03:04]

• Tim Sanders identifies the signal:
  “I think it's not so much of a signal, but it's a signal to the bots. I think that markdown language.”
  — Tim Sanders [01:24]

• Why this matters:

  • AI-driven search engines and language models prioritize clear summaries and structured data.
  • Marked-up key takeaways at the top of pages (especially on sales and product pages) have a dramatically higher inclusion rate during crawling and model training.

• Actionable tip:

  • Use a small markdown file to outline 3-4 key takeaways at the very beginning of your pages.
  • This can “dramatically improve the chances that your content is considered during test time.”
    — Tim Sanders [03:04]

• Pages to focus on:

  • Product pages
  • Sales pages

2. The Challenge of Pricing Transparency

[03:32 - 03:44]

• Jordan raises an overlooked issue:
  “One that I think we didn’t really talk about much but is pricing pages. It’s so complicated for business buyers…”
  — Jordan Cooney [03:32]

• Tim’s take on pricing opacity:

  • Sometimes opaque pricing is used as a seller’s leverage.
  • However, in the age of AI, you should run expected value (EV) analysis for transparency, as models are increasingly crunching this data.

• Advice on negotiation and expected value:
  “You need to run EV because you have to now account for the fact that it creates the model… Read the book ‘Never Split the Difference’ by Chris Voss. Like, we gotta use negotiation tactics. Maybe not.”
  — Tim Sanders [03:44]

3. The New Rules for SEO in the AI Era

• Traditional SEO tactics are no longer sufficient for guaranteeing discovery.
• Structured summaries and unambiguous value propositions are what bots and AI models can parse and surface most reliably.
• Brands should reconsider historic tactics (like keyword stuffing or long-form only content) and start thinking like data providers for AI.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On markdown language and signals to AI:
  “It’s not so much of a signal, but it’s a signal to the bots. I think that markdown language.”
  — Tim Sanders [01:24]

• On key takeaways for AI inclusion:
  “Key takeaways from a page that are placed at the very top of the page are going to create the most crawling and reference and training inclusion of your web pages than anything...”
  — Tim Sanders [03:04]

• On pricing page transparency:
  “Sometimes the opaqueness of pricing gives leverage to the seller. But you need to run EV because you have to now account for the fact that it creates the model.”
  — Tim Sanders [03:44]

• On changed SEO dynamics:
  “Traditional SEO no longer guarantees discovery… what companies need to do to win in this new era of Geo [is] optimize for AI responses.” — Jordan Cooney [00:44, paraphrased summary]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:44] — Introduction of guest and topic
• [01:24] — The importance of markdown language signals
• [03:04] — Key takeaways and their power in AI-driven search
• [03:32] — The complication of pricing pages for business buyers
• [03:44] — Expected value analysis and negotiation in pricing

Conclusion

This episode serves as a wakeup call for enterprise marketers: optimizing for the next generation of search means thinking less about old SEO tactics and more about how machines ingest, summarize, and prioritize information. Whether it’s through markdown key takeaways or transparent pricing, the brands who distill their value simply and place it front and center will be those that AI finds—and features—the most.

Key Takeaway:
“Key takeaways at the top—clear, concise, and in markdown—are your best shot at getting noticed by the machines that now shape discovery.”
— Tim Sanders [03:04]