
Zapier and Wise are content powerhouses, but only one has an SEO strategy built to withstand AI disruption. As search evolves, Wiseβs fact-based content is increasingly vulnerable, while Zapierβs product-led approach makes it nearly untouchable.
To break this down, weβve developed a structured framework for evaluating SEO defensibility in the AI era, complete with a scoring system to assess your own risk. Using this framework, youβll see exactly why Wiseβs strategy is at riskβand what makes Zapierβs approach far more resilient.

π Understanding AI's influence on different query types
Right now, AI is particularly adept at handling top-of-funnel (TOFU) searches, where users seek quick answers. This makes purely informational content susceptible to AI displacement.Β
For example, Wiseβs programmatic SEO (pSEO) strategy, which relies on pages like βrouting number for [bank] in [city],β is easily absorbed by AI, reducing the need for users to visit Wiseβs site directly. While Wise still appears as a link in the AI synthesis, the viewer doesnβt need to click into Wiseβs website to obtain the answer they are looking for.Β
In contrast, Zapierβs pSEO strategy focuses on guiding users through action-oriented queries such as βHow to integrate [app 1] with [app 2].β This middle-of-funnel (MOFU) strategy is more resilient to AI because searchers still need to click through to Zapier to complete the action. AI can summarize a process but struggles to execute it on behalf of users, making action-driven MOFU content inherently more defensible.
Not all MOFU content is equally defensible. The most resilient types of MOFU content provide unique value beyond what AI can easily replicate. Two primary approaches stand out:
1οΈβ£ Product-led content. Content that directly integrates with your product, guiding users on how to solve problems, optimize workflows, or implement solutions using your platform or service. Examples include:
Step-by-step integration guides (e.g., Zapierβs "How to connect [app 1] with [app 2]" content)
Templates that require the user to engage with a product to get value (e.g., Canvaβs β[category] design templateβ)Β
2οΈβ£ Content with unique data. AI is excellent at summarizing widely available information, but only you can deliver your companyβs proprietary data. The most defensible proprietary data content is action-orientedβhelping users make decisions, perform comparisons, or execute workflows in a way that AI alone cannot facilitate. For example, G2βs software benchmarking reports provide side-by-side comparisons that help buyers evaluate products before purchase.
So what about bottom-of-funnel queries? Even commercial queries arenβt safe from AI displacement. AI is expanding into purchase-intent queries, with AI shopping assistants performing purchase tasks from start to finish. For example, Perplexity Shop allows users to purchase items without leaving Perplexity via their Pro subscription (check out our first impression of Perplexityβs shopping experience here).

