AI optimization and brand mentions – How you get your brand visible in AI search

AI search is already here, and it is fundamentally changing how people find information online. Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity are no longer visions of the future – they are today’s reality, already shaping which brands consumers see and remember.

Users are increasingly getting the answer they need directly from AI without a single click. That doesn’t mean SEO is dead. It means the rules of the game have changed. Today it’s no longer enough for your page to rank well in search results – your brand needs to be mentioned in AI-generated answers.

AI surfaces only a handful of sources and brands at a time – the ones it “trusts”. If your brand isn’t among them, the user may never see you. This is where AI optimisation or GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) comes in, alongside search engine optimisation.

I spoke at the WhitePress SEO Vibes event in October in Malmö, Sweden about brand mentions and AI search, so I thought I’d write an article on the topic here on the blog as well. The autumn has been spent researching and testing brand mentions – what actually works and what doesn’t. This article presents my perspective on AI search optimisation.

GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, means optimising for AI-based search engines and answer engines. Its targets include tools like Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.

AI doesn’t “rank” pages the way Google has traditionally done. Instead, it combines information from multiple sources, assesses which brands and websites appear credible, and selects only a few names to mention in its answer. If your brand isn’t recognised or doesn’t have strong enough signals, you simply won’t be included – even if your content is technically well optimised.

AI search particularly focuses on queries in the research phase. Typical examples are searches like “what’s the best…”, “is it worth…”, “what are the alternatives…” or “difference between X and Y”.

In these searches, the user isn’t looking for a single page but for a clear answer and concrete recommendations. AI tries to summarise the entire topic in a few paragraphs and typically mentions only 2–4 brands. This has two critically important implications: competition for visibility is fiercer than ever, and if you’re not in the answer, the user may never see you.

Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity work slightly differently, but they share one common trait: they favour brands that are well known, frequently mentioned and contextually clear.

That’s why AI optimisation isn’t just a technical exercise. It’s a strategic combination of brand building, content depth, external visibility and earning trust.

For a long time, SEO’s primary goal was simple and measurable: get as many clicks as possible from search results to your own website. AI search has, however, fundamentally changed the rules of the game.

When Google shows an AI Overview answer, or when a user asks the same question to ChatGPT, the answer appears immediately with no obligatory click. The user gets the information they need directly – and often moves on without any page receiving a click.

This is already clearly visible on many websites: impressions are increasing, but clicks are declining. Traffic no longer tells the full story of visibility. But this isn’t bad news – it’s simply a signal that the metrics have changed.

When your brand is mentioned in an AI answer, it sticks in the user’s memory, builds trust before the first click and influences future decisions and searches. The user may not click immediately, but they remember the name. Later, they might search for your brand by name, the combination “brand + product/service”, or choose you when they encounter your brand again somewhere else.

AI search has shifted competition away from momentary attention toward long-term recognition.

Traditional Google shows ten blue links in search results. AI search often shows just one answer, a few sources and 2–4 brands. If you’re not among them, you’re not part of the conversation. You don’t even get the chance to compete for clicks. That’s why the goal of modern SEO is no longer just “how do I get the user to click”, but “how do I get my brand mentioned”.

AI optimisation doesn’t replace traditional SEO. It builds on it and extends it into new dimensions.

Good technical SEO, quality content and a strong link profile still form the foundation. GEO adds a new dimension: brand context, mentions on other websites and signals that help AI understand which brand belongs to which topic.

Today it’s no longer enough for your page to rank well. The brand needs to be strong and well known enough for AI to feel confident mentioning it in its answer.

If AI optimisation could be summarised in one sentence, it would be this: AI trusts brands it sees frequently and in the right context.

Brand mentions are one of the most important reasons why certain companies, products and services appear in AI answers – and others don’t.

A brand mention means your brand name is mentioned on a website other than your own. The mention can include a link (a classic backlink) or no link at all. Both matter.

In traditional SEO, link building has been the focus. In GEO, AI looks more broadly: what is said about the brand, in what context and how often. AI models don’t read links the same way Google has traditionally done. They read text, context and recurring connections between the brand and the topic.

