How to improve brand visibility in AI search

The quick answer

To improve your brand's visibility in AI Overviews and other AI-powered search results, you must focus on off-site brand signals. Based on a study of 75,000 brands, these are the most important actions to take:

1. Earn branded web mentions: Focus on getting your brand name mentioned on other websites, even without a link. This has the strongest correlation with AI visibility.
2. Build branded anchor text links: When you do get links, prioritize those that use your brand name as the hyperlinked text.
3. Increase branded search volume: Encourage people to search for your brand name directly in Google.
4. Prioritize brand signals over domain metrics: Understand that brand mentions and branded search now correlate more strongly with AI visibility than traditional metrics like backlinks or Domain Rating.

Why your AI visibility matters now

AI-powered search is changing how customers find you. Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and other platforms now synthesize answers, often mentioning brands directly within the text. If your brand isn't mentioned, you are invisible.

Research shows a "winner-takes-all" dynamic. Brands with high visibility in AI get mentioned exponentially more than their competitors. A study from Ahrefs found that the top 25% of brands received 10 times more AI mentions than the next 25%. This means getting ahead now creates a massive competitive advantage.

Top brand visibility factors from the Ahrefs study

Ahrefs recently studied approximately 75,000 brands to find what correlates most with being mentioned in AI search results. The findings show a clear shift away from traditional SEO metrics toward brand-centric signals. These are the factors that matter most for your AI visibility.

Here is the ranked list of factors and their correlation strength with being mentioned in AI answers:

• Branded web mentions: 0.664
• Branded anchors: 0.527
• Branded search volume: 0.392
• Domain rating: 0.326
• Organic traffic: 0.274
• Backlinks: 0.218
• Branded ad traffic: 0.216
• Branded ad cost: 0.215

The message is clear. AI engines are rewarding brands that have a strong, established presence across the web, independent of simple link metrics.

Branded web mentions are the top factor

A branded web mention is any instance of your brand's name appearing on a webpage, whether it's linked or not. This factor has the strongest correlation (0.664) with appearing in AI Overviews. AI models see these unlinked mentions as proof of your brand's authority and relevance in a specific topic area.

This means your PR, content, and outreach efforts must focus on getting your name out there. Every podcast mention, every article feature, and every directory listing builds your brand's digital footprint and boosts your AI visibility.

Brand name anchors are second

Branded anchors are hyperlinks that use your brand name as the clickable text. For example, a link that says "Ingeniom" instead of "click here." This has the second-strongest correlation (0.527) and signals to AI that your brand itself is the destination and the authority.

Your link-building strategy should actively seek out these types of links. They reinforce your brand's identity and connect it directly to your website in a way that AI clearly understands and values.

Branded search volume shows demand

Branded search volume is the number of times people search for your brand name each month. This metric (0.392 correlation) is a direct measure of brand awareness and interest. When people look for you by name, they signal to search engines that your brand is a trusted entity.

Building a strong brand that people remember and seek out is no longer just a marketing goal. It is a core technical requirement for success in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

A tactical plan to improve your AI visibility

Understanding the factors is the first step. Now you need a process to improve them. Follow these steps to systematically increase your brand's presence in AI-generated answers.

Step 1: Audit your current brand presence

You cannot improve what you do not measure. Start by establishing a baseline for your brand's current visibility. Use tools that track brand mentions across the web, social media, and AI platforms. Ahrefs Brand Radar is one tool built for this purpose.

Your audit should answer these questions:

• How many times is our brand mentioned per month?
• What is the sentiment of these mentions?
• Which websites and platforms mention us most?
• How do our mentions compare to our top 3 competitors?

This data will give you a clear picture of where you stand and help you focus your efforts.

Step 2: Create a system for earning web mentions

Since branded mentions are the top factor, your primary focus should be a systematic approach to earning them. This goes beyond traditional SEO and into the realm of digital PR and content marketing.

Your action plan should include:

• Guest appearances: Get featured on relevant podcasts, YouTube channels, and online shows.
• Expert commentary: Offer your expertise to journalists and bloggers writing about your industry.
• Strategic partnerships: Collaborate with non-competing brands on content or events.
• High-value content creation: Produce original research, data reports, or guides that others will naturally reference. A strong SEO content strategy is essential for creating these assets.

Treat every mention as a building block for your brand's authority in the eyes of AI.

Step 3: Encourage branded search queries

You can directly influence how often people search for your brand. Run campaigns and create content that makes your brand name memorable and top-of-mind.

Tactics to increase branded search include:

• Run brand awareness ads: Use social media and display networks to target relevant audiences with brand-focused messaging.
• Create memorable content: Develop a unique voice or content series that people associate directly with your brand.
• Engage on social media: Build an active community that talks about your brand. Consistent social media management helps keep your brand in the conversation.

The goal is to transition customers from searching for generic keywords to searching for your brand by name.

The growing importance of YouTube

The original article from Ahrefs highlights two new factors with strong correlations: "YouTube mentions" and "YouTube mention impressions." AI models are increasingly using video transcripts and metadata as sources of information.

A "YouTube mention" is when your brand name appears in a video's title, description, or spoken content. "Mention impressions" are an estimate of that mention's reach, weighted by the video's popularity and search demand. Getting featured on popular, relevant YouTube channels is becoming a powerful signal for improving your AI visibility.

Prepare your website to be an AI source

While off-site factors are dominant, your website must be structured correctly for AI to use it as a trusted source. AI favors content that is clear, well-structured, and easy to parse.

Ensure your digital presence is ready:

• Use semantic HTML: Use proper header tags (h2, h3), lists, and other structural elements to give your content meaning.
• Write in conversational language: Create content that answers questions directly, as a human expert would.
• Implement schema markup: Use schema.org data to explicitly label entities like your organization, products, and articles.

A well-built website acts as the central hub for all your brand signals. It must be technically sound to capitalize on the authority you build elsewhere. Investing in websites designed to rank ensures your on-page structure supports your off-page efforts.

Your AI visibility checklist

Getting your brand featured in AI Overviews is not about one-time tricks. It's about building a durable, authoritative brand presence. Use this checklist to guide your strategy.

1. Audit: Set up tracking for your brand and competitor mentions.
2. Strategize: Create a monthly plan for earning new web and YouTube mentions.
3. Build: Focus new link-building efforts on securing branded anchors.
4. Amplify: Run campaigns designed to increase your branded search volume.
5. Structure: Ensure your website is technically optimized for AI crawlers.

By focusing on these core brand-building activities, you position your business to be the answer, not just another link on a results page.