Perplexity's Growth Upends Marketers' Fear of AI's SEO Impact

According to a study by BrightEdge, Perplexity's AI search engine has shown that fears of AI destroying web traffic may be overblown. The study indicates that Perplexity referral traffic to brand websites has grown by 40% month-over-month since January, and 60% of its citations match the top 10 organic Google results. This suggests that AI search engines like Perplexity can provide similar and relevant answers to queries, thereby maintaining web traffic and the relevance of SEO.

Jim Yu from BrightEdge suggests the following strategies for optimizing for AI search engines:

• Invest in SEO: Continue to invest in SEO, focusing on credibility to ensure your site is often cited in responses.
• Focus on topics: Instead of optimizing individual pages, concentrate on topics you have the authority to rank for.
• Optimize for conversations: SEO should now optimize for a conversation, ensuring your site has all the relevant content for follow-up queries.
• Use structured information: Implement metadata to help AI understand the content source, authorship, etc.
• Break down silos: Encourage collaboration across departments to optimize for the web in the AI era.

Perplexity announced that it will display native ads in related questions on its search results, allowing advertisers to influence follow-up queries. This move, while seemingly contrary to its claim of being free from advertising influence, is part of Perplexity's business model, according to its Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko. The approach to advertising may evolve to include more ad formats, potentially attracting more interest from digital marketers.

Jim Yu emphasizes the importance of preparing for multiple AI search engines because they are carving out their own areas of expertise. This diversification means that businesses need to master multiple search platforms to not miss out on potential revenue. AI-first engines like Perplexity are gaining ground, and it's crucial for the marketing community to stay informed about developments in AI search, including traffic trends, queries, result quality, and more.