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Perplexity

Citation-driven AI search for research-minded users

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Perplexity is a search engine that combines AI-generated answers with clear source references. ChatGPT is primarily a language model and Google a traditional search engine, whereas Perplexity positions itself as an answer engine.

In Sweden, Perplexity is very small. Tech media describe it as an innovator, but it still reaches a fraction of the users that Google or ChatGPT reach.

For most Swedish businesses, optimising for Perplexity is a low priority. In some niches, however, it may be worth considering, particularly where the audience is research-oriented, tech-savvy or expects detailed source references.

What is Perplexity?

Perplexity is an AI search engine with a focus on sources

Perplexity works in five steps.

  1. The user asks a question
  2. Perplexity searches the web
  3. The AI writes an answer based on the sources it finds
  4. The answer has clickable source references
  5. The user can click through to the original sources

Compared with Google, Perplexity

  • Gives a coherent AI-generated answer (not just links)
  • Shows clearly which sources were used

Compared with ChatGPT, Perplexity

  • Is built around web search (it actively searches rather than relying only on training data)
  • Gives clearer source references (it is more transparent)
  • Focuses on fact-based answers rather than creative tasks

Who uses Perplexity?

Perplexity may be particularly well suited to

  • Researchers and academics (who need verifiable sources)
  • Journalists (for whom checking sources is important)
  • People in technical professions (early adopters)
  • People who want to check information

In the Swedish market

The user base is very limited. Only a few per cent of Swedes use the service.

In the US and the rest of the world

The user base is much smaller than Google’s or ChatGPT’s.

How does Perplexity differ from other platforms?

Perplexity was built for web search from the ground up

ChatGPT added web search later.

This shows in how answers are presented.

Perplexity shows its sources clearly, which suits questions where source references matter.

Perplexity reaches far fewer people than Google

Google reaches billions of users every day. Perplexity reaches a fraction of that.

Volume is what counts here.

Even if Perplexity is “better” at some things (transparent sources, focused answers), it reaches so few users that the value for most businesses is minimal.

Perplexity is a niche compared with ChatGPT

ChatGPT has hundreds of millions of users. Perplexity has considerably fewer.

The gap is clear in Sweden.

More than half of Swedes use ChatGPT. Perplexity is used by only a few per cent.

When optimising for Perplexity can be relevant

Despite the small user base, visibility in Perplexity can be valuable in certain situations.

Can Perplexity reach researchers and academics?

If your audiences are

  • Researchers who need verifiable sources
  • Academics who cite information
  • Postgraduate students

…they may use Perplexity to find credible sources.

For example

A company that publishes research reports, white papers or in-depth industry analyses can reach this audience through Perplexity.

Can Perplexity reach journalists and the media?

Journalists may use Perplexity to

  • Find background information
  • Look for credible sources to quote

If you are a source of industry news or expert comment, Perplexity can give you exposure among journalists.

Can Perplexity reach a tech-savvy audience?

If you sell to

  • Developers
  • CTOs and IT managers
  • Early adopters

…there is a chance that they use Perplexity during their research phase.

But even here, Google reaches the same audience far better.

Perplexity can be a complementary channel

For businesses that have already optimised for Google and ChatGPT, Perplexity can be a small complement.

Rank the channels by value

  • Greatest value: Google AI
  • Next: ChatGPT
  • Least value: Perplexity (a narrow niche)

How to optimise for Perplexity

Perplexity prioritises content that is

  • Fact-based and verifiable
  • Clearly structured
  • From credible sources

Allow the PerplexityBot crawler in robots.txt. Perplexity recommends this so that your pages can appear in its search results.

Write in depth and with clear sources

Give the text plenty of concrete facts

Include

  • Concrete data and statistics
  • Verifiable claims
  • Sources for all important claims
  • Your own research where possible

For example

Instead of: “Almost everyone uses Google”

Write: “97 per cent of Swedes aged eight and over say they use Google, according to Svenskarna och internet 2026.”

Include source references in your content

Perplexity values content that already contains source references.

References can take several forms

  • References in running text: “According to Google’s documentation…”
  • Footnotes with links
  • A references section at the end of articles

Why this helps

It shows that you check your own sources, which increases your credibility.

