For: Founders and marketers who want ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and other AI tools to mention them

How do AI tools decide which brands to recommend?

Where the line actually sits

100 industries

How wide the research went

Ben Wills compared 16 AI models, ChatGPT's web interface and Google AI Overviews. The same pattern repeated across them.

20,000+

Times the pattern showed up

The top-recommended sites had links and mentions on pages more relevant to their industry. Relevance mattered more than volume.

No link needed

What counts as a mention

Plain brand mentions counted too. Being named on the right page matters, even when nobody links to you.

One line

How you want to be described

Pick one way to describe your company and use it everywhere: your site, LinkedIn, partner pages, podcasts and guest posts.

What changed in the last year

• AI tools now answer the question instead of listing ten links. Being one of the few names they recommend matters more than ranking on page one.
• Models learn about a brand from what other sites say about it. Your own site still matters, but it is only one voice.
• SEO, PR, content and partnerships used to be separate jobs. For AI visibility they are one job: get named on the pages your buyers already trust.

What most founders get wrong

• “More backlinks from anywhere will help.”

  Links and mentions on unrelated pages do little. One mention on a page about your industry is worth more than many on pages that aren't.

• “A mention without a link is wasted.”

  The research found plain mentions counted. A podcast, an interview or a partner page that names you still helps.

• “Publishing on any topic grows the brand.”

  Off-topic pages tie your name to the wrong subjects. Keep most of what you publish on the topics you want to be known for.

When I'd tell you the opposite

• You sell into a niche where few relevant pages exist. Then create the relevant page yourself, with research others will cite.
• Your brand is brand new. Start with the companies, partners and customers you already work with, and ask them to name you the same way.

Related questions

Does SEO still matter for AI search?

Yes. Clear pages, good titles and fast sites still help AI tools read you. I wrote about what happened to my own traffic in my Lovable SEO article.

Where should I get mentioned first?

The sites closest to what you do: partners, investors, customers, industry newsletters and podcasts your buyers already follow.

How do I know if it's working?

Ask ChatGPT and Google the questions your buyers ask, and see who gets named. Check again every month.

Read the full article: What Happened to My SEO When I Left WordPress for Lovable