Episode 363: From Wall Street Analytics to AI Visibility - How Jon Mest is Democratizing PR with AI (Part 2)

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The AI Marketing Navigator

Alex Carlson

371 episodes

23 hours ago

Dive into the world of digital marketing as it intersects with the cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence with "The AI Marketing Navigator." This podcast is your compass in the evolving landscape of AI-enhanced marketing, offering you daily insights, strategies, and actionable tips. With fingers on the pulse of the latest on AI in: SEO, content marketing, social media, email marketing, and more, get the updates and tactics you need to navigate the complexities of marketing in the AI age. Subscribe to "The AI Marketing Navigator" to transform the way you think about marketing.

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Episode 363: From Wall Street Analytics to AI Visibility - How Jon Mest is Democratizing PR with AI (Part 2)

The AI Marketing Navigator

15 minutes

3 months ago

Episode 363: From Wall Street Analytics to AI Visibility - How Jon Mest is Democratizing PR with AI (Part 2)

In this episode, we explore how Jon Mest's team transformed a devastating Google AI overview crisis into a breakthrough business opportunity, creating ChatRank and revolutionizing AI-powered visibility strategies.

Keywords

Google AI Overviews, ChatRank, LEO Optimization, Just Reach Out Acquisition, AI Visibility Crisis, Search Algorithm Changes, Business Acquisition Strategy, AI Marketing Tools, Authority-Based Ranking, Meritocratic SEO

Key Takeaways

The $4 Google Crisis

Google spending dropped from thousands monthly to exactly $4 in three weeks
AI overviews buried their #1 ranking content and ads overnight
Team initially thought system was broken until discovering massive AI overview placement
Crisis occurred August 2024, affecting core search terms completely

Smart Acquisition Philosophy

Acquired Just Reach Out in 2021 using "good product, good customers, improvable business" thesis
Chose scaling existing business (1-to-10) over building from zero (0-to-1)
Added AI automation and self-serve capabilities to democratize PR
Maintained founder Dmitri's strong SEO foundation while expanding reach

Crisis-to-Opportunity Pivot

Engineering team reverse-engineered AI overview ranking factors
Built internal tools that became ChatRank.ai (launched December 2024)
Now receiving weekly referrals from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude
Spun ChatRank into separate subscription business complementing Just Reach Out

AI Ranking Revolution

Over 50% of Google AI overview results come from non-page-one content
Page 7 content can outrank page 1 if it provides the best answer
Authority matters more than backlinks in AI model rankings
AI models fact-check content against all available sources

New Ranking Factors

Authority over Links: AI seeks most authoritative content, not most backlinks
Meritocratic System: Best answer wins regardless of traditional SEO metrics
Truth Requirements: AI models quickly identify and penalize false information
Answer Engine Focus: Tools like ChatGPT prioritize single best answer, not link collections

Strategic Business Lessons

Don't panic during algorithm changes - reverse engineer and adapt
Crisis often reveals new business opportunities
AI democratizes visibility for smaller players with better content
Complementary tools create stronger ecosystem (ChatRank + Just Reach Out)

ChatRank Differentiation

Separate subscription at ChatRank.ai
Optimizes for ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Claude
Focuses on content quality and authoritative positioning
Complements traditional PR outreach with AI visibility strategy

The Reality CheckTraditional SEO's link-based authority system is being replaced by AI's merit-based content evaluation. Companies with the best answers can now compete with industry giants, regardless of backlink budgets.

Key InsightThe shift from attention economy to authority economy means AI models reward genuine expertise over SEO manipulation. Small businesses can now achieve visibility previously reserved for large corporations with massive link-building budgets.

This episode demonstrates that algorithmic disruptions, while initially devastating, often create opportunities for innovative companies willing to adapt quickly and build solutions for the new landscape.

Links

https://justreachout.io/

https://chatrank.ai/