Brand Visibility in ChatGPT, Perplexity.ai & Co.
- Editorial Team
- Feb 7
- 3 min read
How much longer will "traditional" search engines remain relevant? Most marketers seek ways to ensure their companies and brands appear in AI-generated responses, such as those from ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai. But how can visibility in ChatGPT be achieved? One of the most well-known and highly recommended digital marketing experts, Rand Fishkin, believes the answer is already evident. It is NOT about "high-quality content" but rather about how frequently certain words appear together online, influencing the probability of word sequences.
"How to Gain Visibility in ChatGPT" - Video Analysis
How much longer will "traditional" search engines remain relevant? Most marketers are looking for ways to ensure their companies and brands appear in AI-generated responses, such as those from ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai. But how can this be achieved? One of the most well-known and highly recommended digital marketing experts, Rand Fishkin, believes the answer is already clear. It is NOT about "high-quality content" but rather about how frequently certain words appear together online, influencing the probability of word sequences.
How ChatGPT Works (According to Rand Fishkin and Stephen Wolfram)
Visibility in ChatGPT – A Matter of Probability
ChatGPT generates responses based on word patterns that frequently appear together online. OpenAI's AI model draws from web content, digitized books, and various data sources, but ultimately, it all comes down to probability: Which words commonly follow others? A behind-the-scenes look is provided by Stephen Wolfram in his article "What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work?".
The Probability of Language Context is Key
ChatGPT neither "understands" quality nor intent—it simply predicts the next most probable words based on past data. It is the probability of word sequences that causes SparkToro to appear in ChatGPT results when someone searches for "good software for audience research."
What to Do? - Shape the Language Associated with Your Brand Online
When ChatGPT is asked about "good software for audience research," SparkToro appears as a top result. However, when searching for "tools for audience research," the company does not appear at all, as this phrase is not frequently associated with the brand. To achieve this, Rand Fishkin benefits from his years of consistent PR efforts: "good software for audience research" is consistently found in biographies, guest posts, podcasts, and conference pages because he has always made sure to request this phrasing.
Key Takeaways for Marketers
PR & Consistency > "High-Quality Content" – It’s about word associations, not vague SEO tactics or so-called "high-quality content."
Define Your Key Phrases – Ensure your brand is associated with specific, repeated phrases across the web.
Be Everywhere – Place your chosen phrase in biographies, guest articles, interviews, partnerships, and industry discussions.
Monitor and Adjust – If ChatGPT does not list you for your industry's key search queries, refine your phrasing and distribution strategy.
"How to Gain Visibility in ChatGPT" - Comment Analysis
However, we didn’t just analyze the video but also the many comments that were quickly posted under the LinkedIn post.
In over 224 comments and replies from 189 LinkedIn authors, valuable insights into everyday marketing practices emerged.
For professionals, the key question remains: how can a brand ensure it appears in the right context when search results might soon be entirely AI-driven? We are already familiar with Perplexity.ai and can see ChatGPT's efforts to gain ground in AI-based search.
Here is a summary of the core thoughts from these community contributions:
Comment Summary
Companies prioritize short-term results, making AI visibility more difficult.
CMOs rely on paid media because it is easy to measure and scale, meaning budgets are not easily reallocated.
PR and SEO often operate in isolation, leading to the neglect of long-term brand positioning in LLMs.
As long as AI presence is not an established KPI, there is a lack of investment in this type of brand management.
ChatGPT optimization is slow, unclear, and could lead to spam.
New content and mentions take 6-9 months to appear in ChatGPT.
Some rely on organic PR strategies (articles, podcasts, mentions), while others fear massive AI spam generated by agencies.
LLMs are not directly controllable like SEO—technical optimization is hardly possible; only long-term brand-building helps.
Brand communication influences AI search results, but measurement remains a challenge.
Wording is crucial – terms like "leading" or "best" may not align with user queries.
Early tests attempt to track brand mentions in AI results, but the data is often distorted.
Some experiment with expired domains to artificially increase their visibility in AI-generated responses.