Justin Herald: Referrals key for business survival as AI use overtakes Google search

As artificial intelligence reshapes how consumers find and choose businesses, small business owners are losing visibility fast. With ad costs skyrocketing and Google searches increasingly displaced by AI tools, one Australian platform is putting power back in their hands, through the oldest and most trusted form of marketing there is: word of mouth.
 

ReferUs Network, co-founded by entrepreneur Justin Herald, is a game-changing platform that helps small and medium businesses grow on the back of genuine referrals, transforming casual recommendations into instant, trackable leads.
 

AI is disrupting search and small businesses are paying the price
 

Founder and CEO Justin Herald said the rapid shift in consumer behaviour is leaving small businesses struggling to compete online.
 

"AI is taking over where Google once dominated," Herald said.
 

"People are no longer typing into search bars, they're asking ChatGPT and other AI platforms for recommendations. At the same time, digital ads are getting more expensive and less effective. Small businesses can't afford to keep playing a game that's stacked against them.
 

"The playing field is changing rapidly and businesses must adapt in order to survive. They must pivot in order to grow."
 

Herald said the solution isn't more advertising, it's smarter connection.
 

"Referrals have always been the most powerful form of marketing because they're built on trust," he said.
 

"We created ReferUs to make it easy for any business to capture that trust, amplify it and grow without relying on algorithms or inflated ad budgets."
 

Turning conversations into customers
 

ReferUs Network gives every business its own branded referral system that lives on their customers' phones, no apps, downloads or friction. A customer or partner can send a referral in seconds, with every interaction logged, tracked and measurable.

Since launching in early 2025, the platform has exploded across industries including fitness, beauty, finance, real estate and franchising, reaching a $3 million valuation within ten months and expanding into New Zealand, the UK and the US.
 

Its My Network feature lets businesses create private partner ecosystems where trusted brands cross-refer clients instantly, a model that's proving especially powerful for multi-site and franchise groups.
 

Designed for business owners, by business owners
 

Herald, who built his first company Attitude Inc. into a $37 million global brand from just $50, said ReferUs was born from firsthand experience.
 

"I built Attitude Inc. purely through word of mouth, people sharing what they loved," he said.
 

"However most business owners today don't have a way to capture that same power. ReferUs changes that by turning referrals into a structured, trackable system that works around the clock."
 

The platform costs just over $1 a day, making it accessible to the small-to-medium business market often overlooked by traditional referral tech.
 

Global expansion and measurable results
 

ReferUs has already delivered real-world results for business owners, from a landscaper who generated $100,000 in new income in four weeks, to a day spa that gained 68 new clients in two weeks.
 

The company's next step is the rollout of ReferUs Pro, a version for larger organisations and enterprise networks, featuring analytics dashboards, conversion tracking and team accountability tools.
 

"Our mission is simple," Herald said.
 

"We want to help business owners do business easier, to grow through trust, connection and genuine human recommendation. AI might change the way people search, but it will never replace the power of people sharing who they trust."
 

About ReferUs Network
 

ReferUs Network is the world's first instant referral platform, giving businesses a simple way to turn word of mouth into measurable growth. Founded by Justin Herald and Phil Bamford, ReferUs is used across industries worldwide to amplify customer advocacy, increase transparency and reward genuine referrals. The company is headquartered on the Gold Coast, Queensland, with users in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
 

Website: www.ReferUsNetwork.com