The End of Search Engines is Coming
Welcome back Rankers! This week I’m sharing insights into some of the biggest trends shaping the digital landscape right now, plus some personal milestones like our 19th year on YouTube and the launch of my new book on the future of business online. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how AI-driven tools like SearchGPT are changing the way we search and find information—and what that could mean for traditional platforms like Google. I’ll also introduce you to our new Brand Intelligence Report, a tool designed to help you understand how your brand is perceived across various AI platforms and discuss how productivity tools like Paradigm are taking automation to new heights. Dive in to get practical advice on how to adapt and stay competitive amid all these shifts.
What I Learned
- How AI-driven tools like SearchGPT are impacting traditional search engines
- Overview of our Brand Intelligence Report for brand perception insights across AI models
- A look at Paradigm, an AI-powered spreadsheet tool for automating data collection and organisation
- Key strategies to keep your business ahead in a fast-evolving digital world
Transcript
Introduction and Updates
Welcome back, Rankers! How are you going? It’s been a big week for the world, and I want to start by touching on my recent book launch—just kidding! But it is exciting, and I’ll come back to it soon. First, Google Trends is back to normal, which, as predicted, I was right about again, continuing my accuracy streak with Google Trends over the past 20 years.
Speaking of milestones, today marks the 19th anniversary of our YouTube presence. So, thank you to everyone who has been subscribing and sharing the content. Hard to believe, but we’re now stepping into our 20th year!
The Book and Webinar Launch
The book launch finally happened, and the response has been fantastic. We launched it alongside a webinar, which had more interest than any previous event I’ve hosted. The webinar content covered many themes from the book, though we couldn’t dive into everything in just 30 minutes. I want to thank everyone who attended—we had great feedback and saw immediate interest in the book, with 90 copies already sold.
A lot of questions from the webinar were about the future of business online, and I’m thinking well beyond the next couple of years. Questions like, “Will we even have websites in three or four years?” These are themes I explore in the book and discussed during the webinar.
The Rise of AI Tools and SearchGPT
On the day after the webinar, SearchGPT was launched. If you haven’t used it yet, it’s a fascinating tool, especially for local searches. For example, I tested it with restaurant searches near me, and it used my IP address to locate me in Sydney, though I’m actually on the Mornington Peninsula. This kind of localized AI functionality is impressive and has potential implications for personalized digital experiences, especially since it remembers details across conversations if you have memory enabled—something Google currently can’t replicate.
The impact of these tools isn’t about killing Google. Google’s $237 billion revenue won’t vanish, but they will need to evolve as these tools become more prevalent. We’re witnessing a proliferation of AI-driven tools that are changing how people find information, as demonstrated by the increasing use of platforms like Perplexity AI and ChatGPT. I cover this shift in the book, explaining why businesses need to adopt and adapt to stay ahead of the competition.
Introducing the Brand Intelligence Report
During the webinar, we also introduced our new Brand Intelligence Report, which analyses how your brand appears across various large language models. This report offers insights into your brand’s perception and compares it with competitors. We’ve already had several clients sign up for this, and it’s something I’m now doing in every client meeting—checking what tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity think about their brand.
This report is our way of providing a quick, detailed look at your brand’s standing across AI models, saving the time it would take to perform these checks manually. It’s especially helpful with the advent of personalized AI experiences; soon, everyone’s AI results will differ, based on their past interactions and preferences. The Brand Intelligence Report provides an unfiltered view of what these models know about you, offering valuable insights for strategic decision-making.
The Future of AI and Specialised Tools
As more businesses adopt AI-driven solutions, we’re seeing tools like Paradigm—an AI-powered spreadsheet system that creates customised data lists for tasks such as sales prospecting and PR contact generation. Normally, tasks like these would be handled via Google, but Paradigm uses an AI model search engine, X.ai, to gather data and build lists.
These tools aren’t just time-savers; they’re allowing businesses to reimagine workflows. However, effective use requires precise prompting to avoid costly mistakes, as these tools charge per token. The Brand Intelligence Report, Paradigm, and similar tools have token-based pricing, meaning poorly constructed prompts could lead to wasted resources. So, as we integrate more of these tools, we should focus on crafting well-thought-out prompts for maximum efficiency and value.
Closing Remarks
Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last 19 years. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m looking forward to another 19 in the same way, as I hope we’re all doing something different by then—perhaps basking in the glow of our AI helpers or coexisting with a world shaped by these tools. I prefer to remain optimistic.
Thanks again to everyone who attended the webinar, purchased the book, or even just clicked on the link. Every bit helps, and I deeply appreciate it. I’ll see you all next week!
Jim’s been here for a while, you know who he is.
