New Study: AI Assistants Prefer “Fresher” Content | Vol 251

Welcome to Volume 251 👋

Happy Thursday! 

In this week’s newsletter, we cover: 

• 🤖 New Ahrefs Study: AI Assistants Prefer “Fresher” Content
• 📈 How Foundation Approaches SaaS SEO in the AI Era
• 👀 The Latest in B2B SaaS This Week
• 🧠 This Week’s Brain Food
• ➕ The Best Content Across the Web

Let’s get to it.

🤖 New Study: AI Assistants Prefer “Fresher” Content (17 Million Citations Analyzed) 🤖

The conventional wisdom about content freshness now has even more hard data to back it up. Ahrefs analyzed 17 million citations across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and AI Overviews to answer a critical question: Do AI assistants prefer newer content?

The short answer: Yes, absolutely.

Ryan Law and the team at Ahrefs found that AI assistants tend to cite content that’s 25.7% fresher than Google’s traditional search results. The average cited URL is 1,064 days old (2.9 years) compared to 1,432 days (3.9 years) for organic search results.

But, not all AI platforms are created equal:

• ChatGPT shows the strongest preference for fresh content, citing URLs that are 393-458 days newer than organic Google results
• Google’s AI Overviews behave most like traditional search, actually citing content that’s 16 days older than organic results
• Perplexity and ChatGPT order citations from newest to oldest, suggesting intentional age-based ranking in their responses
• Google remains least influenced by freshness, and that’s important since it’s still where most searches happen

The study also revealed that AI assistants prefer recently updated content, with cited articles averaging 909 days since last being updated versus 1,047 days for organic search results.

While regular content updates might boost AI visibility, the researchers warn against knee-jerk reactions. The average cited content is still nearly 3 years old, and content quality trumps freshness every time. Plus, Google’s John Mueller has specifically cautioned against updating publish dates without meaningful content changes.

But for now, it looks like creating new, high-quality content delivers better ROI than obsessively updating existing pieces. Plan accordingly, folks.

Full study available on the Ahrefs blog with detailed methodology and platform-specific insights.

🎤 Ross Takes the Stage at BrightonSEO San Diego🎤

Ross is taking the stage as a keynote speaker at BrightonSEO San Diego 2025, and he’s tackling one of the biggest challenges facing marketers today:

Content Distribution in the Age of AI: How to Make Your Content Spread

Search is no longer confined to Google. Your audience finds content through Reddit threads, TikTok comments, LinkedIn posts, YouTube Shorts, newsletters, niche communities, and now through AI-powered search tools.

In his keynote, Ross will reveal how to build a repeatable and scalable content distribution engine that combines proven tactics with AI tools to get your content in front of the right people, at the right time.

What you’ll walk away with:

• Tactical strategies for teams of any size
• AI-powered tools to amplify your content’s reach
• Frameworks for multi-channel distribution that actually work
• Real-world examples of content that travels further than ever

Whether you’re a solo marketer or leading an entire department, this session will transform how you think about getting your content seen.

Ready to level up your distribution game?

Grab your tickets to BrightonSEO San Diego and secure your spot for what promises to be one of the event’s most actionable keynotes.

📈 How Foundation Approaches SaaS SEO in the AI Era 📈

Most SaaS companies are still playing by outdated SEO rules, focusing on Google while their prospects research elsewhere.

Here’s the new reality: 

57% of people now use AI tools to research products and services. Reddit dominates bottom-funnel keywords that used to belong to review sites. And AI overviews are reshaping how buyers discover solutions.

While competitors panic about AI “stealing” their traffic, the smartest SaaS brands are recognizing a massive opportunity. They’re building what we call “search authority” — comprehensive visibility across Google, ChatGPT, Reddit, and AI overviews simultaneously.

Think about it: your ideal customer might ask ChatGPT for software recommendations, validate those choices in Reddit threads, and never visit your carefully optimized landing pages. If you’re not visible in these conversations, you’re invisible to a growing segment of buyers.

The good news? Most of your competitors haven’t figured this out yet.

Our latest deep-dive covers the evolving framework  we now use with clients, including:

• GEO-informed keyword research across all platforms
• Authority-driven content that ranks everywhere
• Multi-platform engagement strategies for Reddit and AI
• Technical foundations that get you recommended by AI engines

The companies that evolve early will capture disproportionate market share while competitors struggle to catch up.

Check out the full breakdown for a closer look at how Foundation drives SaaS growth through GEO. 

Sponsored by: ClickMinded

🚨 Podcast Alert: How Being the First to Reach Out Changes Everything 🚨

A new episode of The Ross Simmonds Show just dropped, and if you’ve ever hesitated to make the first move in business or relationships, this is exactly what you need to hear.

This week, Ross tackles one of the most undervalued skills in leadership and life: being the first to reach out.