Brand mentions without a link help AI understand that your brand exists, which topics it is associated with and what tone is used when talking about it.

If your brand is frequently mentioned in, for example, comparison articles, guides, “best X” lists or discussions where a specific problem is solved, AI automatically begins to associate your brand with that topic. This is critical in GEO, because AI needs to be able to answer the question: “which brand belongs in this answer?”

Not all brand mentions are equally valuable. A random mention in the wrong context won’t help. Instead, recurring mentions around the same topic across multiple different websites build a clear signal both to Google and to AI models.

Example: if a brand is frequently mentioned in connection with “best project management tool”, AI learns that the brand is associated with project management – and starts using it in its answers.

From AI’s perspective, brand mentions are a trust signal. They tell AI that other websites consider the brand worth mentioning, that the brand doesn’t only talk about itself and that the brand is part of a broader conversation online.

AI tools are already shaping how customers perceive your brand. For many users, AI’s answer is the first – and sometimes only – touchpoint with your company.

If you don’t control what information about your brand exists online, AI forms its view based on other sources. And this can lead to surprising and even damaging results.

When AI can’t find enough current and reliable information, it still tries to answer the user’s question. It might then pull old articles or news, surface individual negative reviews, use comments from former employees, reference outdated PR crises or controversies, or incorrectly link your brand to another company.

For AI, these aren’t “one perspective among others” – they can become the truth in its answer.

Many companies discover AI visibility problems only after the damage is already done. Common situations include:

• AI states that the product is outdated or discontinued
• Chatbots recommend competitors but don’t mention you
• AI provides incorrect pricing or product descriptions
• AI surfaces old controversies or PR issues
• AI finds no information about your company
• AI confuses your brand with another player with a similar name
• Leadership or ownership information is incorrect
• Reddit or forums dominate the brand narrative

These aren’t technical SEO errors – they are visibility and narrative problems that require a strategic approach.

The good news is that AI’s narrative can be steered. AI learns about brands based on what it reads online. When you give it better data, it uses that.

This is done through digital PR, brand mentions across different websites, expert comments and quotes, case studies and current articles, and reliable sources with recurring mentions. When your brand appears frequently in the right context, AI begins to reflect this in its answers as well.

In short: AI will tell a story about your brand regardless. GEO’s job is to make sure the story is the right one.

AI doesn’t choose brands for its answers at random. Although different AI tools work slightly differently, they share a common logic: they favour brands that appear credible, well known and clearly connected to the topic.

The more frequently your brand is mentioned online in a relevant context, the easier it is for AI to identify it as part of the right topic. What matters isn’t just the number, but where the brand is mentioned, which topic it’s linked to and across how many different websites.

Several mentions across different domains is a much stronger signal than dozens of mentions on one and the same website.

The number of branded searches tells both Google and AI models that people are aware of the brand, are actively searching for it and consider it a relevant option.

When users search using only the brand name or the combination “brand + product/service”, it signals that the brand is genuinely interesting in the market. This increases the likelihood of AI mentioning it in its answers.

Simply put: AI favours brands that people are already searching for.

AI doesn’t surface brands that appear weak or untrustworthy. Overall authority therefore remains an important part of GEO.

This is influenced by the website’s general quality and history, the diversity of the link profile, mentions on credible websites and whether the brand is discussed consistently. Even nofollow links and non-commercial mentions can be valuable as they support natural visibility and credibility.

An underrated factor is consistency. If your brand appears across different websites in completely different contexts, it becomes harder for AI to understand what the brand is known for and in which situations it belongs in the answer.

When the brand is repeatedly linked to the same themes, problems and solutions, it becomes easy for AI to include it in the answer at the right moment.

Content that becomes an AI source

Not all content is equally valuable to AI. Even if your page ranks well in Google, that doesn’t automatically mean AI will use it as a source in its answers.

AI favours content that is easy to understand, clearly scoped and genuinely useful to the user. In practice, this means certain content types and structures.

