Original SEO research and articles to grow organic visits | Authoritas
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Can You "Fake It ‘til You Make It" in the Age of AI Search?
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: December 15, 2025
Read Time: 8 minutes
This research examines whether manufactured expertise can fool AI search engines, using the MyJobQuote scandal where 11 fictional "experts" were quoted across 600+ UK media articles as a test case. When we queried nine AI models with topic-based questions like "Who are the UK's leading experts on home security?", zero fake personas appeared. But when asked directly whether specific fake names were recognised authorities, models failed 29.5% of the time, sometimes confidently inventing career histories for people who don't exist. The contrast with genuine experts is stark. Real authorities in SEO like Jason Barnard dominate AI recommendations because they've built deep, corroborated brand entities; consistent profiles, third-party validation, years of published work. The takeaway for SEOs and marketers: AI doesn't rank pages anymore, it recommends entities. You can trick a model into recognising a name, but you can't trick it into recommending that name ahead of genuine authorities. Brand building isn't optional - it's your moat.
How to Generate Powerful AI Prompts from Your Google Search Console Data
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: October 24, 2025
Read Time: 5 minutes
Introducing our new free tool to convert exported Google Search Console keyword data into AI-ready question prompts, going beyond the traditional regex approach of filtering for "how", "what", "why" queries. The tool analyses up to 1,000 GSC queries, automatically generates natural language prompts, and supports multilingual output with English translation options - making it particularly useful for international SEO teams. The core argument is that since no AI platform currently releases reliable first-party prompt volume data, starting with keywords where you already have proven Google performance (impressions and clicks) provides a more meaningful baseline for AI search optimisation than guessing at prompt demand.
ChatGPT vs Grok AI User Prompt Analysis
Author: Tejaswi Suresh
Date: September 29, 2025
Read Time: 15 minutes
Analysis of 1.5 million ChatGPT conversations and 10,000 Grok AI interactions reveals a fundamental shift in how people use AI, from simple search-style queries to complex, conversational interactions, with ChatGPT usage flipping from 47% work-related to 70% personal use since launch. The research shows distinct platform personalities emerging: ChatGPT users favour direct, task-oriented prompts (65% simple to medium complexity) for practical advice and writing help, while Grok users engage in longer, exploratory discussions (55% complex prompts, 83.8% open-ended questions). Crucially for SEOs, this data demonstrates that optimising for AI visibility now requires moving beyond keyword-based strategies to conversation-based optimisation that supports natural language queries averaging 30+ words.
I Analyzed 10,000 Real User Conversations with Grok AI – Here's What I Found: The Rise of Conversational AI Search
Author: Tejaswi Suresh
Date: September 15, 2025
The Future of Brand Visibility is Here: Introducing AI Search Optimisation That Actually Works
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: July 3, 2025
Read Time: 15 minutes
Announcing the launch of our new AI Search platform which allows you to check brand performance in AI search engines including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Bing AI Overviews and more.
How to choose the right AI Brand Monitoring Tools for AI Search & LLM Monitoring
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: March 18, 2025
Read Time: 25 minutes
This post breaks down the best AI brand monitoring tools, helping SEO professionals, PR teams, and marketers track brand visibility, sentiment, and AI-generated citations across platforms like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity AI. Find out which tools offer the best insights, competitive analysis, and reporting to keep your brand ahead in the AI era.
SERP Organic and AI Overview Volatility Research
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: February 19, 2025
Read Time: 20 minutes
Our latest research study delves into the volatility of Google’s search results, focusing on AI Overviews, organic rankings, and SERP layout shifts. Over a two-to-three-month period, we found that 70% of ranking pages in AI Overviews change, highlighting a significant fluctuation compared to organic rankings. Interestingly, AI Overview rankings and snippets evolve independently of organic results, and changes in SERP layout have minimal impact on ranking stability. With AI-generated search results constantly shifting, understanding SERP volatility is critical for SEO strategies. Read our full report to explore key insights, methodology, and actionable takeaways.
AI Overview User Intent Research
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: January 27, 2025
Read Time: 5 Minutes
This unique AI Overview research conducted with Dave Cousin (DavetheSEO & Co.) analysed 10,000+ keywords to reveal how AI Overviews appear differently across search intents. Problem-solving and specific question intents dominate AIO appearances (74% and 69% respectively), while topic research shows surprisingly low rates (3.37%). The findings suggest SEOs should prioritise intent-specific optimisation strategies, especially for problem-solving and specific question content.
Understanding Google's Search Volume Buckets: A Deep Dive into How Search Volumes Really Work
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: November 12, 2024
Read Time: 5 minutes
Our analysis of over 60 million keywords reveals that Google groups all search volumes into just 60 predetermined buckets, making search volume data far less precise than most SEO professionals realize. By examining monthly search volumes across all countries, we discovered that keywords need to show dramatic changes (often 20-30%) before moving to a different bucket, explaining why many search volumes appear static for months.
How SEOs can report on AI Overviews in Looker Studio
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: October 29, 2024
Read Time: 7 minutes
Authoritas introduces the industry's first dedicated Looker Studio dashboard combining SEO and AI Overview (AIO) performance metrics. This innovative visualisation tool brings your AIO data to life with comprehensive KPIs, advanced performance analysis, and competitive insights. Track essential metrics like AIO Success Rate, average AIOs per keyword, and comprehensive performance scores while comparing organic and AIO visibility across domains. Available now for Authoritas users with BigQuery integration.
AI Overview Global Rollout Status: Country Availability & Early AIO Analysis Guide
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: October 29, 2024
Read Time: 5 minutes
As Google rolls out AI Overviews (AIOs) internationally, understanding their impact on your market is crucial for maintaining SEO visibility. Unlike the experimental Search Generative Experience (SGE), AIOs are the production version being rolled out globally, starting with the US and expanding to major English-speaking markets. Learn which countries have full AIO availability, track the official and unofficial launch markets, and discover how our Early AIO Analysis Service can help you prepare for AIOs before they fully launch in your market.
Compare SERPs results and rankings using our new SERP Comparison tool
Author: Laurence O'Toole
Date: October 29, 2024
Read Time: 5 minutes
In today's rapidly evolving search landscape, understanding SERP changes across different dimensions is crucial for SEO success. Authoritas' new SERP Comparison module offers unprecedented insight into how search results evolve across time, location, devices, and AI Overview expansions. Compare SERPs through visual screenshots or ranking tables, analyze temporal changes, track geographic variations, and understand the full impact of AI Overviews on your rankings. Get comprehensive visibility into how search results change and evolve to make more informed SEO decisions.