Executive Summary
AI is already changing how people find businesses, and we’ve seen leads come in from tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. What’s working now isn’t more content — it’s better content, built on connected data, original ideas, and trust signals. To win, businesses need to align their content and systems with how AI surfaces answers, not how Google ranks pages.
Most Important Takeaways:
- Connect your data sources — unify your CRM, analytics, ad platforms, and customer interactions using a CDP or data warehouse.
- Say something worth citing — focus on originality, real opinions, and useful insights that AI can quote.
- Refresh what already works — update existing content with current examples, cleaner formatting, and recent data.
- Get more reviews — third-party proof boosts your credibility in AI responses and builds trust with new prospects.
AI Is Already Delivering Leads. Are You Ready to Collect?
It started with a strange blip in our analytics.
Then a client mentioned something odd.
Suddenly, it wasn’t odd anymore — it was a pattern.
Real traffic. Actual leads. All pointing back to tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Then came the undeniable proof:
A new customer who told us flat-out, “I found you through ChatGPT.”
This isn’t a guess.
It’s already happening.
AI tools are changing how people search.
They’re delivering answers directly — sometimes without touching Google.
And when your business is that answer?
You get the lead. Period.
So if you’re asking:
“How do I get found by AI?”
“Has my site been scraped yet?”
“What kind of content actually works?”
You’re in the right place.
We’re about to break down:
- What’s working today
- What’s about to stop working
- And how to get ahead — before everyone else catches up
What’s Working Right Now (And Why Most People Miss It)
Most people think showing up in AI answers means pumping out more SEO content. It doesn’t.
Here’s what we’re seeing actually drive results today:
1. Say Something New
AI tools aren’t just scraping content — they’re ranking ideas. Repackaging old information? Not enough. But when you combine two concepts, give a fresh take, or talk about something that’s just starting to matter in your space? That’s the kind of stuff that gets surfaced.
One of our clients published a short opinion piece about how luxury shoppers are using AI to compare watches. Within a week, it showed up in a Perplexity answer.
2. Make Your Content Easy to Understand
LLMs don’t scroll. They scan.
- Clear headers
- Simple language
- Bullet points, summaries, FAQs
If a bot can’t parse it quickly, it’s not going to use it. Formatting matters more than ever.
3. Keep It Fresh
Recency isn’t just a nice-to-have. AI tools are heavily biased toward current info. That means:
- Updated posts
- New insights
- Timely examples
Even just adding a 2024 reference or updating stats can move the needle.
4. Be the Source, Not the Echo
LLMs are citation machines. If your content feels like it’s referencing someone else’s work, it probably won’t get picked up.
But if it is the source — first-hand data, original thinking, expert POV — it stands a chance of getting pulled into an AI answer. You don’t have to be famous. You just have to be useful.
In short: don’t just write what everyone else is writing. Say something worth quoting.
The Content Shift: What’s Changing Fast (And What’s Getting Left Behind)
There’s a bigger shift happening under the surface, and most people haven’t caught on yet.
For years, SEO was all about top-of-funnel content: blogs, guides, listicles — anything that could get clicks and traffic. But now?
AI tools are eating that content alive.
When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a basic question — like “What are the best watches under $5,000?” or “How to clean a diamond ring?” — the answer shows up instantly. No click. No funnel. No blog post needed.
That kind of content is losing value. Fast.
But here’s the flip side: Content that builds trust, depth, and authority is becoming more important.
Think mid-funnel: expert opinions, original perspectives, case studies, client stories, unique comparisons, real data.
This is the stuff AI wants to quote. And this is what gets remembered.
At the same time, the old keyword-stuffing tricks? Dead weight.
- Articles that say nothing new?
- Copy-paste advice with a new headline?
- Blogs written for a robot, not a human?
All getting filtered out.
You’re not competing with other blog posts anymore. You’re competing with the best version of the answer.
And AI is deciding what that looks like.
What You Can Do Today
If this all feels like a big shift, that’s because it is. But it doesn’t mean you need to throw everything out and start over. It just means you need to start aligning your content and data with how people (and AI) are finding answers now.
Here’s where we tell every business owner to start:
1. Connect Your Data
Your website data. Your CRM. Your analytics. Your ad platforms. Your customer service tools.
Most businesses already have valuable data, but it’s scattered. To make the most of it, you need to connect everything:
- Use a Customer Data Platform (CDP) to bring together user behavior, purchase history, and interactions
- Set up data pipelines from your CRM, website, email tools, and ad platforms
- Feed everything into a data warehouse so you can analyze performance across the full customer journey
- Ensure you’re tracking not just digital, but also offline and in-store interactions if they matter to your business
When your data is unified, you can:
- See which content or channels (including AI tools) are driving traffic
- Track the full lead path — from initial discovery to closed sale
- Spot patterns that tell you what’s actually generating revenue
If you’re not measuring this stuff, you’re flying blind. If you are, you’re in a position to scale the things that work.
2. Get More (and Better) Reviews
LLMs love trusted third-party proof. So do people.
Google reviews, Yelp, Trustpilot, Facebook — they all matter. Especially if your name starts popping up in AI answers.
Encourage happy customers to leave a review while the experience is fresh. Automate the request. Make it easy. This one step can boost your credibility across AI platforms without you writing a single word of new content.
3. Say Something Worth Citing
Look at your existing content. If it sounds like everything else out there, it probably won’t stand out.
Instead, write from experience. Add opinion. Share data. Tell the truth in a way that’s clear, sharp, and useful. That’s the kind of content AI wants to quote.
4. Refresh What Already Works
You don’t need to rewrite everything. But you should:
- Update stats and examples
- Add a 2024 perspective
- Make sure formatting is clean and easy to scan
Sometimes a small tweak is all it takes to make something useful again — to readers and to the machines.