While most people wait for perfect timing or for someone else to initiate, Ross reveals why taking that first step is actually a competitive advantage that transforms everything from team dynamics to partnership opportunities. He breaks down the psychology, practical applications, and proven strategies that turn initiative into influence.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to lead with action, this episode will show you how proactive communication becomes your secret weapon. Here are some key takeaways:

• Action-oriented leadership wins: Solid leaders act when they see problems instead of avoiding them. They give feedback proactively and create cultures where communication flows freely.
• The psychology of going first: When you initiate connection, you signal leadership, care, and intentionality. This creates momentum that others naturally follow.
• Micro check-ins prevent major problems: Don’t wait for quarterly reviews or formal meetings. Quick, intentional touchpoints address issues before they become crises.
• Conflict resolution starts with reaching out: Instead of hoping tension resolves itself, be first to acknowledge it and suggest conversation. Reach first, react less.
• Strategic partnerships require initiative: That collaboration you’ve been thinking about? Stop waiting for them to reach out first and create the opportunity yourself.
• The grandmother legacy: Ross shares how his grandmother’s consistent outreach taught him that relationships require intentional maintenance—and how this builds high-performance, low-ego teams.

Catch this essential episode of the Ross Simmonds Show on Apple or Spotify for the complete playbook on getting your content the attention it deserves.

👀 What’s the Latest in B2B SaaS This Week? 👀

🔎 Google Ads rolls out Search Term categories for RSAs | Search Engine Land

💰 Palo Alto Networks buying CyberArk in cash-and-stock deal valued at about $25 billion | Yahoo Finance

🇪🇺 Google says it will sign EU’s AI code of practice | TechCrunch

🔈 Figma targets $18.8 billion valuation in US IPO after bumping up price range | Reuters

📱 TikTok to Roll Out New Tool for Advertisers to Follow People Beyond the App | ADWEEK

🏔️ Digital Olympus Amsterdam: Get 30% Off Your Ticket Before Price Go Up 🏔️

Clear out your back-to-school schedule because Ross is taking the stage at the Digital Olympus Event in Amsterdam on September 11 as the opening keynote. 

Digital Olympus is a conference built around breaking the old marketing patterns that just don’t work anymore. You’ll hear from experts with decades of experience about how they’re shaping the future of our industry.

Ross kicks things off with a keynote on “The Evolution of Content, Creativity & Digital Marketing in the Age of AI” followed by presentations from leading marketing experts like:

• Sanae Boukhana – Global Head of Digital Marketing at DHL Express
• Kevin de Wit – Senior Client Partner EMEA at Reddit (ex-Spotify)
• Lindsay Brennan – Global Head of Marketing and Demand Generation at ABB
• Dimitri Leontidis – Social Media Expert (ex-TikTok)

For those who really want to get the most out of this experience, attendees with Mastermind Tickets get access to sessions where you tackle challenges in real time with small groups of experts. 

Use the code JoinRoss30OFF for 30% off (only valid until the end of July).

Book your ticket before prices go up!

🧠 This Week’s Brain Food 🧠 

Google recently announced that they’re finally getting rid of goo.gl shortlinks after learning that over 99% of these URLs received zero traffic in the past month. 

As of August 25th, these links will return a 404 error. Billions of digital tombstones. 

This got me thinking about how many of the little links we see as we troll the web are actually still in use. As usual, Ahrefs came through with some very interesting stats. 

Last year they analyzed over 2 million websites and found that nearly 67% of the links from the past 9 years are dead. Apparently this link rot is everywhere from professional journals to the Supreme Court website.  

The web keeps growing exponentially, but we’re building on quicksand. Unless we take steps to maintain what we’ve built, most of it will have a short lifespan.  

Let this be your reminder to go and check those links!

Want to sponsor our next issue? Reply to this email, and we’ll share how you can reach more SaaS founders and marketers today. 

🎖️ LinkedIn Post of the Week

Oh you think you can just start posting on reddit? By Leigha Henderson

🎖️ Reddit Post of the Week

Are you guys starting to see AI backfiring on companies? In r/marketing

🤳🏽 Nice Finds You Should Binge

• Microsoft Releases List of Jobs Most and Least Likely to Be Replaced by AI | Futurism
• June 2025 Core Update: Winners, Losers & Trends | Amsive
• How Trust and Transparency Translate to Traffic for Cloudflare on Reddit | Foundation Marketing
•  As AI lawsuits mount, publishers still struggle to block the bots | DigiDay

💻 Job Postings Worth Checking Out

Looking for a new opportunity? Here’s a round-up of some exciting job openings in the B2B SaaS space. 

• Foundation: Reddit Specialist
• Foundation: B2B Content Marketing Strategist
• Foundation: Content Creator
• Foundation: Content Marketing Manager
• Foundation: Applied Research Specialist
• Foundation: Director of Digital Marketing

Want us to include your job postings in our next issue? Reply to this email, and we’ll share how you can reach more SaaS professionals today. 

🎧 What We’re Wired Into This Week

Khruangbin @ Villain | Pitchfork Live

This SaaS news smattering is brought to you by Ethan Crump!

If you have any feedback, suggestions, or ideas you want to see in this newsletter, feel free to email Leigha Henderson at leigha@foundationinc.co. We’re always looking for ways to improve and provide the best B2B SaaS marketing resources. 

Have a great weekend!