Perplexity Hits 100M Users: The AI Search Engine You Cannot Ignore

Remember when Perplexity was just “that AI search thing” that tech nerds used? Those days are over.

Perplexity AI just crossed 100 million monthly users. To put that in perspective, it took Google about four years to hit that milestone. Perplexity did it in roughly two. And the growth curve is accelerating, not flattening.

If you’re a small business owner and you haven’t thought about how Perplexity affects your visibility, now is the time.

What Makes Perplexity Different

We covered Perplexity’s early impact on local business in our post on how Perplexity changes the way people find businesses. But the platform has evolved since then.

Here’s what makes Perplexity unique:

It cites its sources. Unlike ChatGPT, which often generates answers without attribution, Perplexity shows numbered citations for every claim. Users can see exactly where the information came from.

It searches the web in real time. Perplexity isn’t working from a static knowledge base. It actively searches the internet, reads current content, and synthesizes answers from what it finds right now.

It’s replacing Google for specific use cases. Users report switching to Perplexity for research, product recommendations, and local business discovery. Not for every search, but for the searches that matter most to your business.

Why 100 Million Users Changes the Calculus

At 10 million users, Perplexity was interesting. At 100 million, it’s a channel you can’t ignore.

Consider this: if even 5% of Perplexity users are searching for local services, that’s 5 million potential customer queries per month happening on a platform most small businesses aren’t optimizing for.

And Perplexity’s users tend to be higher-intent than average searchers. They’re typically researching purchases, comparing options, or looking for specific recommendations. These are exactly the searches that lead to revenue.

How Perplexity Decides What to Recommend

Understanding Perplexity’s recommendation engine is key to showing up in its answers.

It prioritizes authoritative sources. Perplexity pulls from websites that demonstrate expertise, have strong domain authority, and contain specific, factual content.

It reads review platforms. Yelp, Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific review sites all feed into Perplexity’s recommendations. Businesses with strong review profiles across multiple platforms have an advantage.

It values recency. Recent content, recent reviews, and recently updated business information get weighted more heavily than stale data.

It follows citations. If your business is mentioned in a news article, a “best of” list, or an industry publication, Perplexity is more likely to cite you. Getting mentioned in third-party content is one of the most effective GEO strategies.

How to Get Your Business Into Perplexity’s Answers

1. Strengthen Your Third-Party Presence

Perplexity pulls from the open web. The more places your business is mentioned with positive context, the more likely you are to appear in Perplexity’s answers.

Focus on:

• Google Business Profile (fully optimized)
• Yelp (claimed profile with recent reviews)
• Industry-specific directories
• Local business associations
• Press mentions and features

2. Create Expert Content on Your Website

Perplexity reads and cites web content. Blog posts that answer specific questions with clear, authoritative information are prime citation material.

Write content that addresses questions like:

• “What should I look for in a [your service] provider?”
• “How much does [your service] cost in [your city]?”
• “What’s the best [your product/service] for [specific use case]?”

3. Get Mentioned in Roundup and Comparison Content

“Best [service] in [city]” articles are goldmines for Perplexity citations. If your business isn’t included in these roundups, reach out to the authors. Check our post on the Perplexity vs ChatGPT vs Google comparison for more on how these platforms differ.

4. Build Review Depth, Not Just Volume

Perplexity’s AI is good at synthesizing review sentiment. Detailed reviews that mention specific services, outcomes, and experiences carry more weight than generic star ratings.

5. Keep Everything Current

Perplexity indexes recent content. Update your website regularly. Post to your Google Business Profile weekly. Keep your business hours and service offerings current everywhere.

Test It Yourself

Here’s a five-minute exercise: Go to perplexity.ai and search for your business by category and location. “Best [your industry] in [your city].” See what comes up.

If you’re not there, you know what to work on. If you are there but the information is wrong or incomplete, that tells you which sources to fix first.

The Trend Is Clear

We said it in our AI search trends review for 2024, and it’s only more true now: AI search is not a future thing. It’s a right-now thing. Perplexity at 100 million users is proof.

The businesses that optimize for AI search platforms today will be the ones getting recommended tomorrow. And next month. And next year.

Want help getting your business visible on Perplexity and other AI search engines? Let’s talk about building a GEO strategy that puts you in front of customers wherever they search.