Starworks founder Ben Adler has been testing how businesses surface in AI-generated recommendations, finding traditional SEO strategies may not determine ChatGPT or Perplexity citations, according to research published today by SmartCompany. Two Australian studies conducted in 2026 show AI recommendation patterns diverge from conventional Google ranking factors.
TL;DR: An Australian business directory is testing how businesses appear in AI-generated answers, with early findings suggesting traditional SEO performance does not guarantee AI recommendation visibility.
The testing comes as Australian marketers shift resources toward optimising for AI search platforms that generate answers rather than displaying ranked links. Businesses that rank highly in Google search results are not appearing consistently in AI-generated business recommendations, according to the findings.
What Starworks Is Testing
Starworks, described as a little-known Australian business directory, has been running experiments on which factors cause one business to appear in AI-generated answers over competitors. The directory’s research focuses on how consumer queries submitted to ChatGPT, Perplexity and similar platforms surface business recommendations.
The two Australian studies referenced in the research indicate that websites and strategies businesses expect to drive traffic may not perform the same function in AI recommendation contexts. The studies were conducted at an unspecified point in 2026, with findings released September 23.
Traditional ranking signals—including backlink profiles, domain authority and on-page SEO elements—have formed the foundation of search engine optimisation for over two decades. The Starworks research suggests these signals may hold different weight in AI recommendation systems.
Why AI Recommendations Matter for Australian Businesses
Australian marketers have invested in Google search visibility since the early 2000s, building strategies around keyword rankings and search engine results page position. Consumer behavior data shows increasing query volume shifting to conversational AI platforms that generate direct answers rather than link lists.
The shift creates visibility risk for businesses whose digital presence relies on traditional search traffic. A business ranking first in Google for a commercial query may not appear when a consumer asks ChatGPT “What’s the best [service] near me?” according to patterns identified in the two Australian studies cited by SmartCompany.
Brand visibility across AI platforms requires different content structures and citation patterns compared to traditional SEO, according to frameworks published earlier in 2026. Businesses optimised exclusively for Google may lose discovery traffic as consumers adopt AI search tools.
The Australian research follows international studies showing brand size has weak correlation with AI search visibility, with some major brands appearing less frequently than smaller competitors in AI-generated business recommendations.
The Directory Approach to AI Testing
Business directories occupy a unique position in AI recommendation testing. Unlike individual business websites, directories aggregate multiple competitors within single categories, allowing controlled comparison of which entries surface in AI answers.
Starworks’ testing methodology was not detailed in the September 23 publication. The directory format allows researchers to submit identical queries about businesses within the same category and geography, then analyze which entries AI platforms cite.
The research builds on broader industry efforts to distinguish between traditional search engine optimization and what practitioners term “generative engine optimization” or GEO. Google has stated no special optimization is needed for AI search results, though independent research consistently shows visibility gaps between traditional rankings and AI citations.
Business directory data may reveal patterns about structured information, local signals and entity recognition that influence AI recommendation systems. The two Australian studies have not been published in full as of September 23.
The Takeaway
The Starworks testing highlights a blind spot for Australian businesses banking on traditional SEO investments to maintain search visibility. Companies ranking well in Google cannot assume equivalent presence in AI-generated recommendations, and the signals that determine AI citation remain partially understood. For businesses evaluating organic growth strategies, the research underscores the need for parallel visibility audits across both traditional search engines and AI platforms—a dual-channel approach that treats AI recommendation as distinct from search engine ranking. The gap between Google performance and AI citation represents an emerging risk for businesses whose customer acquisition depends on search traffic, particularly in categories where consumers increasingly ask AI for recommendations rather than clicking through search results pages.