π‘οΈ SEO defensibility scoring framework
SEO strategies that once worked (e.g., traditional informational and keyword-centric strategies) may soon be at risk of being displaced by AI. Below is a structured approach to evaluate your SEO content mix.
Step 1: Categorize your SEO traffic by intent
Category | Definition | Risk level | Example queries |
---|---|---|---|
Informational (TOFU) | Users seeking knowledge or definitions. AI can answer these instantly. | High risk π΄ | "What is an ACH transfer?"Β "Routing code for [bank]" |
Action-oriented (MOFU) | Users need to perform an action beyond consuming information. AI struggles to execute. | Low risk π’ | "How to integrate X with Y"Β "Export data from Salesforce to HubSpot" |
Commercial (BOFU) | Users looking to purchase a product or service. Historically safe, but AI shopping assistants may disrupt. | Moderate to high risk π‘ | "Shop Nike Air Max size 10" "Order custom business cardsβ |
Step 2: Score each categoryβs defensibility
Grade each query type using the following scale:Β
Informational (TOFU): 1
Product-led and action-oriented (MOFU): 5
Commercial (BOFU): 3
Step 3: Calculate your blended defensibility score
Identify what percentage of your SEO content is TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU. Then, multiply each categoryβs defensibility score by the percentage of traffic it represents. Sum the weighted scores to determine the final blended defensibility score.Β
Example Calculation:
50% of traffic is informational (Score = 1)
30% is action-oriented and product-led (Score = 5)
20% is commercial (Score = 3)
Formula: (0.5Γ1) + (0.3Γ5) + (0.2Γ3) = 2.6
Step 4: Interpret your defensibility score and take action
Blended Score | At-Risk Level | Recommended Action |
---|---|---|
1.0 - 1.9 | High risk π΄ | Your SEO strategy relies heavily on high-risk TOFU content that AI can easily synthesize. To reduce vulnerability: β’ Shift focus away from basic informational queries and toward action-oriented content. β’ Develop structured content that moves users beyond passive information consumption. (Think step-by-step tutorials, checklists, and comparison guides.) β’ Replace pure definitions or broad educational content with proprietary data and expert-driven insights. |
2.0 - 2.9 | Moderately high risk π‘ | Your SEO mix is still too reliant on TOFU content, though some MOFU or BOFU content provides a buffer. Strengthen defensibility by: β’ Investing in product-led MOFU content, such as in-depth integration guides, workflow automation tutorials, and troubleshooting resources. β’ Creating content that guides users through decision-making processes, like ROI calculators and comparison guides. |
3.0 - 3.9 | Moderate risk π‘ | Your SEO strategy balances MOFU and BOFU content, but improvements can strengthen long-term resilience. Consider: β’ Deepening coverage on complex problem-solving MOFU content, such as detailed use-case breakdowns, advanced tutorials, and expert commentary. β’ Expanding MOFU purchase-intent content that helps users evaluate options (e.g., product comparison pages and decision frameworks) |
4.0 - 4.9 | Moderately low risk π’ | You're in a strong position with a defensible mix of TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU content, but ongoing refinement is key. Stay ahead by: β’ Expanding high-value MOFU content, like in-depth product-led case studies and product use guides. |
5.0 | Low risk π’ | Your SEO strategy is highly defensible, with a strong focus on action-driven MOFU content. To maintain your lead: β’ Continue evolving your product-led content strategy with more interactive, self-serve resources. β’ Focus on building a durable demand engine beyond SEO, such as referral programs, exclusive communities, and personalized content experiences. β’ Double down on first-party data, ensuring your insights, benchmarks, and tools remain indispensable to users. |

π‘οΈ Example 1: Scoring Wiseβs SEO defensibility
Letβs examine Wiseβs content mix to determine its AI defensibility score. Weβll focus on Wiseβs US site and use Ahrefs to get a general sense of the number of pages dedicated to different content types.
Step 1: categorize Wiseβs content by intent
According to Ahrefs, Wiseβs US site contains around 45k organic pages.
These pages are divided into multiple folders:
Page type | Number of pages (per Ahrefs) | Description | Search intent (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU) |
---|---|---|---|
Currency converter | ~25k | These pages answer search queries for βConvert [currency 1] to [currency 2]β | TOFU |
Routing numbers | ~8k | These pages answer search queries for βWhat is the routing number for [bank name]?β | TOFU |
Swift codes | ~6.5k | These pages answer search queries for βWhat is the swift code for [bank name]?β | TOFU |
Blog | ~2.5k | These are long-form informational articles about various top-of-funnel topics related to banking and business (e.g., βHow to wire moneyβ) | TOFU |
Stock | ~1k | These pages answer queries search for βWhat is the stock price for [name of company]?β | TOFU |
Compare | ~400 | These pages answer search queries for βWhat is the conversion rate for [bank name 1] vs. [bank name 2]?β | TOFU |
IBAN | ~300 | These pages answer search queries for βWhat is the IBAN for [name of bank]?β | TOFU |
Send money | ~300 | These pages answer search queries for βSend money from [country 1] to [country 2].β | MOFU |
Business tools and templates | ~200 | These pages answer search queries for βCreate free [business need] template.β | MOFU |
Travel tipping calculator | ~100 | These pages answer search queries for βcalculate tip in [country].β | MOFU |
Travel money | ~30 | These pages answer search queries for βWise [country] travel card.β | BOFU |
Step 2: Score each categoryβs defensibility
TOFU, informational content (score 1): ~44k pages
Currency converter, routing number, swift code, blog, stock, compare, and IBAN pages
MOFU, action-oriented content (score 5): ~500 pages
Business tools and templates, send money, travel tipping calculator, and account comparison pages
BOFU, commercial pages (score 3): ~30 pages
Travel money pages
Step 3: Calculate the blended defensibility score
98% of Wiseβs organic content is TOFU informational content
1% is action-oriented, MOFU content
Less than 1% is BOFU, commercial content
(.98x1) + (.01x5) + (.01x3) = 1.06
Step 4: Interpret defensibility score and take action
Wiseβs organic content is highly dependent on TOFU informational queries. Wise should consider doubling down on existing product-led MOFU content, specifically, βHow to send money to [country].βΒ
These pages embed Wise functionality into queries related to sending money from the US to 200+ countries using Wise. Wise could expand these pages to βHow to send money from [country 1] to [country 2]β to extend beyond US use cases.Β

