Yes, Australians are definitely starting to use Perplexity, though it’s true its initial growth was heavily concentrated in the United States. We’re seeing increasing search volume data and anecdotal evidence from our clients indicating a growing awareness and adoption rate, particularly amongst digitally-savvy SMEs and professionals. It’s no longer solely an American phenomenon.

For context, Perplexity is an ‘answer engine’ – it differs from traditional search engines like Google by providing direct answers to questions, citing its sources. This is a key differentiator for marketers to understand. While Google presents a list of links *you* need to sift through, Perplexity aims to deliver a concise, sourced response. This impacts search behaviour and, consequently, how we approach Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

Here are a few insights for Australian businesses:

• Early Adopter Demographics: We’re observing Perplexity’s user base in Australia skewing towards professionals in research-intensive fields – marketing, finance, technology – and those actively seeking efficient information gathering. This suggests a strong potential for B2B marketing efforts.
• Content Format Shift: The emphasis on sourced answers means content that’s well-researched, data-driven, and clearly attributed is becoming even more valuable. Think long-form articles, white papers, and original research. Simply put, ‘thin’ content won’t cut through.
• SEO Implications: Traditional keyword ranking is less relevant. Optimising for ‘featured snippets’ and providing clear, concise answers to common questions is now crucial. We’re advising clients to focus on semantic SEO – understanding the *intent* behind searches, not just the keywords.
• Competitive Advantage: Businesses that proactively adapt their content strategy to cater for answer engines like Perplexity will gain a competitive edge. Being the source cited in a Perplexity response is a powerful form of brand building and referral traffic.

The growth trajectory suggests Perplexity will continue to gain market share, although Google will remain dominant. Ignoring this shift isn’t an option. We recommend Australian SMEs begin analysing their current content and identifying opportunities to re-format it into answer-focused resources. A small investment in adapting your content strategy now will pay dividends as Perplexity’s user base expands further in the Australian market.

Our team can help you conduct a content audit and develop a strategy to optimise for answer engines. Contact us to discuss how we can help you future-proof your online presence.