The Startup Ideas Podcast
The best businesses are built at the intersection of emerging technology, community, and real human needs.
AI Search Strategy
Optimizing content and pages specifically to rank highly in AI search results from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude rather than traditional Google search
How It Works
Creates comprehensive, bottom-of-funnel content that AI models cite as authoritative sources, leading to much higher conversion rates due to AI recommendation trust
Components
Identify AI search as the current 'OP' (overpowered) marketing channel
Create comprehensive alternatives pages and vs pages
Focus on bottom-of-funnel, high-intent search terms
Optimize for AI citation rather than traditional SEO metrics
Track AI search traffic separately from Google organic
When to Use
When you have a SaaS with clear alternatives/competitors, can create comprehensive comparison content, and target high-intent search queries
When Not to Use
For brand new product categories without established alternatives, when you can't create comprehensive content, or for top-of-funnel awareness plays
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
Example
“A form builder creates comprehensive pages comparing itself to TypeForm and other alternatives, gets cited by ChatGPT when users ask 'what's the best free form builder', resulting in 17x higher conversion rates than Google traffic”
Related Knowledge
focus on one channel with three formats per week
Effective app marketing requires deep focus on single platform with consistent content variety rather than spreading acr
First time founders focus on product. Second time founders focus on distribution.
Experienced entrepreneurs prioritize how to sell and distribute over what to build
SEO not dead still generating billions dollars commerce
Search engine optimization remains a viable distribution channel despite AI search tools and claims of SEO's death
Distribution is the new moat
The ability to reach and engage audiences has become more valuable than traditional competitive advantages like product
People use Tik Tok like a search engine
TikTok has evolved beyond entertainment to become a primary discovery mechanism for solutions to specific problems