Teen's directory ranks third globally in AI recommendations
A 17-year-old built Starworks directory to test how AI picks businesses to recommend; it now ranks third globally after Google and Reddit.
Ben Adler, a 17-year-old Melbourne student, built Starworks to test how AI systems recommend local businesses. When Perth research firm Search Scope tested 2,400 AI responses across 20 industries, Starworks appeared 199 times, beaten only by Google and Reddit, and ranked ahead of platforms like ProductReview and hipages.
Adler noticed AI crawlers took unusual interest in how his directory pages were structured and began optimising accordingly. By late April, his testing showed Starworks ranking highly for trades, cleaners and florists.
He has since expanded into a network of new sites, testing how quickly fresh domains could appear in AI answers. This relates to generative engine optimisation, or GEO, which aims to get businesses into AI-generated recommendations.
Research shows people trust AI recommendations more than personal taste for practical purchases.
- Ben Adler, 17-year-old Melbourne student
- Creator
- 2,400 across 20 industries, September
- AI responses tested
- 199 times in AI responses
- Starworks appearances
- Third after Google and Reddit
- Global ranking
Why it mattersAs consumers shift from Google to AI for recommendations, traditional search engine optimisation is becoming less valuable, and new players are finding unexpected ways to reach customers.
AustraliaAustralian businesses and marketers are racing to understand AI recommendation systems; this discovery shows the usual platforms do not always win, creating opportunities for new tactics.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 d ago
