Starworks directory ranks third in AI business searches
A Perth study found that Starworks, a 17-year-old's business directory, ranks third in AI recommendations. Only Google and Reddit rank higher.
Ben Adler, a Melbourne high school student, built Starworks as a business directory in March 2026. Within weeks, AI platforms were using it heavily to recommend Australian businesses.
Search Scope tested 2,400 AI responses across 20 industries and found Starworks appearing 199 times, ranking third after Google and Reddit but ahead of ProductReview and hipages. Adler tested site structure and found that directories matter more than many marketers expect.
He expanded by building new test domains to see how quickly they could rank in AI recommendations. The field is now called generative engine optimization, or GEO.
It means getting your business to show up when AI suggests options. What Adler found works: clear directories, real customer reviews, and mentions on other websites.
- 17, Melbourne
- Founder age and location
- 199 times in 2,400 AI responses
- Starworks appearances
- Third, after Google and Reddit
- AI ranking position
- 20 industries tested by Search Scope
- Study scope
Why it mattersMore Australians ask AI for business recommendations instead of searching Google. Appearing in those answers might now matter more than traditional search rankings.
AustraliaAustralian small businesses and tradies now need a new strategy: GEO alongside SEO. Being missing from directories could mean AI systems never consider them.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
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