How to Rank in AI Search Results
When someone asks an AI assistant for a recommendation, the response typically mentions a handful of brands — sometimes just two or three. There is no second page of results, no scrolling past advertisements, and no option to click through to position eleven. Your brand is either in the answer or it is not.
This guide provides practical, actionable strategies to improve your brand's chances of being recommended in AI search results across all major platforms.
How AI Search Results Work
Before diving into tactics, it is worth understanding how AI search results differ fundamentally from traditional search rankings.
In traditional search, Google maintains an index of web pages and ranks them according to hundreds of signals. The output is an ordered list, and your position on that list determines your visibility.
AI search works differently. When a user asks ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or Gemini a question, the AI:
- Interprets the intent behind the query
- Draws on its knowledge — either from training data, real-time web searches, or both
- Synthesises an answer that directly addresses the question
- Selects which brands to mention based on the authority, relevance, and consistency of available information
- Generates a natural-language response that may cite sources
There is no "ranking" in the traditional sense. Instead, the AI makes a judgment call about which brands are most relevant, authoritative, and trustworthy for a given query. Your goal is to influence that judgment through the quality and breadth of your online presence.
What Makes AI Recommend One Brand Over Another
AI platforms weigh several factors when deciding which brands to include in their answers:
Consistent authority across multiple sources
A brand mentioned positively in one blog post is weak evidence. A brand mentioned positively across industry publications, review sites, forum discussions, news articles, and expert analyses is strong evidence. AI models are fundamentally aggregators — they look for convergent signals from independent, authoritative sources.
Direct relevance to the query
AI platforms are precise about matching recommendations to the specific query. A user asking for "the best CRM for estate agents in the UK" will get different recommendations than one asking for "the best CRM for small businesses." Your content needs to speak specifically to the audiences and use cases you serve, not just your broad category.
Clear, unambiguous brand information
AI models build internal representations of brands as entities. If your brand has a clear, consistent identity — what you do, who you serve, what makes you different — the AI can confidently recommend you. Ambiguity and inconsistency reduce confidence.
Positive sentiment and reputation
AI platforms are sensitive to the overall sentiment around a brand. Brands with consistently positive reviews, favourable press coverage, and constructive community discussion are recommended more frequently and more enthusiastically. Brands with significant negative sentiment may be mentioned with caveats, or not at all.
Recency and freshness
For queries where current information matters, AI platforms favour brands with recent, updated content and recent third-party mentions. A brand that was prominent two years ago but has had no recent activity may lose its AI visibility to more active competitors.
Seven Actionable Strategies to Improve Your AI Ranking
1. Map your target queries and audit your baseline
Begin by identifying the specific questions your ideal customers ask when they are in research or buying mode. These should include:
- "Best [your category] for [your target audience]"
- "What [your product type] do you recommend for [specific use case]?"
- "[Your category] reviews UK"
- "How to choose a [your product/service type]"
Query each major AI platform with these phrases and document what comes back. Which brands are mentioned? How are they described? Is your brand present? This audit gives you a clear baseline and reveals exactly which gaps to address.
2. Create definitive content for your core topics
AI platforms need source material to draw from. For each of your target queries, create content that is:
- Specific: Address the exact question, not a broad topic
- Comprehensive: Cover the topic thoroughly so the AI does not need to look elsewhere
- Authoritative: Include data, examples, expert insights, and practical advice
- Well-structured: Use clear headings, lists, and tables that AI systems can parse efficiently
- Current: Include up-to-date information and a "last updated" date
The goal is to create the single best resource on the web for each of your target topics. When your content is the most authoritative and comprehensive source available, AI platforms are far more likely to reference it.
3. Build authority on third-party platforms
What others say about you matters more than what you say about yourself. Invest systematically in building your brand's presence across:
- Industry publications: Contribute expert articles, offer commentary, and participate in industry reports
- Review platforms: Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on relevant platforms like Trustpilot, G2, or industry-specific review sites
- Professional directories: Ensure you are listed in all relevant directories with accurate, complete information
- News and media: Pursue PR opportunities, respond to journalist requests, and contribute to relevant news stories
- Academic and research citations: If applicable, get your data or research cited in academic or industry research papers
4. Optimise your brand entity signals
AI models understand brands as entities — distinct objects with attributes, relationships, and reputations. Strengthen your entity signals by:
- Implementing comprehensive schema markup on your website (Organisation, Product, Service, FAQ, Review schemas)
- Ensuring your Google Business Profile is complete and current
- Maintaining consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across all directories
- Building a Wikipedia presence if your brand meets notability criteria
- Claiming and optimising your profiles on Wikidata and relevant knowledge bases
5. Leverage the platforms that influence AI answers
Certain platforms have disproportionate influence on what AI assistants recommend. These include:
Reddit: AI platforms frequently reference Reddit discussions when generating recommendations. Active, helpful participation in relevant subreddits — where your brand is mentioned organically by users — can significantly influence AI answers.
YouTube: Video content, particularly reviews and tutorials, is increasingly referenced by AI platforms. Having video content that discusses your brand or product category adds another signal of authority.
Niche industry sites: Domain-specific platforms carry outsized weight within their categories. A mention on a respected industry blog may influence AI recommendations more than a mention on a general-interest site.
Quora and Stack Exchange: Detailed, expert answers on Q&A platforms contribute to the information pool that AI systems draw from.
6. Publish original research and proprietary data
One of the most effective ways to earn AI citations is to publish content that cannot be found anywhere else. Original research, proprietary data, industry benchmarks, and unique surveys give AI platforms a reason to reference your brand specifically.
Examples include:
- Annual industry surveys or reports
- Benchmarking studies using your proprietary data
- Original case studies with specific, measurable results
- Customer research findings
- Market analysis unique to your domain
When you are the primary source of a piece of data or insight, AI platforms must cite you when referencing it.
7. Monitor and iterate
AI search visibility is not static. Models update their training data, platforms adjust their algorithms, competitors improve their presence, and user query patterns evolve. Regular monitoring allows you to:
- Identify drops in visibility before they become entrenched
- Spot new competitors entering your AI recommendation space
- Discover new queries where you have an opportunity to appear
- Measure the impact of your optimisation efforts over time
Monitoring Your Progress
Effective monitoring requires tracking your brand's mentions, citations, and sentiment across all five major AI platforms on an ongoing basis. Manual checks are useful for initial audits, but they do not scale as a long-term monitoring strategy.
See where you rank in AI search — start your free trial with RivalScope to track your visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews automatically.
The Long View
Improving your AI search ranking is not an overnight process. It requires consistent investment in content quality, external authority, brand consistency, and community presence. But the fundamental principle is straightforward: AI platforms recommend brands that the available evidence suggests are genuinely the best answer to the user's question.
Focus on becoming the most authoritative, trustworthy, and visible option in your category — not through manipulation, but through genuine quality — and the AI recommendations will follow.