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AEO Measurement

How to Measure Your Brand's AI Search Visibility

Kris Estigoy2025-01-116 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Traditional analytics can't track when users learn about your brand through AI responses
  • Manual AI queries are the simplest way to check your visibility across platforms
  • Create a consistent testing schedule to track changes in AI visibility over time
  • Compare your visibility against competitors to identify gaps and opportunities
  • Connect AI visibility improvements to business outcomes like leads and revenue

The Measurement Challenge

Measuring your brand's AI search visibility means tracking how often and in what context AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude mention your brand when answering user questions. Unlike traditional web analytics, AI visibility requires new measurement approaches because these interactions often happen without users ever visiting your website.

This is one of the biggest challenges in AEO. Traditional analytics tools track website visits, but they can't tell you when someone learned about your brand through an AI response. You need specific strategies and tools designed for this new landscape.

Conduct Manual AI Queries

The simplest way to check your visibility is to ask AI tools questions directly. Compile a list of questions your target audience commonly asks about your industry, products, or services. Then query multiple AI platforms including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google Gemini. Document when and how your brand is mentioned, including whether you're cited as a source, mentioned as a recommendation, or not appearing at all.

PlatformQuery TypeWhat to Track
ChatGPTIndustry questionsBrand mentions, accuracy
PerplexityProduct comparisonsCitations, positioning
ClaudeTechnical queriesExpertise recognition
Google GeminiGeneral questionsSource attribution

Track branded queries in AI tools. Go beyond general industry questions and check how AI responds to queries that specifically mention your brand. Ask questions like "What does [your brand] do?" or "Is [your brand] good for [use case]?" The responses reveal how AI perceives and presents your brand to users.

AI Visibility Monitoring Tools

A growing number of tools are designed specifically to track AI brand mentions. These platforms automatically query AI systems and track your brand's appearance over time. They can show you trends in visibility, compare you to competitors, and alert you when your mentions change significantly.

Monitor referral traffic from AI sources. While not all AI interactions lead to website visits, some do. Check your analytics for referral traffic from AI platforms. Look for traffic from domains like perplexity.ai, chat.openai.com, and other AI search tools. Some platforms are beginning to send referral traffic as they add citation links to their responses.

Competitive Benchmarking

Understanding your visibility relative to competitors is crucial. Conduct the same AI queries for your competitors and compare results. Are they being mentioned more often? In better context? This competitive intelligence helps you identify gaps and opportunities.

Analyze citation patterns. When AI tools do cite sources, pay attention to which of your pages they reference most often. This tells you what content resonates with AI systems and helps you understand what to create more of. Track which competitors are being cited alongside or instead of you.

Create a Visibility Scorecard

Develop a consistent framework for measuring AI visibility. Score your brand on factors like frequency of mentions, sentiment of mentions (positive, neutral, or negative), accuracy of information presented, and prominence of placement in responses. Track these scores monthly to measure progress.

MetricHow to MeasureTarget
Mention FrequencyCount per query setIncreasing trend
SentimentPositive/Neutral/Negative80%+ positive
AccuracyCorrect info percentage95%+ accurate
Citation RateCited as sourceHigher than competitors

Measure content performance. Track which pieces of your content contribute most to AI visibility. Correlate your highest performing SEO pages with AI mentions. Often, well structured, authoritative content that ranks well in traditional search also gets cited by AI.

Connect to Business Outcomes

Build feedback loops. Use your measurement data to improve your AEO strategy. If certain topics or content formats lead to more AI mentions, create more of that content. If competitors are outperforming you in specific areas, analyze what they're doing differently.

The measurement landscape for AI visibility is still evolving. New tools and methodologies emerge regularly as the industry develops. The key is to start measuring now, even with simple manual methods, so you have baseline data and can track improvement over time.

Remember that AI visibility is just one metric in your overall marketing success. Combine it with traditional metrics like web traffic, conversions, and revenue to get a complete picture of how AEO contributes to your business goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if AI is mentioning my brand?

The simplest way to check is to ask AI tools questions directly. Query ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google Gemini with questions your target audience commonly asks. Document when and how your brand is mentioned, whether as a source, recommendation, or not at all.

Can Google Analytics track AI traffic?

Google Analytics can track some AI traffic through referrals from platforms like perplexity.ai or chat.openai.com. However, not all AI interactions lead to website visits, so traditional analytics cannot capture when users learn about your brand through AI responses without clicking through.

What tools can track AI brand mentions?

Several tools are designed specifically to track AI brand mentions including Profound, Otterly, and others that specialize in this space. These platforms automatically query AI systems and track your brand appearance over time, showing trends and competitive comparisons.

How often should I check my AI visibility?

You should test your key queries at regular intervals such as weekly or monthly to track changes in visibility. AI responses can vary over time as models are updated and new training data is incorporated, so consistent testing reveals whether your AEO efforts are improving your presence.

What metrics matter most for AI visibility?

Key metrics for AI visibility include mention frequency, sentiment of mentions whether positive neutral or negative, accuracy of information presented, prominence of placement in responses, and citation rate as a source. Track these monthly to measure progress.

How do I compare my AI visibility to competitors?

Conduct the same AI queries for your competitors and compare results. Note if they are being mentioned more often or in better context. This competitive intelligence helps you identify gaps and opportunities to improve your own AI visibility strategy.

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