Structure the content clearly

Just as with other AI platforms, a clear structure makes it easier to pick out the answers.

Phrase headings as questions

For example

  • “How does technical SEO work?”
  • “What is the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?”
  • “How do you measure SEO results?”

Perplexity can then take answers directly from the relevant sections.

Use lists and step-by-step formats

Numbered lists and structured steps are easy to cite.

Titles of this kind work well

  • “Seven steps to carrying out an SEO audit”
  • “The five best SEO tools for small businesses”
  • “The three most common SEO mistakes”

Show expertise and E-E-A-T

Perplexity places a high value on credibility (because its audience scrutinises sources critically).

Provide clear author information

Include

  • The author’s name
  • Expertise and background
  • Qualifications (education, experience, certifications)
  • A LinkedIn profile or bio page

Be open about your company details

Show these on your site

  • A clear About us page
  • The team and their backgrounds
  • Contact information
  • Company registration number (for credibility)

Show external recognition

Where possible, point to

  • Mentions in the media
  • Quotes in other publications
  • Backlinks from authoritative sites
  • Industry certifications

How to track your visibility in Perplexity

Perplexity is hard to measure

Unlike Google, Perplexity has no “Perplexity Console” or any analytics tool.

What you can do

Test manually

  • Search for your keywords in Perplexity
  • Record whether you are cited
  • Compare with competitors
  • Repeat monthly

Track it indirectly

  • Referrer data (may show perplexity.ai)
  • Expect very little traffic

Keep your expectations realistic.

For most Swedish businesses, traffic from Perplexity will be small.

How to prioritise Perplexity against Google and ChatGPT

What Swedish businesses should focus on first

We recommend this order of priority.

1. Google AI Overviews & AI Mode

  • It is where Swedes already search
  • The best coverage and volume
  • The lowest barrier

2. Traditional SEO

  • Stable traffic
  • Proven return on investment

3. ChatGPT

  • Used by more than half of Swedes
  • A complement to Google

4. Gemini

  • Part of Google’s ecosystem
  • Used by one in eight Swedes

5. Perplexity

  • A narrow niche
  • Only for a specific audience (researchers, journalists, tech)

Exceptions where Perplexity can be given higher priority

This applies if you are

  • A research institution or a publisher of academic material
  • A media company or news source
  • A tech company targeting developers and CTOs
  • An expert source often quoted by journalists

And if you have already optimised for Google and ChatGPT, Perplexity can be a small complement.

This content works on every platform

The same factors lead to success everywhere

  • A high density of facts
  • Clear sources
  • A clear structure
  • Expertise and E-E-A-T
  • Up-to-date content

How much is Perplexity used compared with how much is written about it?

How the tech media write about Perplexity

In the tech media, Perplexity is often described as an “innovator” and a “challenger to Google”.

There are two reasons for that

  • A new approach (an answer engine)
  • Transparent handling of sources

The reality is different.

Despite positive media coverage, Perplexity still has a very small user base compared with Google or ChatGPT.

For businesses, the conclusion is simple.

Optimise where the users are: in Google and ChatGPT.

How much should you invest in Perplexity going forward?

Perplexity may be technically innovative, but if nobody uses it, it creates no business value.

Our advice on Perplexity

Keep an eye on Perplexity. If usage grows sharply (especially in Sweden), the service may become more relevant. But do not invest significant resources until the user base justifies it.

Summary: Perplexity is a niche for most Swedish businesses

What Perplexity is

  • An AI-driven search engine with a focus on sources
  • Transparent about its sources
  • Suited to questions where sources matter

What Perplexity is not

  • It is not a large platform (its user base is very small)
  • It is not widely used in Sweden
  • It is not an alternative to optimising for Google

When it can be relevant

  • Research and academia
  • Journalism and the media
  • Tech companies with a tech-savvy audience
  • As a very small complement to Google and ChatGPT

Our recommendation

Optimise for Google AI first (that is where the volume is). If you have spare resources and a very niche audience (researchers, journalists), Perplexity can be a small complement. But for the vast majority of Swedish businesses, the priority is so low that it is not worth the investment.

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