Host: Mark Fidelman
Guest: Julian Goldie

Main Topics Covered:

• The rapid evolution of SEO in the age of AI
• How AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok are changing online search behaviors
• Similarities and key differences between traditional SEO and optimization for AI search engines
• Importance of being omnipresent across platforms (YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, blogs, etc.) for better AI engine ranking
• Essential tactics: in-depth keyword research (using tools like Ahrefs), competitor analysis, content strategy, and authoritative backlinks
• Special techniques such as creating industry listicles to boost authority
• Discussion on ChatGPT's "Agent mode," its potential impact on search, and the importance of structuring information for both users and AI agents
• Predictions for the future: the increasing role of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT in search, and how Google is rapidly integrating AI into its own results
• Budgeting advice for marketers: integrate SEO and "AEO" (AI engine optimization), focusing on an all-encompassing strategy

Action Items:

• Follow up with Julian for deeper insights into AI agent modes and evolving tactics
• Use Ahrefs for ongoing keyword research
• Reverse-engineer and improve upon competitor content
• Focus on acquiring industry-relevant backlinks
• Experiment with authoritative list-based content

Guest Contact:

• Julian Goldie, SEO specialist. Visit JulianGoldie.com for a free SEO strategy session and more resources

In this episode, host Mark Fidelman is joined by Jon Mest from ChatRank to discuss how brands can prepare for the fast-approaching era of AI-driven discovery and agentic systems. The conversation covers:

• The evolution of brand discoverability, with a look ahead to how AI language models and agents will change how consumers find and interact with businesses.
• The concept, benefits, and future of AI-only websites, and how they differ from traditional, human-oriented sites.
• Why structured, well-tagged product information and content is critical for visibility within AI systems.
• The growing importance of authentic social proof—such as customer reviews, forums, and third-party ratings—to boost a brand's credibility with AI agents.
• How brands can leverage video, podcasts, and other multimedia content to increase discoverability and connect with both AI systems and human audiences.
• Actionable strategies for preparing your brand for AI-driven search, including building a strong presence on platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and industry-specific review sites.
• Insights into how brands can stand out with unique, novel information and real customer feedback as competition increases with the proliferation of AI tools.
• ChatRank's role in helping businesses audit, track, and optimize their brand presence for AI discoverability, including both self-serve software and managed services.

Key Takeaways:

• Start exploring AI-only websites tailored for agentic interactions.
• Make your product information highly structured and accessible to AI.
• Develop a comprehensive strategy to build authentic social proof.
• Invest in video, podcasts, and other easily digestible content formats.

Learn how to get your brand ready for the new world of agentic discovery with practical advice from www.ChatRank.ai , and visit chatrank.ai for more information.

Follow the host mark @markfidelman

Get Mark's book at www.agentized.com

Episode length: ~41 minutes

• 00:00 — Know · What · Where · Artificial. It's really entertaining, and we're doing a lot of fun, good stuff. Then, maybe… maybe longer, but let's just see how it goes. Most are between 10 and 20 minutes. Alright, go ahead and start. Yep, I'm gonna hit the…

• 05:00 — There · Robot · Know · What. Right, okay. Alright, so why… why isn't nuclear an option to bring the kind of power we need? Yeah, I mean, I think the short answer is it's available, it's accessible, but I don't think it's enough to actually solve…

• 10:00 — Don't · Know · They're · More. It's a $200,000 vehicle at a minimum, if not $250,000. I don't know how that thing makes money. To be honest, I mean, does anybody think it— a taxi driver driving a $200,000 car—can… quickly… money on a regular basis.…

• 15:00 — Know · What · You're · I'm. I'm gonna… you know, what we can actually do with that, I don't really know. I feel like, you know, we've… we know what… the powder that produces dynamite, but the problem is that we don't have any casing, and…

• 20:00 — Its · Own · Why · Think. …even abnormally distributed. And this is really normal with past types of dimensions, with electricity and airplanes, or even the combustion engine for cars, etc. But at the moment, right now, you know, we really need…

• 25:00 — Know · What · Don't · Why. The question is, why? We already have enough of us. Yeah, I mean, you know, maybe we need less of us, I don't know. It depends—depends on your opinion, I guess. Well, but for me, you said it correctly: what is our goal…

• 30:00 — Know · Quite · Think · Mean. There's quite a number of individuals like that in Silicon Valley. And that's been true. He's tried to sue Sam Altman afterwards to become a founder. He was not actually the original founder of Tesla; he sued his way…

• 35:00 — Know · Things · One · Human. You know, the math is… it's… it's gnarly. It's hard, and yeah. So we need a lot of power for this. Isn't it interesting, though, that one human being—powered by food and the sun—can do exactly what…

• 40:00 — Good · Maybe · Time · Fun. Follow me next time. Yeah, maybe next time we'll talk about that. Fantastic conversation. There are other things coming up that I'd love to get you on—your perspective. I love your angle, it's…

And I think that… ultimately, I don't know, maybe people watch too many movies; they think those movies are reflective of what we're gonna see in the future.

Artificial intelligence—if it was a car and you open up the hood—what do you see?

I think artificial general intelligence… let me map out, ultimately, what you're trying to ask here.

And here's the reason: artificial intelligence… there's always errors.

I don't agree, and I don't think it's gonna be Skynet; I don't think it's gonna be I, Robot. I mean, they're entertaining.

But I'm also a realist; I know that a lot of this is hype—but it's fun, it's fun.

There's a lot of things that we have as artificial intelligence right now that we use.

I feel like we know the powder that produces dynamite, but the problem is we don't have any casing—and that's where we are right now.