We all know that AI is having a major impact on estate agents and the wider property industry, transforming how properties are marketed, managed, and sold, but the greatest difference this emerging technology makes on the sector could be yet to come.
The investment interest in AI start-ups by some of the tech industry’s big players, shows both the importance of AI and how many view shifting consumer behaviour. A prime example is the recent news reports of Apple’s interest in Perplexity, according to Ben Sellers. co-founder of Starberry, part of Nurtur.
Sellers believes that if Apple does go ahead with a reported $14bn acquisition of Perplexity AI, which launched less than three years ago, it will not just be making headlines – it will be redrawing the map for how people search online.
“As someone who’s spent decades helping brands grow their visibility online, I believe this is a major inflection point for SEO,” he commented.
Why does this matter? Sellers notes that Perplexity is an AI-native answer engine that is fast, citation-focused, and incredibly user-friendly.
“Apple integrating that tech into Safari or Siri would mean answers come directly from your device – no browser, no list of links, no ads – just a natural answer, sourced live from trusted content across the web,” he added. “That changes the rules. Traditional SEO such as targeting keywords and chasing rankings isn’t going to cut it in a world where AI chooses what gets cited.”
What should agents be doing to prepare for an AI-powered landscape?
According to Sellers, the team at Nurtur have already been adapting their client’s strategies to ensure they are optimised for an environment that takes into account the growing importance of AI search.
He notes that there are a number of aspects that agents need to include in their digital strategy, including:
+ Structured data everywhere – Ensuring content is wrapped in schema markup so it’s readable and retrievable by AI engines.
+ Citation-first content strategy – We help brands produce content that earns trust and is more likely to be cited as a source.
+ Real authority-building – It’s no longer just about backlinks. We focus on quality signals, first-party data, and unique insights AI can’t just remix from elsewhere.
+ Conversational optimisation – We’re mapping content around the kinds of natural questions people actually ask – because that’s what AI assistants now surface.
“While Google is still the most used search engine, more and more people are using AI to supplement their searches. SEO is no longer just about search engines. It’s about being visible in AI-generated answers. And it’s happening faster than most people realise,” advises Sellers.
What to expect next? Sellers answers: “If this deal closes, and all signs suggest Apple’s exploring it seriously, we’ll likely see Perplexity-powered answers integrated across iOS. That means content creators, marketers, and developers will need to rethink how people discover and engage with information. There’s huge opportunity here, especially for estate agents, local businesses, and niche brands that want to be the answer, not just one of the search results.”
Sellers believes this marks a seismic shift. But like all big changes in digital, it opens doors for those ready to adapt early. “This generation has a front row seat to the evolution of technology; they can either adapt or be left behind. We are making sure that our clients are not sitting on the sidelines and watching the future of search unfold; we’re actively engineering SEO strategies that thrive within it,” he concludes.
