Episode 363: From Wall Street Analytics to AI Visibility - How Jon Mest is Democratizing PR with AI (Part 2)

In this episode, we explore how Jon Mest's team transformed a devastating Google AI overview crisis into a breakthrough business opportunity, creating ChatRank and revolutionizing AI-powered visibility strategies.

Keywords

Google AI Overviews, ChatRank, LEO Optimization, Just Reach Out Acquisition, AI Visibility Crisis, Search Algorithm Changes, Business Acquisition Strategy, AI Marketing Tools, Authority-Based Ranking, Meritocratic SEO

Key Takeaways

The $4 Google Crisis

• Google spending dropped from thousands monthly to exactly $4 in three weeks
• AI overviews buried their #1 ranking content and ads overnight
• Team initially thought system was broken until discovering massive AI overview placement
• Crisis occurred August 2024, affecting core search terms completely

Smart Acquisition Philosophy

• Acquired Just Reach Out in 2021 using "good product, good customers, improvable business" thesis
• Chose scaling existing business (1-to-10) over building from zero (0-to-1)
• Added AI automation and self-serve capabilities to democratize PR
• Maintained founder Dmitri's strong SEO foundation while expanding reach

Crisis-to-Opportunity Pivot

• Engineering team reverse-engineered AI overview ranking factors
• Built internal tools that became ChatRank.ai (launched December 2024)
• Now receiving weekly referrals from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude
• Spun ChatRank into separate subscription business complementing Just Reach Out

AI Ranking Revolution

• Over 50% of Google AI overview results come from non-page-one content
• Page 7 content can outrank page 1 if it provides the best answer
• Authority matters more than backlinks in AI model rankings
• AI models fact-check content against all available sources

New Ranking Factors

• Authority over Links: AI seeks most authoritative content, not most backlinks
• Meritocratic System: Best answer wins regardless of traditional SEO metrics
• Truth Requirements: AI models quickly identify and penalize false information
• Answer Engine Focus: Tools like ChatGPT prioritize single best answer, not link collections

Strategic Business Lessons

• Don't panic during algorithm changes - reverse engineer and adapt
• Crisis often reveals new business opportunities
• AI democratizes visibility for smaller players with better content
• Complementary tools create stronger ecosystem (ChatRank + Just Reach Out)

ChatRank Differentiation

• Separate subscription at ChatRank.ai
• Optimizes for ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Claude
• Focuses on content quality and authoritative positioning
• Complements traditional PR outreach with AI visibility strategy

The Reality CheckTraditional SEO's link-based authority system is being replaced by AI's merit-based content evaluation. Companies with the best answers can now compete with industry giants, regardless of backlink budgets.

Key InsightThe shift from attention economy to authority economy means AI models reward genuine expertise over SEO manipulation. Small businesses can now achieve visibility previously reserved for large corporations with massive link-building budgets.

This episode demonstrates that algorithmic disruptions, while initially devastating, often create opportunities for innovative companies willing to adapt quickly and build solutions for the new landscape.

Links

https://justreachout.io/

https://chatrank.ai/