TMMF #042 · September 24, 2025

Breaking B2B’s Revenue-First SEO

High-Intent Keywords, Competitor Pages That Convert & The Future of AI Search.

Guest: Sam Dunning Messaging Show notes

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The signal, minus the noise.

“I always say you need to rank and resonate if you want to convert. ‘Cause you can rank with AI content, right? You can spit stuff into chat GPT, pull out a load of copy for a page and hope for the best. And it might rank, but if someone’s landing on that page and it’s just saying crazy words like we’re gonna turbocharge your revenues for 2025 and beyond with our all in one, all singing or dancing tack… is it really gonna resonate with those prospects?”

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of revenue-focused SEO with Sam Dunning, founder of Breaking B2B, a company that helps B2B SaaS teams drive qualified pipeline through organic search—not just vanity traffic. With over a decade of experience in web agencies before niching down to B2B SEO, Sam brings a refreshingly practical approach to content that actually converts.

We explore Sam’s “money keywords” strategy for identifying high-intent search terms that prospects use when they’re ready to buy, his systematic approach to building competitor comparison pages that build trust rather than just bash the competition, and how he helps clients create content moats around their category. Sam also shares his insights on the evolving landscape of AI search and why most B2B companies are still sleeping on the fundamentals of customer research-driven content.

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Sam breaks down why traditional SEO approaches focused on top-funnel, informational content are becoming less effective
Sam walks through his systematic approach to keyword research using three core columns: your offer (however prospects actually describe it), the industries you serve best, and your main competitors
Rather than creating biased comparison tables that make competitors look terrible, Sam advocates for transparent, trust-building competitor content
Sam’s content creation process starts with analyzing what’s already ranking, then systematically one-upping it with better research, customer insights, and proof elements
While acknowledging that AI search is growing, Sam shares data showing Google still receives 373 times more searches than ChatGPT and all AI tools combined

Key topics covered

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The “Revenue Not Vanity” Philosophy

Sam breaks down why traditional SEO approaches focused on top-funnel, informational content are becoming less effective. With Google’s AI overviews dominating informational searches, the real opportunity lies in bottom-funnel, high-intent keywords where prospects are actively evaluating solutions. He shares his framework for identifying “money keywords”—search terms that indicate genuine buying intent rather than just curiosity.

The Money Keywords Framework

Sam walks through his systematic approach to keyword research using three core columns: your offer (however prospects actually describe it), the industries you serve best, and your main competitors. This creates long-tail opportunities like “best calendar scheduling software for recruitment” or “Chili Piper alternatives” that are less competitive but highly qualified. The key insight: there are riches in the niches when you get specific about use cases and competitor comparisons.

Building Competitor Pages That Actually Convert

Rather than creating biased comparison tables that make competitors look terrible, Sam advocates for transparent, trust-building competitor content. His approach: lead with where you’re not the best fit, then double down on your differentiators. This builds credibility and positions you as the helpful guide rather than the pushy salesperson. He shares specific structures for both “alternatives” pages and head-to-head “versus” pages.

The “Blow Out the Water” Content Strategy

Sam’s content creation process starts with analyzing what’s already ranking, then systematically one-upping it with better research, customer insights, and proof elements. This includes embedding customer testimonials, showing the product in action, adding FAQ sections, and weaving in social proof. The goal isn’t just to rank—it’s to create content so valuable that prospects choose you over competitors.

SEO in the Age of AI Search

While acknowledging that AI search is growing, Sam shares data showing Google still receives 373 times more searches than ChatGPT and all AI tools combined. His strategy: focus on the fundamentals that work across both traditional and AI search, particularly brand mentions and getting listed on relevant industry sites. He also discusses how YouTube videos are increasingly showing up in both Google and AI search results.

Customer Research as SEO Foundation

Sam emphasizes that effective SEO content requires deep customer understanding—how prospects describe their problems, what alternatives they’re currently using (usually spreadsheets), and why they choose one solution over another. This research informs not just keyword targeting but the actual messaging and positioning within the content.

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