π‘οΈ Example 2: Scoring Zapierβs SEO defensibility
Letβs look at Zapierβs content mix to determine its AI defensibility score. Like the Wise breakdown, weβll focus on Zapierβs US site and use Ahrefs to get a general sense of the number of pages dedicated to different content types.
Step 1: Categorize Zapierβs content by intent
According to Ahrefs, Zapierβs US site contains around 37k organic pages.
These pages are divided into multiple folders:
Page type | Number of pages (per Ahrefs) | Description | Search intent (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU) |
---|---|---|---|
Apps | ~32k | These pages answer search queries for βHow to integrate [App 1] with [App 2]β with step-by-step instructions for integration apps using Zapier. | MOFU |
Blog | ~3.5k | These are long-form informational articles about various top-of-funnel topics related to SaaS tooling (e.g., βbest website generators.β) | TOFU |
Share | ~600 | These pages are similar to the App pages but are created by users. | MOFU |
Template | ~150 | These pages answer search queries for βAI [tool] templateβ with templates to deploy Zapierβs AI functionality. | MOFU |
Resource | ~70 | These pages answer search queries related to how to use Zapier for different in-depth use cases. For example, βHow to automatically add new Shopify customers to a Mailchimp Audience.β | MOFU |
Engineering | ~40 | This is Zapierβs blog for engineers with top-of-funnel content on different topics relevant to engineering and building integrations. | TOFU |
Competitor comparison | ~40 | These pages answer search queries for βCompare [service] to Zapier.β | MOFU |
Agent | ~20 | These pages answer search queries for βAI agent [action] template.β | MOFU |
Sign up | ~5 | These pages are highly transactional pages for searchers who want to sign up for Zapier. | BOFU |
Step 2: Score each categoryβs defensibility
TOFU, informational content (score 1): ~3.5k pages
Blog and engineering
MOFU, action-oriented content (score 5): ~33k pages
Apps, share, template, resource, competitor comparison, and agent
BOFU, commercial pages (score 3): ~5 pages
Sign up
Step 3: Calculate the blended defensibility score
89% of Zapierβs organic content is action-oriented MOFU content
9% is informational TOFU contentΒ
Less than 1% is BOFU, commercial content
(.89x5) + (.09x1) + (.01x3) = 4.57
Step 4: Interpret defensibility score and take action
Zapierβs action-driven MOFU content makes its SEO strategy more resilient to AI summarization than TOFU-heavy strategies like Wiseβs. However, brands like Zapier should not get complacent.Β
Specifically, Zapier could double down on its agent templates. These AI-powered automation blueprints show users how to use Zapierβs AI to automate multi-step tasks. For example, Zapierβs βInbox Categorizerβ allows users to βAutomatically categorize your inbox emails with relevant labels.β Zapier has created 18 of these templates so far (per Ahrefs). Introducing more of these templates could help strengthen Zapierβs defensibility as AI agents like OpenAIβs Operator gain momentum.Β

Build a durable SEO growth engine with daydream
As AI transforms the search landscape, SEO defensibility is more critical than ever. At daydream, we craft resilient SEO strategies built to outlast disruption. Our full-service approach equips you with everything you need to launch and scale a powerful SEO engine that drives sustained growth.Β
Need help building a future-proof SEO strategy? Letβs talk. π

π When youβre ready, here are 3 ways we can help:
Book a Call to discuss how daydream can help you drive consistent organic growth β as we have with companies like Clay, Descript, and OpenArt.
Request a custom Answer Engine Optimization Audit to learn what AI queries your brand appears for, how you stack up vs. your competition, and how much AI traffic you get.
Download The Complete Guide to Programmatic SEO to learn about the frameworks and tactics used by the best experts in programmatic content.
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