Growing a professional services firm in the digital age is hard. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or completely out of touch. Or maybe they simply blinked and missed everything that happened in the last 20 years (or the last nanosecond for that matter).
In my May article on this topic, I pointed out how AI-powered search assistants like Perplexity might change the way clients look for solutions and solution providers. Fast-forward just 7 months and our data show it’s already happening: in a recent analysis of our clients’ sites we found that search traffic is down 2.5% on average this year.
Yes, there are outliers. Sites with lots of content that have historically driven a lot of “non-branded, long-tail search traffic” are down 15-20%. Obviously some sites have actually increased their search traffic. Our presumption is this is branded search traffic driven mainly by other marketing and reputation building activities.
The New Search Reality: Not Just Better; Reimagined
Let me be blunt. The search experience has fundamentally transformed. No longer are potential clients scrolling through multiple results or clicking through to websites to weigh the pros and cons of different answers to their questions. Instead, they’re using AI-assisted search tools like Perplexity (and Google itself) and relying on instant, synthesized answers that more often than not keep users right where they are in the search experience.
Consider these stark realities:
- Over 60% of searches are now “no-click” searches, with AI assistants providing comprehensive summaries; many searchers will go no further, and companies are going to see a lost less search traffic as a result
- The first organic search result—once the holy grail of digital marketing—is now buried beneath AI-generated summaries and sponsored content.
- Any clicks that do result from the search are far more likely than ever to go to the primary reference in the AI-assisted response, which is very tricky to garner.
- These tools aren’t just improving search—they’re reimagining how we consume information.
As an example, I recently used Perplexity to help develop a customized strength and conditioning program for my son’s tennis development. The AI didn’t just give me a bunch of links to explore—it synthesized expert advice, suggested specific exercises, and even included instructional videos. Essentially, it coalesced a lot of what’s already been said on the topic and applied it to my unique situation — check out the search and results. It’s hard for me to imagine any one piece of content published by any single expert that could do all this as effectively as the AI did.
This means that AI-powered search assistants aren’t just better search engines. (That would kind of be like someone in 2005 calling Google a better Yellow Pages). Tools like Perplexity largely represent a whole new way of operating that’s light-years beyond traditional search capabilities.
What to Do? Start with What Hasn’t Changed
If marketers can no longer count on getting as much traffic through search as they once did, what should they do now? Most firms will need new ways to connect with clients. The good news is that strong, differentiated, and deep POVs never go out of style. It’s just how you tee it up that might need to change.
Here’s how to adapt:
1. Make sure your differentiated point of view is truly differentiated.
You need your master POV to be in the very best shape of its life. Take a critical look and make sure you are owning the issues you want to own in the marketplace in the way you want to own them.
Now’s the time to ask the hard question – is your point of view genuinely thought-provoking? If you’re not sure, or if you know your POV needs some work, this article on the 5 Truths About POVs can help.
You may also want to consider investing in original research to uncover client insights no one else has, which can lead to a POV no one else owns. Leveraging research to develop a compelling point of view is a proven way to uniquely differentiate your firm and stand out in a saturated marketplace.
2. Create branded, recurring content experiences.
Once your POV is buttoned up, it’s time to rethink how you are packaging and delivering it. A drip, drip, drip content strategy that provides a steady flow of answers to the day-to-day questions clients are asking in the hopes of generating inbound Google search leads is going to perform worse and worse every day, every week, and every month.
For the last 15 years clients used search to find content. When the search is the content, you have to offer clients a compelling reason to go past the search and come to you.
One way to do this is by offering both consistency and personality. This could be a regular weekly or monthly personality-driven video, podcast, or newsletter, such as No Mercy No Malice published by Scott Galloway, 5-Minute White Board Fridays published by Spark Toro and Rand Fishkin, the Future Focused Letter and Jump Podcast published by Dev Patnaik and Michelle Loret de Mola at Jump Associates, or the Momentum newsletter published by Rattleback every Wednesday. These content experiences are branded and repeatable. As such they build memorability. Clients come to expect to receive them and anticipate their release.
If you’re doing research to build your POV, then a quarterly, bi-annual, or annual branded digital research experience is another great playbook. The idea here is to study a pressing issue, in-depth, regularly over time. Each release builds on previous ones, make comparisons, and tells a story. The Middle Market Indicator published by the National Center for the Middle Market has been doing this at least twice a year since 2012. Tercera published its third release of the Tercera 30 this year. Both have become experiences that stakeholders share and search for by name. In fact, experiences like these are actually generating increases search traffic YOY.
3. Elevate your key people.
Clients are looking for firms that stand for something specific and aren’t afraid to own it. Your people will be instrumental both to the believability of your POV and to the success of any branded content experiences you create, so encourage them to bring their full selves to the task.
Remember that people follow thought leaders because they’re interesting, provocative, smart, and they offer a compatible world view around difficult-to-solve business problems. The more your people can bring their “whole selves” to the task, the more your POV will come to life. We’ve seen lifts as high as 700%+ from simple changes in how we tell stories and draw readers into our thinking.
Keep the Human Element Core to Your Digital Presence
We’re at a pivotal moment. AI-enabled search technologies are reshaping how clients find firms. They’re spending less time on traditional search and more time with AI-powered search engines. This shift requires adapting your publishing and promotional strategies while holding onto what makes your insights valuable: deep understanding, elegant solutions to complex problems, and a differentiated point of view.
Remember, in an AI-driven search world, your most powerful differentiator is genuine human insight. Your firm’s unique perspective, delivered through compelling voices, is your competitive advantage. The firms that thrive will be those willing to move beyond traditional B2B publishing strategies to create branded content experiences that clients actively seek out.