AI often uses blog articles, guides, how-to content as well as comparisons and lists as sources. Articles that answer the user’s question directly work particularly well – such as “What is the best X?”, “How does X work?” or “Is X worth it in 2025?”

Such content fits AI’s logic perfectly because it can easily be summarised into an answer.

One of the most common query types in AI search is “what’s the best…”. That’s why “Best X” articles, comparison tables and lists of different alternatives frequently end up among AI’s used sources. If your brand appears in this content repeatedly, AI learns that it belongs in these answers – even if the user never clicks on the article.

AI doesn’t read content the way a human does, from start to finish. It picks out individual sections, paragraphs and answers.

That’s why well AI-optimised content answers one question at a time, doesn’t require the entire article to be read and works even as standalone text fragments. If your paragraph clearly answers the question “what is this” or “why is this a good option”, AI can use it as-is.

Generic AI-generated content doesn’t stand out. AI favours sources that cover the topic properly, address nuances and differences and demonstrate expertise.

A thorough and well-structured article is often more valuable than ten shallow pages. When content is good enough, AI doesn’t just use it as a source – it also connects the content to your brand, which strengthens visibility in the long term.

AI optimisation doesn’t require magic tricks or entirely new content strategies. Most of the time it’s about making your content more understandable, more clearly structured and more “grabbable” for AI.

AI favours content that is easy to break down into answers. This means clear H2 and H3 headings, short paragraphs and one idea per paragraph.

A good rule of thumb: if the paragraph clearly answers a question, AI can use it in its answer. Avoid long, complex paragraphs that address several things at once. They’re difficult for both the reader and AI.

AI looks for direct answers, not detours. Good practice is to pose the question in the heading, answer it immediately in the first paragraph and, if needed, deepen the answer further down.

For example: “What does AI optimisation mean?” → the first paragraph gives a clear definition. This increases the likelihood of that particular section appearing in the AI answer.

AI favours pages that cover a topic properly rather than just scratching the surface. In practice: one page equals one main topic, answers all essential sub-questions and doesn’t unnecessarily split content across multiple pages.

When AI sees that a page covers the topic comprehensively, it becomes a natural source for answers.

Although AI models don’t “read” schema the way Google does, schema helps create clear context: who you are, what your brand is known for and which broader whole the content belongs to.

Organization and Person schema along with sameAs links to social profiles help both Google and AI connect your brand to the right topics. This is especially important when there are several similar players in the market.

Many believe AI optimisation first requires producing an enormous amount of new content. In reality, GEO work should begin with understanding visibility – not with writing.

Test your brand with the right queries: “best X”, “alternatives to X”, “is X worth it” and “X vs Y”. Try the same searches in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity.

If your brand doesn’t appear at all, that’s not a failure – it’s the starting point and an opportunity.

This is one of the most effective GEO exercises. Look at which queries competitors are mentioned for, in what context their names appear and what type of content works as a source.

You’ll often quickly spot a pattern: certain comparison articles, certain blogs or guides and the same third-party websites recur as sources. These tell you directly which conversations your brand should be part of.

In GEO, it doesn’t pay to only track generic keywords. More important are question-based searches like “what is…”, “how…”, “which is better…” and “best way to…”.

A good starting point is Search Console (real queries), People Also Ask questions and AI-expanded question lists. These are precisely the searches where AI answers appear most often – and where GEO delivers the greatest benefit.

Most often, the easiest way forward is to update existing articles, clarify their structure, add answers to common questions and strengthen brand visibility within the content.

GEO doesn’t require a complete rebuild. With small changes you can make your content considerably more attractive as an AI source.

Even if your content is perfectly optimised, AI won’t surface your brand if it only exists on your own website. AI optimisation always requires external visibility as well.

AI trusts brands that are talked about elsewhere too.

When AI shapes its answers, it draws information from multiple sources. Particularly important are independent blogs and guides, comparison and list articles and content from media and expert websites.

If your brand is mentioned in these environments, AI interprets it as a signal that the brand is relevant, well known and worth mentioning. Your own content alone isn’t enough to prove this.

