Analysis of B2B search engine use and AI tools in the SME sector for mechanical engineering and industrial plants

AI in B2B marketing: Opportunities and challenges for companies

The digital landscape for business-to-business (B2B) companies, particularly in technically demanding sectors such as mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and large-scale projects (e.g., high-bay warehouses, solar parks) in Germany, is constantly evolving. Understanding how potential customers and partners search for information and the tools they use is crucial for marketing and business development strategies. This report analyzes the relative importance of mobile and desktop search queries in this specific B2B context, examines the market shares of the search engines Google and Bing with a particular focus on the business environment, and highlights the emerging role of AI-powered search tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Perplexity AI, as well as their data sources for up-to-the-minute information.

Suitable for:

• Between 67% and 90% | B2B prefers the web search with AI tools instead of classic search engines

Mobile vs. Desktop Search in the German Industrial and B2B Sector

Global and German trends in internet usage

Globally, mobile internet usage has surpassed desktop usage in terms of sheer volume. Current data shows that mobile devices account for a large share of worldwide website traffic, with estimates projected to exceed 63% by early 2025. This trend is also reflected in overall internet access rates, where mobile devices, particularly smartphones, have achieved near-universal penetration. In Germany, internet usage is also high and continuing to rise, from 87% in 2019 to 92% in 2023, with further growth potential. Worldwide, approximately 64% of all search queries are conducted via mobile devices.

B2B-specific search behavior: The continued relevance of the desktop

Despite the global dominance of mobile devices, the B2B sector, particularly in complex industrial sectors, presents a more nuanced picture. Analyses of B2B websites indicate that desktop computers still play a central role, especially for in-depth research and purchasing decisions. While the range of mobile usage in the B2B sector varies considerably—from less than 10% mobile traffic at some analyzed B2B companies to 60% at others—the general trend is toward desktop dominance. This is attributed to the fact that professionals typically conduct B2B research and purchasing during working hours, when desktops or laptops are readily available.

Sectors such as B2B services and financial institutions continue to exhibit a higher proportion of desktop traffic due to the nature of their operations, sometimes with a 60/40 ratio in favor of desktop. In some B2B areas, the share of organic mobile traffic is as low as 15%. Data from Sistrix confirms that B2B topics have a lower share of mobile searches (under 50%) compared to other areas such as weather information (almost 80%). Long-tail keywords, which are frequently used for specific B2B research, also show an above-average share of desktop searches.

User behavior differs significantly between devices. Desktop users tend to spend more time on websites (an average of 40% longer; 996-1918 seconds vs. 704-775 seconds on mobile), visit more pages per session (3.95 desktop vs. 2.67 mobile), and exhibit lower bounce rates. This suggests a deeper engagement characteristic of complex B2B research.

Conversion rates present a more nuanced picture. While mobile devices can generate more web traffic and sometimes even more sales in an e-commerce context, desktops generally exhibit higher conversion rates. For specific, high-value, or complex transactions, such as booking travel (as opposed to simply browsing), desktops are preferred. This suggests that complex B2B purchasing decisions requiring detailed consideration are more likely to be completed on a desktop.

Why the German B2B market focuses on desktop users for mechanical engineering and industrial projects

The mechanical engineering, industrial plant, and large-scale project sector is characterized by complex products and services, detailed technical specifications, and substantial investments. These characteristics perfectly align with observed B2B patterns. Research, comparison, and purchasing decisions are highly likely to take place on desktop devices during business hours. The need to analyze technical data sheets, CAD files, or extensive project descriptions clearly favors the use of larger screens and more powerful devices.

The observed discrepancy between the general trend toward mobile usage and specific B2B behavior leads to an important insight: While global internet trends strongly point toward mobile, the specific context of the German industrial B2B sector necessitates a strong focus on the desktop user experience. This is particularly true for mid- to late-funnel activities involving in-depth research and conversions. The preference for desktop for complex research and transactions, supported by metrics such as dwell time and conversion rates, underscores this point. At the same time, mobile optimization cannot be neglected due to Google's mobile-first indexing, which is crucial for search engine visibility. B2B marketers in this sector are therefore faced with the challenge of striking a balance: mobile optimization for discoverability and ranking, but desktop optimization for engagement and conversion.

