Building Authority in the Age of AI: Thompson Tractor’s OmniSEO™ Advantage
Thompson Tractor’s long term partnership with WebFX has allowed them to build a foundation of digital authority for their brand. In January 2025, Thompson Tractor became the first CAT dealer at WebFX to launch an OmniSEO™ strategy—an approach designed to capture visibility not just in traditional search, but across the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-driven results. See how these targeted efforts helped Thompson Tractor improve their organic visibility in Google AI Overviews and AI tools like ChatGPT.
586%
Increase in Traffic From Generative AI Sources
500%
Increase in leads driven from AI platforms
136%
Increase in Visibility in Google AI Overviews
“I have two favorite parts of working with WebFX. One is the fact they’re always like teaching us about new strategies and making sure that we’re up-to-date on all the latest in digital marketing. The other part would be how responsive they are. So, [if] we do have an issue or a change of strategy, they’re always willing to jump in and help right away to help us make sure that we keep things moving.”
Before OmniSEO™
- Organic growth relied on traditional levers such as content, technical SEO and local landing pages.
- Blogs drove visibility, but informational SERPs increasingly became clickless as answers appeared directly in search results.
- Thompson wasn’t consistently named or cited in AI assistants, limiting their influence during early research moments.
After OmniSEO™
- Visibility no longer depends solely on organic clicks; Thompson now appears in AI Overviews, map packs, and third‑party placements.
- Thompson is gaining exposure in generative AI tools, reaching users earlier in their research journey.
- On-site conversion rates are improving, driven by higher trust and more informed visitors.
Founded in 1957, Thompson Tractor is the authorized CAT® dealer for Alabama and Northwest Florida, operating across 38 locations. As a fourth-generation family business, they’ve built a legacy of excellence in equipment sales, rentals, parts, service, and power solutions. With over 1,600 employees and divisions including Thompson Rents, Power Systems, and Lift Truck, they’re committed to creating value for customers through comprehensive equipment solutions and unmatched support.
WebFX Approach
Adapting to the New Search Landscape
By late 2024, Thompson Tractor’s organic traffic was trending downward, a challenge seen across many industries as AI Overviews began to cannibalize clicks—especially from blog content. While WebFX continued to optimize high-conversion pages, it became equally important to ensure Thompson Tractor was visible early in the buyer’s journey, wherever that journey began.
WebFX analyzed which sources AI Overviews were pulling from for top industry keywords. The earned media team then focused on securing Thompson Tractor placements in those trusted sources, ensuring the brand was cited in the answers that matter most. Using WebFX’s exclusive RevenueCloudFX technology, the team tracked and reported every instance where Thompson Tractor content appeared as a cited resource in AI Overviews, including for high-value topics like “excavator vs bulldozer,” “skid steer vs track loader,” and “used heavy equipment buyers.”
Maximizing Brand Exposure Across the Web
With organic results declining industry-wide, Thompson Tractor and WebFX recognized the need for broader visibility to reach buyers wherever they research—trade publications, industry blogs, and curated lists. Over the course of the partnership, WebFX has built 43 authoritative links for Thompson Tractor, strengthening their brand and entity signals across the web. Since launching the OmniSEO™ strategy, the earned media team has focused on securing 6 highly targeted links specifically designed to answer the questions most likely to surface in generative AI tools.
These recent placements span key themes such as construction equipment, sustainable agriculture, hurricane preparedness, and construction robotics. This strategic link building not only expanded Thompson Tractor’s reach beyond owned channels, but also played a critical role in earning citations from both traditional search engines and AI assistants. By focusing on relevant, high-authority topics, WebFX helped ensure Thompson Tractor was referenced in the answers that matter most—solidifying their position as the go-to authority in the heavy equipment space.
Increase Visibility in Generative AI Assistants
As more users turned to AI assistants like ChatGPT and Copilot for research, Thompson Tractor saw a new opportunity to become the go-to answer for equipment-related queries. Years of SEO investment with WebFX meant Thompson’s site was already well-structured for AI discoverability.
Building on this foundation, WebFX created targeted “seed content” to answer common AI questions—such as where to buy equipment and how to compare value options for used construction equipment. The goal: to earn citations from both top trusted sources and directly from LLMs, ensuring Thompson Tractor was referenced at every stage of the research process.
#SeeingTheFX Results
116%
Higher Visibility in LLMs than Closest Competitor
51
Placements Gained in June MoM
#1
on Copilot for “Best Equipment Maintenance Packages in Florida”
10/10
Tracked LLMs Citing Thompson Tractor
WebFX Team
Ready to become the cited authority in AI search and capture demand wherever your customers are searching? Connect with WebFX to see how OmniSEO™ can future-proof your digital strategy.
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Courtney
Internet Marketing
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Jed
Internet Marketing
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Emily
Internet Marketing
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Amanda
Interactive
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Aaron
Local SEO
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Melissa
DataTech
“One of the things I like most about WebFX, and one of my favorite parts of it, is the consistency and the effort that you get from each and every interaction that you have with them. They always have a great attitude. They’re easy to work with. We enjoy working with them on a daily basis.”