AI search has become the topic you can't escape, whether you're being pitched by vendors, scrolling LinkedIn, or walking the floor at a conference. At Future Proof this year, it dominated nearly every conversation. Everyone has an opinion, but the data speaks for itself.
In this episode of Craft on Tap, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share their marketing insights from the Gregory Report and pair it with their own contextual data update on where search stands in 2026. The conclusions might surprise you.
Spoiler: Google isn't dead. And you probably don't need to panic.
👇 Watch the full discussion below:
Co-Founder Stephen Beach & Strategist Faustin Weber discuss AI Search updates.
Craft on Tap Ep 30 Podcast Takeaways & Summary
Key Takeaways:
- The Traffic Gap Is Still Massive: As of early 2026, the gap between traditional search-driven website visits and AI tool-driven visits is still enormous. Understanding that ratio should come before restructuring your entire marketing strategy around AI.
- AI Search Is a Visibility Percentage Game, Not a Leaderboard: There is no "#1 position" to chase in AI search. The same prompt submitted by different users returns different results every time. Anyone selling you a guaranteed top ranking in ChatGPT is selling fool's gold. The goal is a consistent presence across a wide range of relevant queries.
- Persona Pages Are Your Highest-Leverage Asset: A dedicated, content-rich page built around your specific ideal client type is the single most impactful thing most advisory firms can create for AI search visibility right now. Most firms don't have one.
- Localized Searches Level the Playing Field: Smaller firms can compete with the big names when the search is specific. A prompt like "best financial advisor for tech executives in Austin, Texas" is far more winnable than a broad national query, because AI tools reward relevant content depth over brand scale.
- Awards Press Releases Are a Triple Play: A credible industry award combined with a well-distributed press release and on-site coverage hits three AI search signals at once: third-party credibility, a PR Newswire backlink, and fresh indexed content tied to your firm's name.
Podcast Summary: AI Search Data Update & The Gregory Report for RIAs
Before the Hype: What the Data Shows
The episode opens with context that a lot of AI search conversations skip entirely. Using research from SparkToro and Datos, Stephen and Faustin walk through where search is happening across the web right now.
As of Q4 2025, ChatGPT still represents a small percentage of overall search volume compared to Google.
Search Volume Share by Platform (SparkToro/Datos, Q4 2025)
And as of February 2026, the traffic gap between traditional search and AI tool-driven website visits remains wide, significantly wider than the conference coverage might lead you to believe.
Absolute Traffic by Channel (Ahrefs 2026)
Many advisory firms are being pitched expensive AI visibility packages built on the assumption that the shift has already happened. The data suggests otherwise. While you shouldn't ignore AI search, make sure you know the real data before making resource decisions.
Why You Can't "Rank #1" in AI Search
This is one of the more important reframes in the episode, and it directly applies to the vendor conversations many advisors are already having.
Traditional SEO has a leaderboard. You can rank #1 for a given search query, and that position is relatively stable and trackable. AI search does not work that way. The same prompt submitted by 50 different users will return 50 different sets of results, in a different order, each time. No position exists to lock in.
Brand Visibility Consistency Across AI Platforms (SparkToro/gumshoe, 2026)
For your firm, this means building enough presence across relevant surfaces that you show up in a meaningful percentage of targeted queries. That strategy rewards the same foundational work that has always built strong advisory brands, consistent content, strong reputation signals, third-party credibility, and a polished website.
What the Gregory Report Tells Us
The Gregory Agency's research gives RIAs something they haven't had before: methodology around how AI tools pull sources when users search for wealth management firms. Stephen and Faustin walk through their top takeaways across several key themes.
Localized vs. National Searches: The David vs. Goliath Opportunity
National searches favor large, well-known firms with heavy brand presence. Localized and persona-specific searches level the playing field dramatically.
A prompt like "best financial advisor for corporate executives in Denver" is structurally different from "best financial advisory firms in the US." The smaller, more focused firm can absolutely compete on the specific query, because AI tools look for relevant content depth, not just brand authority. This is where smaller and mid-sized advisory firms can punch well above their weight. The key is building content that maps to those specific, localized queries.
Persona Pages: The Asset Most Firms Don't Have
The single highest-leverage thing most advisory firms can create for AI search visibility right now is a well-built persona page: a dedicated landing page built around a specific ideal client type.
Think a page for corporate executives navigating equity compensation, or pre-retirees in a specific metro area, or small business owners planning for an exit. Not a generic "who we serve" overview. A content-rich page that speaks directly to that person's situation, questions, and goals.
AI tools are increasingly pulling from this type of specific, relevant content when responding to targeted prompts. Firms that have these pages are getting cited. Firms that don't are invisible in those searches. If your firm doesn't have a defined niche, service-specific pages work as a strong alternative. A deep, well-structured page on equity compensation planning or retirement income strategies can serve a similar function.
The Awards Triple Play
A credible industry award, like Forbes Best-in-State, CNBC Top 100, or Barron's, combined with a properly distributed press release creates a compounding visibility effect.
The award itself is a credibility signal that AI tools associate with your firm's name. The press release generates a PR Newswire backlink from a trusted domain that AI tools frequently cite. And the article published on your own website adds fresh, indexed content that ties your firm to the recognition. Three separate signals from one piece of work.
For firms that have been on the fence about whether the licensing fee is worth it for a credible award, the AI search angle adds a meaningful new argument to the yes column. The caveat Stephen and Faustin make is that credibility matters. Awards published by recognized financial media carry real weight with both prospects and AI tools. Pay-to-play lists with no real selection criteria carry neither.
A Reality Check on AI Search Leads
The episode closes with a grounding question, how many leads are advisory firms getting from AI search right now?
Not many. For firms serving clients with $1M or more in investable assets, AI search is not yet a meaningful lead source. High-net-worth clients are still beginning their search the same way they always have, through referrals from people they trust, CPAs, estate attorneys, and colleagues. Then they turn to AI tools to validate the names they've already received.
That is the scenario to optimize for. Strong Google reviews, a polished website, current and relevant content, and a clear value proposition are what influence the comparison stage. Those fundamentals matter more than any AI-specific tactic.
Shameless Plug for Craft on Tap
Build a long-term AI search strategy by investing in those fundamentals first, then you can incorporate tactics like persona pages, localized content, and press releases to create additional citation surface area over time. This conversation is only a starting point. For ongoing insights and practical marketing strategies for RIA growth, listen to Craft on Tap. Available now, wherever you find your podcasts.
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