Why Your Brand Needs to Show Up in AI-Powered Search—and How to Get Started?

The way people seek knowledge changed dramatically in 2023. Rather than merely “Googling,” more and more people are seeking responses via programs like ChatGPT and Gemini. And the figures are astonishing: In 2023, 13 million US adults mostly searched online using AI tools. That figure is expected to rise to 90 million by 2027 —a 7x jump in just four years (Pew Research, Statista).

Yet, despite this seismic shift, most brands are nowhere to be found in AI-generated answers. They’re being overlooked or overshadowed by competitors who are embracing AI visibility. If you haven’t checked what ChatGPT or Gemini are saying about your brand—or your competitors—now is the time. Ask these AI tools to suggest the best solutions in your industry. You might be shocked at the results. Or worse: your brand might not show up at all.

Why It Matters If AI Mentions Your Brand?

When someone types a query into ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other AI-powered system, they trust the answer—often without double-checking additional resources. If your brand name appears, it instantly gains authority and credibility. If it’s missing, you’re effectively handing over a golden sales opportunity to your competitors (McKinsey & Company).

The reality: Marketing is evolving, and so is the consumer decision-making process. Businesses that take proactive steps to ensure AI tools recognize and reference them will have an enormous advantage in the coming years.

So the question stands: Why aren’t more brands focusing on AI visibility?

Why Most Marketers Aren’t Jumping on AI Visibility?

1. “Spend Money, See Results” Mindset

Traditional marketing, especially paid advertising, provides immediate, predictable metrics. For instance, spend $10k on paid ads and you can track:

• 2,000 clicks
• 400 leads
• 40 sales

AI visibility, on the other hand, doesn’t come with such instant gratification. It can take 6-9 months before you consistently show up in AI responses. For many CMOs, that’s a tough sell when executives demand quick ROI (HubSpot State of Marketing Report).

2. Lack of Clear Rules

Google Search has well-known SEO tactics. Paid ads have bidding strategies. AI search? We’re still uncovering how it “ranks” information. There’s no single “best practice” yet, and there’s no direct advertising mechanism like Google Ads to simply pay your way to the top (Search Engine Journal).

3. Unclear Measurement

Marketing teams are used to seeing clean data: “We spent X, got Y leads, and made Z in revenue.” AI visibility doesn’t lend itself to neat, linear tracking. If someone sees your brand in ChatGPT’s answer and immediately decides to purchase, there’s no direct link you can measure in your CRM (Forrester Research).

Despite these challenges, this ambiguity spells opportunity. In the early days of SEO, forward-thinking companies committed to it before everyone else. Many remain industry leaders in organic search. AI visibility is now offering that same early-mover advantage.

How AI Visibility Really Works?

AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini aren’t search engines in the traditional sense. They don’t rank pages. They aren’t crawling the web in real time the way Google does. Instead, they rely on patterns within the vast text data they’ve processed (OpenAI Research).

When you type a question into ChatGPT:

• It taps into its training data, recalling which words, entities, and concepts are frequently associated with each other in credible contexts.
• It then predicts a relevant, coherent sequence of words as a response.

Why Traditional Marketing Tactics Fall Short?

• You can’t just optimize a single web page and expect AI tools to highlight your brand.
• You need your brand name to appear repeatedly next to key industry terms across multiple credible sources.

Example: If you sell project management software, AI tools should consistently see your brand mentioned in context with phrases like “agile methodology”, “team collaboration”, or “deadline management” in trusted media outlets. This way, when someone queries ChatGPT about “the best project management tool,” your brand shows up because the AI has learned to associate you with project management excellence.

Press Coverage: The Most Powerful Lever

Not all sources are created equal. AI models weigh some references more heavily than others. Mentions in trusted media sources—such as Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and other well-known publications—carry significantly more clout 

Why Press Releases Excel for AI Visibility?

• Consistent Mentions: Each press release you distribute places your brand and strategic keywords into hundreds of credible news outlets simultaneously.

• Strategic Word Placement: You control the messaging, ensuring your brand name appears near the industry terms you want to own.
• Wide Reach Across Trusted Outlets: The more authoritative the news outlet, the more weight the AI places on your brand’s relevance.

Sporadic distribution won’t cut it. You need a steady drumbeat of press releases, each reinforcing your brand’s association with the topics that matter in your industry.

Real-World Examples: How Brands Gained AI Visibility?

Here are a few brands that effectively used press releases to boost their AI visibility:

• Dancing Disc

• • What They Did: Published a press release in Business Insider announcing new design improvements for its dance training equipment.
  • Result: When users asked AI tools like Gemini about Dancing Disc’s history and innovations, these credible media sources popped up in the AI’s training data. Dancing Disc became recognized as a trusted industry player.

• NETA Auto

• • What They Did: Expanded globally by opening a new production facility in Indonesia. They distributed a press release through Business Insider and Yahoo Finance.
  • Result: AI tools referenced these press releases as credible sources when users searched about NETA Auto’s market expansion, workforce investment, and production capabilities.

• SurgeGraph

• • What They Did: Launched a product called SurgeGraph Vertex via a Yahoo Finance press release. They highlighted features like AI-driven content optimization and SEO tools.
  • Result: Multiple citations in reputable media outlets meant AI models picked up on SurgeGraph’s technology. When people asked about advanced SEO platforms, SurgeGraph showed up.

• ChristianSteven Software

• • What They Did: Issued a press release on Yahoo Finance detailing software updates for business automation and report scheduling.
  • Result: Reputable source citations enabled AI tools like Perplexity AI to pull verified details. ChristianSteven Software now appears in AI-driven answers about business automation.

In each case, press releases gave AI tools reliable, repeated mentions in credible media outlets. Those mentions are exactly what AI models reference when forming responses to user queries.

The Future of Brand Discovery

By 2027, 90 million U.S. adults will rely primarily on AI for online searches (Statista). This shift is already underway, which means the competitive playing field is changing—fast. If you wait until AI visibility is a universally understood discipline, you’ll be playing catch-up.

The brands that invest in establishing their presence across trusted news sources now will own the AI-generated answers of tomorrow. It’s an open window of opportunity, one that’s remarkably similar to SEO’s early days.

Take Action Now!

If you’re a brand looking to future-proof your visibility in AI searches:

• Conduct an AI Audit: Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI tools what they say about your brand, products, and competitors.

• Identify Content Gaps: Which industry keywords should your brand be associated with, and where is that not happening?

• Implement a Press Release Strategy: Regularly distribute press releases with strategic keyword placement. Aim for credible outlets like Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and other industry-specific publications.
• Monitor AI Responses Over Time: While there’s no easy “report” for AI visibility, keep a close eye on how AI-generated answers evolve. As your brand appears more often, you’ll know the strategy is working.

Remember: AI models “learn” from what’s already published, so consistent press coverage in authoritative sources is the most surefire way to show up in relevant AI-driven responses.

Get Help Securing Your Brand’s AI Presence

The transition to AI-centric search is happening right now. Will your brand be part of the conversation—or will you be left behind?

If you’re looking for a partner to guide you through press release distribution, media strategy, or any other aspect of AI visibility, visit our Get Started page to start your journey. Don’t let this once-in-a-generation shift in how people search and discover products pass your brand by.

Get in touch today to lock in your brand’s place in AI-generated answers—and be the recommended solution customers see when they ask the next big question.