Traditional link building focused for a long time on dofollow links and anchor text. In GEO, the perspective is broader and more multifaceted.

What matters is mentions with links, mentions without links and natural brand presence in text. AI makes no distinction between whether a link is dofollow or nofollow. It notes that the brand is mentioned in a credible context. This makes PR work, guest articles, collaborative articles and sponsored mentions more valuable from a GEO perspective.

Furthermore, image links are even more valuable for AI visibility than text links, so these should not be underestimated or overlooked.

Ten random mentions on low-quality websites don’t deliver the same benefit as a few mentions on strong, topically relevant websites in a clear context.

AI assesses the brand as a whole. The more consistent and high-quality the external visibility, the easier it is for AI to choose your brand in its answer.

When your brand is visible more broadly online, people learn to recognise the name, they search for it themselves later and the number of branded searches increases.

This creates a positive cycle: external mentions → increase in branded searches → stronger trust → better AI visibility.

AI optimisation is still new to many, and so the same mistakes are repeated with surprising frequency. Many do “everything technically right” but remain invisible in AI search.

One of the biggest mistakes is measuring AI visibility with the same metrics as traditional SEO. If you only focus on organic traffic, CTR and click counts, you won’t see the real picture.

In AI search, visibility can increase significantly without traffic growing proportionally. That doesn’t mean failure – on the contrary, it means your brand is visible where decisions are made.

Many try to solve GEO by quickly producing large volumes of AI-generated content. The problem is that such content is often shallow, doesn’t differentiate from competitors and doesn’t build genuine authority.

AI favours sources that add something new or cover the topic properly. Generic content alone isn’t enough to convince AI – it needs depth, expertise and a unique perspective.

If your brand isn’t visible elsewhere online, AI has no reason to mention it. A common mistake is to focus only on your own pages, leave external visibility and mentions unconsidered and not build consistent brand context.

Without a strong brand, there is no GEO. Technical optimisation and good content are only part of the equation – brand recognition and context ultimately determine whether you appear in AI answers.

Many optimise “by feel” without tracking whether the brand actually appears in AI answers. If you don’t know which queries your brand is visible for, where it’s mentioned or who you’re competing with in AI answers, it’s impossible to develop the strategy systematically.

AI optimisation requires a new type of monitoring – otherwise you’re working blind with no idea what’s working and what isn’t.

AI optimisation doesn’t mean traditional SEO has lost its relevance. On the contrary: SEO creates the foundation, GEO builds visibility on top of it.

Without a technically sound website, quality content and basic authority, a brand won’t appear in AI search either. But in 2025, this alone is no longer enough. The game has changed, and keeping up requires new thinking.

Brands that succeed in AI search are frequently mentioned elsewhere online, are clearly associated with specific topics, appear in comparisons, guides and discussions and earn user trust even before the first click.

GEO shifts focus from individual pages to entire brands. Competition is no longer fought solely on the traditional search results page, but in AI-generated answers, where there’s room for only a few. If your brand isn’t mentioned, it doesn’t exist from AI’s perspective – and from the perspective of an ever-growing number of users.

That’s why modern search engine visibility is no longer just about “How do I get more traffic?” It’s: “How do I make my brand strong enough that AI wants to mention it?”

Those who understand this shift early are building a lead that will be difficult to close later. AI search isn’t the future – it’s already here, and it’s shaping right now which brands are seen and which remain invisible.

The question is: Is your brand part of the conversation?

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Linehan, L., & Guan, X. (2025, May 26). An analysis of AI overview brand visibility factors (75K brands studied). Ahrefs. https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overview-brand-correlation/

Poręba, M. (2025, September 23). Brand mentions – What they are and why they matter more than ever. WhitePress® Knowledge Base. https://www.whitepress.com/en/knowledge-base/6142/brand-mentions-what-they-are-and-why-they-matter

Indig, K. (2025, September 30). How AI really weighs your links (analysis of 35,000 datapoints). Growth Memo. https://www.growth-memo.com/p/how-ai-really-weighs-your-links-analysis