How to Get Your Brand Mentioned in AI-Generated Answers

The way we search and discover is rapidly evolving, with a growing shift from traditional search engines to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for customised queries. In this new era of search, brand mentions in AI-generated answers are emerging as one of the most potent visibility signals, even when unlinked. So, how can your brand strategically secure prominent mentions within these powerful AI responses?

Why do AI mentions matter?

Unlinked mentions might seem like a an undesirable repercussion of AI-based search, but they still matter to brands. While the move away from website clicks might take some getting used to, and require a considerable bit of board-level education on shifting KPIs, it’s not bad news. AI mentions still drive buyer consideration for your brand, and also carry an amplified perception of trust due to them being perceived as recommendations by the AI.

For a concrete example of the importance of getting brand mentions in AI-generated answers, consider the shift in search behaviour on Google. You are likely seeing a decline in organic search traffic despite an increase in impressions, a phenomenon known as the “Crocodile Mouth Effect.” This is a direct result of AI-first search experiences providing comprehensive overviews that answer queries without the need to click to other web pages.

If you have historically relied on SEO for search attention and traffic, this will seem worrying. But optimising for AI searches -also known as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) – goes hand in hand with SEO to help your brand get noticed no matter where the user is searching.

How are AI answers generated?

When a user inputs a query into an AI tool like ChatGPT, that underlying algorithm first employs natural language processing (NLP) to analyse and interpret the human language query. This involves breaking down the question into meaningful components, understanding its context, identifying the user’s intent, and discerning nuances like tone or sentiment. This initial comprehension phase is crucial for the AI to grasp what information is being sought.

Following this, the AI pulls information from its vast pre-trained knowledge base and simultaneously goes through a process of searching for online data in order to generate a response. It then compiles a coherent, contextually appropriate, and accurate answer to the user’s query.

Unlike traditional search engines, AI search platforms use a ranking system of their own, which prioritises reliable, structured content that is clear and direct.

Tip to get your brand mentioned by AI

The following practical tips will help you begin your GEO journey and significantly increase the chances of getting your brand mentioned prominently in these AI-generated answers.

1. Write clearly and conversationally

   AI models trawl the web to find information to use in their answer generation. To increase your brand’s chances of getting mentioned in AI answers, you should make your content as appealing to these systems as possible. A key strategy is to write clearly and concisely, as large language models (LLMs) prefer direct language that can be easily extracted and used for direct citations.

   Think of ways to provide ‘snippet-ready’ answers and ‘bullet-pointable’ facts. Keep in mind that people are much more conversational with AI models than traditional search engines, so think of ways to include common questions or queries naturally into your content. This helps AI understand the context and relevancy of your information for specific user prompts.

2. Demonstrate your evidence

   We all know it is important to cite your sources, not just to increase user trust in your data but also to establish your content’s authority to both AI models and human readers. Publishing authoritative content with robust verifiable source, is much more likely to get you direct citations and brand mentions by AI.

   Content with clear citations and source attributions is much more likely to be referenced in AI answers, according to a research study by the IIT Delhi and Princeton University. If you have original research or proprietary data that you can use in your content, integrating them can provide an extra visibility boost since AI can learn from and cite you as a unique source, directly increasing the likelihood of brand mentions and visibility.

3. Use structure

   In addition to having clarity in your writing, it is important to maintain a clear structure in your layout to help AI understand your content and mentioned your brand in answers.

   AI models prioritise content that’s easily scannable and digestible. Use semantic headings (H1, H2, H3 etc.) to segment on-page copy, bullet points and numbered lists to provide easy-to-digest information, and short paragraphs, breaking up long text blocks with visuals or callouts. This will make your content more easily digestible to AI, and to humans.

4. Solidify your brand identity

   When you are working to get your brand mentioned by AI, you must establish a cohesive and consistent brand identity.

   AI models learn about entities, and a strong, consistent identity helps AI accurately recognise and attribute information to your brand, akin to building a robust ‘knowledge graph’ of your entity.

   Consistent naming across platforms and a clear brand message are key. Think about what you do, who your audience is, and why your brand matters. Your content should reflect this consistently and correctly to ensure that your brand mentions are accurate and actually benefit your visibility. Being mentioned by AI answers is important, but so is what they are saying about you.

5. Stay ahead with AI tracking

   Once you’ve begun working on GEO, it is important to track and quantify your brand mentions in AI-generated answers. This allows you to measure your ROI and build the case for investment in GEO.

   While you can start by typing in questions about your brand on ChatGPT, the best way to get the full picture is by using specialised GEO tools that are built for this purpose. These tools allow you to monitor brand mentions and how frequently your brand is cited by AI answers. Many will also provide feedback on your content to help you continually optimise for AI search.

Summary – Maximising your brand’s AI visibility

AI may feel vast and unknowable at times, but these tips provide easy ways to get your content picked up and cited. As the prevalence of zero-click searches increases, AI visibility is an essential frontier for brand recognition and awareness.

Looking for expert support? Join one of our free GEO & CAIO (Conversational AI Optimisation) Workshops. Tailored for marketing leaders, these fully customised sessions reveal how AI-driven search is transforming digital visibility and how your brand can stay ahead with actionable strategies.

About the Author

Claire is a digital marketing consultant at AccuraCast, bringing global perspective and creative strategies to help brands drive growth.