To protect client confidentiality, specific company names and identifying details have been anonymized in this case study.

Client Background

Our client, a Boston-based B2B cybersecurity solutions provider founded in 2020, had built a reputation for innovative threat detection and zero-trust architecture among 800+ mid-market clients with 94% retention rates. Despite impressive technical capabilities—independent audits consistently rated their AI-powered threat detection among the industry's best—the company struggled to break into enterprise accounts dominated by Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, and Fortinet.

The problem wasn't product quality. It was awareness. When CISOs researched "enterprise cybersecurity solutions" or "zero-trust network architecture," our client didn't appear on their radar. By 2025, the VP of Marketing noticed a troubling pattern: "Prospects told us they'd asked ChatGPT or Perplexity to recommend cybersecurity vendors, and we were never mentioned. They'd already formed consideration sets before visiting our website. We were eliminated from deals before we knew opportunities existed."

The Challenge

Complete AI Invisibility: Testing across 75 cybersecurity queries revealed our client appeared exactly zero times in AI-generated recommendations. When specifically asked about the company, major AI models responded with "I don't have information about this company." Four years of content marketing had produced zero AI discoverability.

Trust Deficit in High-Stakes Category: Cybersecurity is trust-intensive. AI models defaulted to "safe" recommendations—established brands with extensive third-party validation. Our client's limited presence in security analyst reports, industry publications, and review platforms meant AI models lacked authoritative sources needed to confidently recommend them.

Dominated by Legacy Brands: Established vendors enjoyed 60-85% AI mention rates. Even newer competitors like Arctic Wolf and SentinelOne were recommended 10x more frequently despite our client's superior technology in specific use cases. Brand recognition trumped technical merit.

Missed Enterprise Opportunities: The company's sweet spot was mid-market companies ($50M-$500M revenue) graduating to enterprise-grade security. These prospects increasingly used AI research tools to build initial vendor lists. By the time the sales team identified opportunities, prospects had already engaged with 2-3 AI-recommended competitors.

The Cited Solution

In April 2025, our client engaged Cited for a 7-month intensive GEO program. Cited's proprietary AI Agent technology and comprehensive understanding of trust-building in high-stakes B2B categories was uniquely suited to the challenge.

Phase 1: Competitive Intelligence (Month 1)

Cited's North American Market Intelligence Report analyzed over 300 security-related queries across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and specialized AI tools used by IT professionals. The findings were stark: 0% AI Exposure Rate across all platforms. However, Cited identified 68 high-value query clusters where even market leaders had weak presence, including "zero-trust implementation for healthcare," "AI-powered threat detection for financial services," and "SIEM alternatives for mid-market companies."

Critically, Cited's research revealed AI models heavily weighted specific authoritative sources: Gartner reports, NIST frameworks, Dark Reading, Krebs on Security, and r/netsec. Our client had minimal presence in these AI-trusted sources.

Phase 2: Authority Building & Technical Optimization (Months 2-4)

E-E-A-T Foundation for Security: Cited recognized that in cybersecurity, E-E-A-T signals are even more critical. They worked with our client to document detailed technical case studies showing real-world threat detection, created bylined articles from security researchers for industry publications, and secured speaking opportunities at security conferences—all structured to maximize AI model recognition.

Strategic Media Placement Across 3,000+ Outlets: Cited executed targeted placements in publications AI models cite when discussing cybersecurity. Within 12 weeks, our client had authoritative mentions in SC Magazine, Cybersecurity Dive, CSO Online, and 40+ industry outlets. Each placement was optimized with Schema markup and structured data.

ACER Framework Implementation: Cited deployed their proprietary ACER methodology (Authority, Credibility, Expertise, Relevance) to systematically build presence across the information ecosystem. This included optimizing G2 and Gartner Peer Insights profiles, creating comprehensive comparison content, and developing use-case-specific resources for healthcare, finance, and manufacturing verticals.

Advanced LLMO & Schema: Implemented Large Language Model Optimization across digital properties, deploying Organization, Product, Review, and specialized SecurityAction schemas. Content was restructured using clear threat taxonomies, quantified performance metrics, and compliance framework mappings (NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2).

Technical Content Transformation: Produced 42 deeply researched articles covering topics from "Zero-Trust Architecture Implementation Guide" to "Comparing Next-Gen SIEM Solutions." Each piece balanced technical depth with accessibility, included comparative data, and cited authoritative sources.

