Nowadays, AI is reshaping the global marketing landscape. As more users obtain answers directly from generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, competition among companies in the field of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is becoming increasingly fierce.
To this end, HubSpot recently announced the acquisition of XFunnel, an innovative platform dedicated to helping companies monitor, test, and optimize AEO performance within the large language model (LLM) ecosystem. This acquisition will further strengthen the AEO strategic capabilities of HubSpot Marketing Hub, enabling marketers to understand how their brands perform in AI-generated answers and formulate more efficient optimization strategies.
HubSpot’s data report shows that AI-driven lead conversion rates are three times higher than traditional search. With XFunnel joining, HubSpot will be able to provide marketers with a comprehensive suite of AEO monitoring and optimization tools, helping brands achieve greater visibility in the AI era’s answer ecosystem.

Driving Loop Marketing Strategy
Against the backdrop of an accelerating evolution in the marketing landscape, HubSpot introduced the new Loop Marketing methodology at the 2025 INBOUND conference to help companies attract, engage, and convert in the new customer journey.
Among them, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is one of the core components of Loop Marketing, aimed at helping brands precisely reach potential customers who are seeking answers through AI platforms.

XFunnel, a professional platform built specifically for AEO scenarios, not only helps marketing teams intuitively understand how their brands are exposed within AI answers but also provides data-driven optimization suggestions, thereby connecting target audiences more effectively.
Regarding this acquisition, HubSpot Marketing Hub General Manager and VP of Product Angela DeFranco said:
“As AI changes how people discover and understand businesses, we want to make it easier for customers to adapt to this shift. That’s why we’re excited to welcome XFunnel to HubSpot. XFunnel’s products allow brands to quickly test and validate AEO strategies, which aligns closely with our mission to build the next generation of marketing tools.”
Strengthening AEO Practice and Intelligent Marketing Layout
As one of the early platforms focused on Answer Engine Optimization, XFunnel offers marketing teams a complete capability matrix from monitoring to optimization—including intelligent monitoring, strategy experiments, and optimization insights.
Unlike traditional SEO tools, XFunnel focuses on the content presentation mechanism in generative AI environments, helping brands move from being “searched” to being “answered,” enabling an intelligent leap in content influence.

Next, XFunnel will be natively integrated into HubSpot’s marketing product suite (such as Marketing Hub and Content Hub) to deliver deeper AI search insights. At that time, marketers will be able to:

• Monitor brand exposure performance across mainstream AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity;
• Experiment with and optimize AEO strategies to quickly validate different content approaches;
• Obtain clear optimization recommendations to enhance brand influence in the AI ecosystem.

Regarding this acquisition, XFunnel co-founder Neri Bluman said: “Our mission has always been to help companies reshape their marketing in the AI era. HubSpot’s leadership in marketing and AI innovation has truly impressed us.”
Another co-founder, Beeri Amiel, added: “We found that our vision for the future of marketing aligns closely with HubSpot’s. Joining HubSpot allows us to continue moving forward on a remarkable foundation, helping companies grow in this era of massive change.”
From SEO to AEO: The Key to AI-Driven Marketing
As HubSpot’s Platinum Partner in the Asia-Pacific region, DKM ECO believes that acquiring XFunnel not only signifies HubSpot’s strategic advancement in AI-driven marketing but also heralds AEO as the new engine for digital growth for enterprises.
In the future, DKM ECO will continue to maintain close cooperation with HubSpot, promoting the implementation of AEO and Loop Marketing across the Asia-Pacific region, helping companies achieve more efficient brand exposure and sustainable growth in the AI search era.

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About DKM ECO
🌐 HubSpot Platinum Partner in the Asia-Pacific region, serving thousands of enterprise clients
🏆 Awarded HubSpot Asia-Pacific FY2024 “Top Revenue Contribution” and “Best Newcomer”
🔧 Provides HubSpot product consulting, training and deployment, AI and automation process design, CRM migration and integration, and other end-to-end services
🏭 Clients span finance, technology, real estate, manufacturing, retail, and 35+ industry scenarios
🌍 Based in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Southeast Asia, and North America
📊 Supports multilingual, multi-brand, and multi-team collaboration to help enterprises implement global marketing