The Signal
Google's AI Overviews now appear in up to 12.5% of all search queries, and according to Gartner, traditional search engine volume is expected to drop by 25% as AI-generated answers become the primary way people discover businesses. For those of us who built our digital presence around being found on Google, the rules have quietly — but fundamentally — changed.
The Story: Your customers are asking AI, not Google
Something shifted in the last year, and most business owners haven't noticed yet.
When someone needs a recommendation — say, the best CRM for a 50-person sales team, or a reliable agency for workflow automation — they're no longer scrolling through ten blue links. They're typing that question into ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's own AI Mode and reading the answer that comes back in plain language. No clicking. No comparing. Just an answer, often with a short list of recommended brands.
This changes everything about how businesses get found.
The old model was ranking. The new model is being recommended.
In traditional search, you optimised for keywords, backlinks, and page authority. You could buy ads to sit at the top. It was a system you could game, at least partly. AI-generated answers work differently. When someone asks Perplexity "who are the best AI agencies for workflow automation," the model synthesises information from across the web — blog posts, case studies, Reddit threads, product reviews, news articles — and delivers a curated response. Either your business appears in that answer, or it doesn't. There's no ad slot to buy.
So what makes an AI model recommend one brand over another? Three things matter most:
1. Structured, specific content. AI models favour content that directly answers questions. Generic "about us" pages don't cut it. What works: detailed case studies, clear explanations of what you do and for whom, FAQ pages that address real questions, and articles that demonstrate genuine expertise. Think of it as writing for a very thorough research assistant — because that's literally what these models are.
2. Authority signals from trusted sources. LLMs weigh mentions across credible platforms. If your brand is referenced on industry publications, cited in forums like Reddit (which is now the most cited domain across leading LLMs — more than LinkedIn, Wikipedia, or YouTube), or featured in comparison articles, you're more likely to appear in AI-generated answers.
3. Freshness and consistency. Models pull from recent content. A blog you wrote in 2021 carries less weight than a case study published last quarter. Regularly updated content signals that your business is active and current.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: you could rank #1 on Google for a keyword and still not appear in any AI answer. They're different systems with different logic. Google's algorithm rewards optimised pages. AI models reward brands that show up frequently, consistently, and credibly across the web.
The good news? This isn't about starting over. The fundamentals — clear positioning, valuable content, demonstrated expertise — still win. You just need to think about your content differently. Instead of writing for an algorithm that matches keywords, you're now writing for a system that reads, synthesises, and recommends.
At LF Labs, this shift in how businesses get discovered is something we help clients think through as part of broader digital strategy — because visibility is a moving target, and the ground just moved.
What you can do right now:
The simplest starting point is to see where you stand. Open ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Mode and ask questions your potential customers would ask. Questions like "best [your service] for [your industry]" or "who should I hire for [specific problem]." Note who gets mentioned. If it's not you, that's your baseline. If your competitors are showing up and you're not, the content gap is your roadmap.
The Operator's Toolkit: A 10-minute AI visibility audit
This takes ten minutes and will tell you exactly where you stand.
Step 1: Ask the same question across three AI platforms
Open ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. Type a question your ideal customer would ask — something like "best [your service] in [your market]" or "who helps with [specific problem] for [company size]." Use natural language, the way a real person would ask.
Step 2: Note which brands are mentioned and which sources are cited
Write down every brand that appears in each answer. Pay attention to which sources the AI cites — are they pulling from blog posts, Reddit threads, review sites, or news articles? This tells you what content formats carry weight.
Step 3: Compare your visibility against two key competitors
Pick two direct competitors. Run the same queries. Are they showing up where you aren't? Look at what content of theirs is being referenced — that's your competitive intelligence, handed to you for free.
Step 4: Identify the content gaps holding you back
If competitors appear and you don't, compare what they've published that you haven't. Common gaps: no recent case studies, no FAQ content, no presence in industry forums or comparison articles, and outdated service pages that don't match what you actually do today.
The Radar: Three things worth knowing this week
Gartner projects a 25% drop in traditional search volume by end of 2026. That's not a slow decline — it's a structural shift. Businesses relying entirely on SEO-driven traffic need a second strategy.
Google AI Overviews are now live across European markets, including Spain. The rollout is accelerating. If your customers are global, AI-generated answers are already shaping how they find you.
Reddit is the most cited domain across leading LLMs — more than LinkedIn, Wikipedia, or YouTube. Authentic, community-driven content is being weighted more heavily than polished corporate pages. If your brand has genuine presence in relevant Reddit communities, that's now a strategic asset.
From the Field
Have you checked how your business appears when someone asks an AI for a recommendation in your industry? I'd genuinely love to hear what you found — reply to this email and let me know. Were you mentioned? Were your competitors? What surprised you?
— Francois