A dual optimization strategy

For companies in the mechanical engineering and large-scale plant construction sectors, a dual strategy for website optimization is essential:

• Mobile optimization: This is fundamental for SEO visibility due to Google's mobile-first indexing. Fast loading times, responsive design, and easy navigation are crucial for initial information gathering. Content must be easily readable and accessible on smaller screens.
• Desktop optimization: This is critical for user engagement and conversion. The focus should be on providing comprehensive information, detailed specifications, easy comparison tools, downloadable resources (PDFs, CAD files), and clear calls to action tailored to complex decision-making processes. The user experience must satisfy the need for in-depth research.
• Content strategy: Content should cover both initial mobile search queries (often shorter, broader) and the more in-depth research needs on desktop (longer, more specific long-tail keywords).

Suitable for:

• Google under pressure: Loss of search queries to chatt and falling market shares in Germany (under 74 percent)

Market shares of Google vs. Bing in Germany

Total market share in Germany (all devices)

Google maintains an overwhelming dominance in the German search engine market as a whole. However, Bing, Microsoft's search engine, consistently holds second place with a significant market share.

Search engine market shares in Germany (All devices, as of March 2025)

In the German search engine market, Google clearly leads with a market share of 87.03%, followed by Bing with 6.23%. Other significant providers are Yandex with 2.52%, DuckDuckGo with 1.42%, Yahoo! with 1.40%, and Ecosia with 1.01%. The data is based on Statcounter Global Stats and refers to all devices (as of March 2025).

These figures confirm Google's dominance, but also show that Bing is the clear runner-up. Bing's market share in Germany is above the global average of approximately 3-4% and is also higher than in some other major European markets such as the UK (around 3.3%). Germany is therefore a comparatively strong market for Bing. It is also noteworthy that the search engine Ecosia has its highest market share worldwide in Germany.

Desktop market share: Bing's relevance in a business context

The analysis of pure desktop search engine market shares in Germany reveals a significantly different picture and confirms the assumption of a higher relevance of Bing in the corporate environment.

Desktop search engine market shares in Germany (as of March 2025)

The market share of desktop search engines in Germany in March 2025 is distributed as follows: Google leads by a significant margin with 73.90%, followed by Bing with 16.70%. Next are Yahoo! with 3.55%, DuckDuckGo with 2.19%, Yandex with 1.76%, and Ecosia with 1.12%. Source: Statcounter Global Stats.

The breakdown by hosts confirms Bing's share of approximately 16.7% on the desktop.

A comparison of the two tables makes it clear: Bing's market share on desktop devices (~16.7%) is almost three times higher than its overall market share (~6.2%). This significant difference can be largely explained by the "Microsoft Ecosystem Effect":

• Microsoft Windows is the dominant operating system in German companies. Estimates suggest a market share of 96-97%.
• Microsoft Bing is the default pre-installed search engine in the Microsoft Edge browser and is integrated into Windows search.
• Employees in companies who use company-provided Windows PCs therefore come into contact with Bing more frequently – consciously or unconsciously – and use it for desktop searches.

This creates a kind of "captive audience" within the corporate environment. The data thus quantifies Bing's strength on desktop in the German business context. Although Google is also the leader here, Bing's share of around 17% represents a substantial user base. This is particularly relevant because, as explained in the previous section, desktop usage is prevalent in the B2B environment for in-depth research and decision-making. Furthermore, Bing's desktop share in Germany is significantly higher than its global desktop share (approximately 11-12%), which underscores the particular importance of the Microsoft ecosystem in this country. Companies that ignore Bing risk missing out on almost a fifth of the potential desktop search market in this specific environment.

Regarding the target audience, Bing users are sometimes characterized as somewhat older, with potentially higher incomes, and possibly less tech-savvy (or simply users of the default settings). However, in the B2B context, the decisive factor is the default setting in corporate IT. A significant proportion of desktop searchers worldwide (44 million) even use Bing exclusively, and some research suggests that executives may have a partial preference for Bing.

