> Original research from twelve months of Google Trends data in the United States and Canada. “AI SEO” is searched almost as much as “lead generation” in the US, small-business lead generation searches more than doubled, and AI sales tools are searched by what they do, not what they are called. > > Web page: https://www.growaxis.net/insights/what-businesses-search-us-canada-2026 [Insights](https://www.growaxis.net/insights) GrowDigital # What businesses search for in the US and Canada: lead generation, AI SEO and AI sales in 2026 Original research from twelve months of Google Trends data in the United States and Canada. “AI SEO” is searched almost as much as “lead generation” in the US, small-business lead generation searches more than doubled, and AI sales tools are searched by what they do, not what they are called. By GrowAxis team · 24 October 2026 · 4 min read Before writing pages for a market, we look at what people there actually type. These are the findings from Google Trends for the United States and Canada, for the twelve months to 24 October 2026, across lead generation, digital marketing, SEO and AI in sales. ## How to read the numbers - Each score is the average weekly interest over twelve months on Google’s 0–100 scale, where 100 is the busiest week of the busiest term in the same comparison. Scores show which words people use, not absolute volumes. - Where we give a change, it compares the last six months with the six months before. Figures from Google’s own list of rising related searches are marked as such. - Every comparison includes “lead generation”, so each term can be read against it. ## Five findings ### 1\. “AI SEO” is searched almost as much as “lead generation” in the US In the US, “ai seo” averages 51 against 56 for “lead generation”. The newer names grow fast from a smaller base: “generative engine optimization” scores 9 and grew 26%, “answer engine optimization” scores 6 and grew 24%, and “geo agency” grew 57%. Among the searches related to “ai seo”, Google lists “geo” as rising 120%. Buyers no longer treat SEO and AI answers as separate jobs. ### 2\. Small businesses are looking for leads “small business lead generation” and “lead generation for small business” both more than doubled, up 171% and 174% in the last six months against the six before. Google’s rising searches around “lead generation” in the US point the same way: “website lead generation” +130%, “lead generation tool” +120%, “linkedin lead generation” +110%, “local lead generation” +80% and “lead generation agency” +70%. ### 3\. “Digital marketing agency” is growing, and AI is attached to it “digital marketing agency” averages 40 in the US and grew 19%. In Canada it scores 40 against 41 for “lead generation”, and grew 13%. Among its related searches in the US, “ai digital marketing agency” scores 26 of 100\. “ai marketing agency” averages 10 in the US and 6 in Canada. ### 4\. AI sales tools are searched by what they do “ai lead generation” averages 9 in the US and 5 in Canada, and its top related search is “ai for lead generation”. “ai sdr” averages 7 in the US, up 10%, and 5 in Canada. “ai sales agent” scores 11 in the US, but its related searches are mostly general AI-agent news rather than sales. “ai cold email” fell 30% and “sales outsourcing” fell 27%. ### 5\. Labels for business models stay small As in Egypt, the Gulf and the Benelux, buyers search for the outcome. In the US, “b2b lead generation” averages 6, “fractional cmo” 3, “saas lead generation” 1 and “marketing agency for startups” close to 0, against 56 for “lead generation”. In Canada, “saas marketing” is the exception, at 14 against 57. ## The United States and Canada compared - United States: “lead generation” (56) leads, ahead of “ai seo” (51) and “digital marketing agency” (40). The fastest growth is in small-business and website lead generation. - Canada: “lead generation” and “digital marketing agency” are level (41 and 40), but “lead generation” fell 19% over the year while “digital marketing agency” grew 13%. Most niche terms are below Google’s threshold. ## What this means for a growing company 1. Name your pages after the outcome buyers search for: lead generation, digital marketing, SEO. 2. Treat AI answers as part of SEO: clear facts about your company, answer-first pages and the profiles assistants read. 3. If you sell to small businesses, make the website itself a lead generation channel: fast pages, one clear next step and every form feeding a CRM. 4. Judge AI sales tools on meetings booked, not emails sent. ## About this research Data: Google Trends, interest over time and related queries, twelve months to 24 October 2026, for the United States and Canada, queried by the GrowAxis team on 24 October 2026\. GrowAxis is a Commercial Growth Partner with a team in Cairo; it installs digital marketing, business development, customer experience and AI engines for startups and SMEs, including in the United States. You may quote these findings with a link to this page. [Related engineGrowDigitalThe full digital marketing cycleHow GrowDigital works](https://www.growaxis.net/engines/growdigital)[Related serviceGrowth partner in the United States and CanadaFor startups and SMEs in the United States and Canada: digital marketing, B2B lead generation, a CRM and AI as one system, installed with your team and live within 30 days. The team in Cairo overlaps the East Coast morning.See how it works](https://www.growaxis.net/services/growth-partner-us-canada) Where is your growth stuck? 30 minutes with our team. We map it, and tell you which engine to install first. No pitch. ## More insights - [Small business lead generation: seven ways that work in 20263 min read](https://www.growaxis.net/insights/small-business-lead-generation) - [How to choose a marketing company in Saudi Arabia: a checklist for startups and SMEs3 min read](https://www.growaxis.net/insights/how-to-choose-a-marketing-company-saudi-arabia) - [AI SEO: what it means, and what a small team should do first3 min read](https://www.growaxis.net/insights/ai-seo-what-it-means) ## Find out which engine you need first. 30 minutes with our team. We map where your growth is stuck, which engine to install first and what installing it looks like with your team. No pitch. 30 minutes · Free · No pitch You leave with 1. The engine to start with, and why 2. What it would install: process, tools, AI and people 3. The path from signature to live within 30 days --- ## Contact GrowAxis - Email: contact@growaxis.net - Phone: +32 492 41 3612, +20 106 168 3566 - Offices: Uxbridge, United Kingdom & Cairo, Egypt - Profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growaxis, https://www.instagram.com/growaxiss/, https://clutch.co/profile/growaxis, https://www.goodfirms.co/company/growaxis, https://www.sortlist.com/agency/growaxis, https://www.trustpilot.com/review/growaxis.net - The first step is a free 30-minute growth assessment: https://www.growaxis.net/#assessment