Phase 3: Continuous Optimization & Custom Q&A (Months 5-7)

Cited's AI Agent provided real-time monitoring through a customized dashboard tracking 200+ security queries daily. When Cited noticed the company was gaining traction in "zero-trust" queries but absent from "ZTNA" (Zero Trust Network Access) queries, the system flagged this gap and recommended targeted content. Within two weeks, presence in ZTNA-related queries improved 55%.

Crucially, Cited developed customized Q&A pairs for each major LLM platform, ensuring AI models had accurate, compelling information about zero-trust architecture and specific security challenges readily available.

Measurable Results

AI Exposure Rate: 0% → 64%: Across 75 tested queries, our client went from zero mentions to appearing in 48 AI-generated responses. In 19 queries, they were listed as a top-5 recommendation alongside or ahead of vendors 10x their size.

Platform-Specific Performance:

• ChatGPT: 61% mention rate in security queries

• Claude: 69% mention rate (particularly strong in technical comparisons)

• Perplexity: 58% with cited sources

• Gemini: 67% with structured feature comparisons

Category Leadership in Niche Queries: For specific high-intent queries like "zero-trust for mid-market healthcare" and "AI threat detection for financial services," our client achieved 85%+ mention rates, effectively owning these valuable niches.

Business Impact:

• Enterprise pipeline (deals >$100K) increased 290%

• 42% of new opportunities directly attributable to AI search

• Sales cycles 31% shorter for AI-sourced leads

• Average deal size: $127K (vs $89K for traditional channels)—43% premium

• Win rates improved from 18% to 34% in competitive deals

• Generated $4.2M in new pipeline within 7 months

• Delivered 9.1x ROI on GEO investment

Analyst Recognition: Within 6 months, our client was included in two Gartner reports and featured in a Forrester Wave analysis—recognition that further reinforced AI discoverability in a virtuous cycle.

Client Testimonial

"Cited didn't just improve our AI visibility—they fundamentally transformed how we approach market positioning," says the VP of Marketing. "Their AI Agent technology gave us capabilities that would have required an entire team of specialists. We had an intelligent system executing optimizations around the clock.

"What really set Cited apart was their deep understanding of the cybersecurity market. They knew which publications AI models trust, which technical details matter for credibility, and how to position a challenger brand against entrenched competitors. The North American Market Intelligence Report was incredibly detailed—we learned exactly where we stood versus competitors across every AI platform.

"The visualization dashboard became our team's daily command center. We could see in real-time which queries we were winning, which competitors were gaining ground, and which content pieces were driving AI citations. Most importantly, Cited's results-based pricing aligned perfectly with our needs. We only paid for verified improvements, eliminating investment risk."

The VP of Sales adds: "The quality of leads from AI search is exceptional. These prospects have researched the market, understand their security challenges, and identified us as a potential fit. We're having conversations with CISOs who view us as credible alternatives to Palo Alto and CrowdStrike—nearly impossible before Cited's work. The 31% reduction in sales cycle time has allowed us to scale more efficiently."

Key Takeaways for B2B Cybersecurity & Enterprise Software Companies

Trust Signals Matter More in High-Stakes Categories: In cybersecurity, AI models require extensive third-party validation. Cited's strategy of building presence across analyst reports, security publications, and technical forums created necessary trust signals.

Niche Dominance Beats Broad Mediocrity: Rather than competing head-to-head with Palo Alto across all queries, Cited identified specific niches where our client could establish category leadership. This focused approach delivered faster results and higher-quality leads.

Technical Depth Builds AI Credibility: In technical categories, superficial content doesn't work. Cited's deeply researched, technically accurate content with proper citations helped AI models recognize our client as a legitimate authority.

Multi-Source Authority is Non-Negotiable: Cited's comprehensive approach—spanning 3,000+ media outlets, review platforms, technical forums, and analyst reports—created the redundancy and cross-validation AI systems require.

Results-Based Pricing Reduces Risk: For companies in competitive markets with limited budgets, Cited's RaaS model eliminated investment risk and ensured accountability.

Ready to Transform Your Cybersecurity Brand's AI Visibility?

Cited's proprietary AI Agent technology and comprehensive GEO services have helped cybersecurity and enterprise software companies achieve breakthrough results in AI search visibility. Our results-based pricing model means you only pay for verified improvements in your AI Exposure Rate.

Get started with a complimentary North American Market Intelligence Report that reveals exactly where your brand stands in AI search versus competitors, including detailed analysis of 3,000+ authoritative sources. Contact Cited today to schedule your free cybersecurity-focused AI visibility audit.