Strategic considerations for search engine marketing (SEM) and SEO

Given Bing's significant desktop market share in the relevant business environment, a dual search engine strategy for SEM (paid search) and SEO (organic search) is highly recommended for comprehensive market coverage:

• SEA: Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads) often has lower cost per click (CPC) compared to Google Ads. This can potentially offer a better return on investment (ROI) for reaching the B2B desktop audience. Microsoft Advertising also offers integration options with platforms like LinkedIn for more precise targeting.
• SEO: While Google's algorithm is the primary focus for most optimization efforts, there are specific SEO considerations for Bing. Bing may place different emphasis on factors such as keywords in titles and URLs, social signals, or official domain types (.com, .org, etc.). Optimizing for both search engines, with a priority on Google due to its overall volume, is ideal. Content optimized for Google generally performs well on Bing too, but minor adjustments can yield additional gains.

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AI search tools in marketing & business development

Distribution and use cases (Copilot, ChatGPT, Perplexity)

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly finding their way into specific business processes, extending beyond general consumer use. This also applies to marketing and business development in the B2B sector. Estimates of the B2B search engine market in the US already place AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity among the top 10 search engines used by B2B professionals.

• Microsoft Copilot: Widely used within the Microsoft ecosystem. Use cases include summarizing information from various data sources (including internal SharePoint), optimizing sales processes, improving productivity (meeting summaries, document formatting, reporting), supporting research (e.g., an EY tax agent accessing internal and external documents), and accelerating software development (via GitHub Copilot). Its deep integration with Microsoft 365 makes Copilot the obvious choice for companies already using Microsoft products.
• ChatGPT: Used for content creation (marketing materials, blogs), market research (analysis of buyer profiles), brainstorming, summaries, and data cleaning/preparation (caution is advised). Its conversational nature makes it well-suited for designing communication materials or exploring ideas.
• Perplexity AI positions itself as an "answer engine," ideal for research, fact-checking, and obtaining concise summaries with source citations. It's useful for market research, competitive analysis, understanding complex topics, and finding up-to-date information. Specific features like "focus modes" (e.g., Academic, Business) enable targeted searches, while "Pro Search" allows for deeper investigations. File uploads enable the analysis of specific documents. New features target specific industries such as finance or potentially e-commerce checkout processes. Perplexity actively targets enterprise use with "Enterprise Pro," which emphasizes security and data privacy, and collaborates with companies like Deutsche Telekom in Germany.

Relevance in the industrial sector: Specialized AI co-pilots are being developed for industrial plants. They provide technicians with immediate answers regarding machine status, error codes, and maintenance procedures by querying documentation and master data. This suggests the potential for AI tools to be deeply integrated into industrial B2B workflows, far beyond marketing and sales.

Data sources for real-time information: How they work compared

Although all three tools aim to provide up-to-date information, their approaches and data sources differ considerably:

• Microsoft Copilot:
  • Core mechanism: Heavily reliant on the Microsoft ecosystem. Uses Bing Search (specifically Bing Custom Search, restricted to configured domains, or broader web search if enabled) for real-time data from the public web.
  • Internal data access: Integrates deeply with Microsoft Graph and the Semantic Index to access and understand organizational data within Microsoft 365 (SharePoint, Outlook, Teams, etc.) while respecting user permissions.
  • Indexing process: Uses crawlers similar to Bing to discover and index web content. Bing's cache may sometimes retain data, even after it has been made private, that is potentially accessible to Copilot.
  • Data flow: User request -> Moderation/Optimization -> Bing Custom Search / Microsoft Graph -> Grounding/Summary -> Response.
• ChatGPT:
  • Core mechanism: Primarily uses its pre-trained data (with a knowledge cut-off date, e.g. October 2023 for GPT-4o), but integrates real-time web search functions.
  • Web search: Works with third-party search engines. Bing is explicitly mentioned and used for the "Browse with Bing" feature, which is available to Plus/Enterprise users. ChatGPT rephrases user queries and sends them to these providers.
  • Data sources: Retrieves information from web pages returned by search partners and provides citations/links. It can process text from HTML, but may have difficulty with complex formats such as PDFs without special features.
  • Indexing: It relies on the indexes of its search partners (such as Bing). It does not maintain its own comprehensive, real-time web index like a traditional search engine, but uses external indexes.
• Perplexity AI:
  • Core mechanism: Positions itself as an “answer machine” that searches the internet in real time.
  • Indexing: It states that it uses its own search index, separate from Google/Bing, which focuses on relevant/reliable sources (“head of the distribution curve”) rather than the long tail. It emphasizes high-quality scraping and parsing to extract relevant paragraphs for its LLMs (Long Tail Finders). It uses Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to retrieve documents from its index. The index is updated daily, or even more frequently for certain data types.
  • Data sources: Searches authoritative sources such as articles, websites, journals, scientific papers, etc. Provides citations for verification.
  • Search process: Uses LLMs (its own finely tuned models and third-party models such as GPT-4, Claude 3) to understand queries, performs multiple searches (“Pro Search”), retrieves relevant content from its index via RAG, and synthesizes answers.

