Original research on search and AI search
Published from Auckland by Marcos Azaro, covering New Zealand and the wider markets my clients sell into. Most claims about AI search come from screenshots and anecdotes. These studies are the evidence behind the AI search optimisation work on this site. We run the searches, publish the raw data, the method and the cost, and let anyone check the numbers. Every study here is free to read and free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.
The Thin Market Playbook
The typical business that sells to other businesses is searched for 70 times less often than one that sells to the public. In New Zealand, 6 of 26 industries we measured get under 100 searches a month in the whole country. We worked out what search can actually deliver at that size, then asked AI assistants who they recommend, 204 times, to see what decides who gets considered.
- Search demand and cost for 36 industries in 4 markets
- 204 AI answers, published in full with the sites each one read
- A calculator for your own search ceiling, using our figures
NZ Google AI Overviews Study 2026
AI Overviews appeared on 73.9% of a balanced sample of 1,000 New Zealand commercial searches across 20 industries and five search intents. They showed on 96% of advice and cost searches, but only 17% of local-provider searches, and sat at the top of the page 88% of the time they appeared.
- Six branded charts, free to embed
- Row-level data, workbook and the full search list
- Full methodology, written in plain language
Want to be notified about the next study?
Email me and I'll let you know when new research is published. Or start with the free AI Visibility Audit and see where your own business stands today.
Book Your Free Audit