The different architectures of these tools imply variations in the scope, depth, speed, and potential biases of the information retrieved from the web. Copilot is tightly integrated with Bing and Microsoft data. ChatGPT functions as a powerful language model that invokes external search partners (including Bing) when needed. Perplexity aims to be a standalone answer engine with its own real-time index and a strong focus on source verification.

SEO strategies for better visibility on AI-powered platforms – for marketing and business development strategies

• Research: Perplexity is suitable for quick, quoted answers and exploring various sources. ChatGPT is good for broader brainstorming and conversational exploration. Copilot is ideal for research deeply integrated with internal company data (when using Microsoft 365).
• Content creation: ChatGPT or Copilot can be used to design content, summarize documents, or generate marketing copy. Perplexity Pages can be used to transform research into shareable content formats.
• SEO/Visibility: Content optimized for Bing may secondarily benefit from appearing in Copilot results. Content optimized for major search engines will likely be discoverable through ChatGPT's partners' browsing feature. Ensuring content is crawlable, authoritative, and up-to-date is crucial for visibility in Perplexity's index.
• Sales Enablement: Copilot can optimize processes by summarizing customer interactions or internal data. ChatGPT/Perplexity can be used for quick research on potential customers or markets.
• Tool selection: The choice depends on the specific task, the need for source verification, integration into existing workflows (especially the Microsoft ecosystem for Copilot) and the budget (Pro versions offer more features).

Suitable for:

• Development of the Microsoft search engines and their forerunners before Bing

Strategic recommendations: Why Bing is more important in the German B2B sector than you think

The analysis of search engine usage and the role of AI tools in the German B2B sector for mechanical engineering and industrial plants leads to several key findings:

• Desktop remains crucial: Despite the general dominance of mobile devices, desktop search is still highly relevant for research and conversion in complex industrial B2B sectors in Germany. A dual optimization strategy for mobile visibility and desktop engagement is necessary.
• Bing's underestimated role: Due to the "Microsoft Ecosystem Effect," Microsoft Bing holds a significant desktop market share of approximately 17% in German corporate environments. This makes Bing an important channel alongside market leader Google that cannot be ignored.
• AI tools on the rise: AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Perplexity AI are increasingly being used in the B2B sector to improve efficiency. However, they access real-time data in different ways: Copilot via Bing and Microsoft Graph, ChatGPT via external search partners (including Bing), and Perplexity via its own real-time index and web crawling.

Suitable for:

• Bing is becoming increasingly important for SEO and AI search: Microsoft's growing advantage over Google in the B2B search market

Based on these findings, the following recommendations for action can be made for marketing and business development managers in German mechanical engineering and plant engineering companies:

• Website Strategy (Dual Optimization): Implement a two-pronged approach. Prioritize mobile-friendliness and speed for SEO visibility (mobile-first indexing). Simultaneously, optimize the desktop user experience for deep engagement, the delivery of complex information, and support of conversion processes.
• Search Engine Strategy (Google & Bing): Allocate budget and resources to both Google and Bing for SEM and SEO. Target desktop users specifically with Bing campaigns to reach the substantial user base within businesses. Continuously monitor performance on both platforms.
• Integration of AI tools: Evaluate the use of Copilot (especially with heavy use of Microsoft 365), ChatGPT, and Perplexity for specific tasks in marketing and business development (e.g., research, content generation, summaries, sales support). Understand their different data acquisition mechanisms to select the right tool for each task and be aware of potential limitations or biases.
• Content optimization for AI: Ensure that website content is accurate, up-to-date, authoritative (according to EEAT principles), well-structured, and easily crawlable. This maximizes visibility not only in traditional search engines but also in AI answer engines like Perplexity and potentially in the search functions of Copilot and ChatGPT.
• Continuous monitoring: The search and AI landscape is evolving rapidly. Continuously monitor market share trends, the capabilities of AI tools, and changes in user behavior to adapt strategies agilely.

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