ChatGPT Is the New Search Engine
ChatGPT has over 5 billion monthly visits and commands 81% market share among AI assistants. When users ask "What's the best CRM for small businesses?" or "Recommend a project management tool," ChatGPT doesn't show a list of links—it names specific brands.
The brands that get mentioned capture the opportunity. The rest are invisible.
This guide breaks down exactly how ChatGPT decides which brands to recommend, and the 10 strategies that work to get your brand mentioned.
How ChatGPT Decides Which Brands to Recommend
ChatGPT uses several signals to determine which brands to mention:
| Signal | Weight | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Brand mentions | High | Frequency across authoritative sources |
| Review ratings | High | Scores on G2, Trustpilot, Google Reviews |
| Content relevance | High | Content matching user query intent |
| Authority signals | Medium | Wikipedia, news coverage, industry recognition |
| Third-party recommendations | Medium | Listicles, comparison articles mentioning your brand |
| Bing index presence | Medium | ChatGPT uses Bing for real-time search |
Unlike Google, ChatGPT doesn't care about your backlink count. It cares about whether your brand is consistently mentioned, reviewed, and recommended across sources it trusts.
10 Strategies to Get Your Brand Mentioned in ChatGPT
1. Build Brand Mentions Across Authoritative Sources
ChatGPT surfaces brands it has "seen" repeatedly across reliable sources. If your brand appears in news coverage, industry blogs, forums, and comparison articles, you're far more likely to be mentioned.
Priority sources:
- News publications in your industry
- Blog posts and articles on high-authority sites
- Reddit discussions (especially r/[your-industry] subreddits)
- Quora answers
- Industry forums and communities
- YouTube video descriptions and transcripts
Action step: Audit where your brand is currently mentioned. Use a tool like Brand24 or simply search "[your brand]" across these platforms. Identify gaps and create a plan to build presence.
2. Dominate Review Platforms
ChatGPT frequently references review sites when recommending products and services. Strong review profiles directly increase mention likelihood.
Key platforms by industry:
- Software/SaaS: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Product Hunt
- Services: Trustpilot, Google Reviews, Yelp
- B2B: Clutch, UpCity, GoodFirms
- E-commerce: Amazon reviews, product review sites
Action steps:
- Set up profiles on all relevant review platforms
- Create a systematic process for requesting reviews from customers
- Respond to all reviews (positive and negative)
- Aim for recent reviews—recency signals active business
Studies show that getting listed on 5-10 quality review platforms significantly raises your "authority score" with AI systems.
3. Create Comparison and "Best Of" Content
ChatGPT loves content that directly answers comparative questions. Create content that positions your brand clearly against alternatives.
Content formats that work:
- "[Your Brand] vs [Competitor]: Honest Comparison"
- "Best [product category] for [specific use case]"
- "How to choose between [Your Brand] and alternatives"
- "[Year] Guide to [Product Category]: Top 10 Options"
Why this works: When users ask ChatGPT comparative questions, it draws from content that directly addresses those comparisons. By creating this content yourself, you influence how your brand is positioned.
4. Optimize for Bing (ChatGPT's Search Source)
ChatGPT uses Bing's index for real-time information. If your content isn't indexed by Bing, ChatGPT may not see it.
Bing optimization checklist:
- Submit sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools
- Verify your site in Bing
- Check Bing index coverage
- Fix any crawl errors Bing reports
- Optimize for Bing's ranking factors (high-quality content, social signals, keywords in titles)
This is often overlooked because marketers focus exclusively on Google. Don't make that mistake.
5. Implement Schema Markup
Structured data helps ChatGPT extract and understand your content. Key schema types to implement:
- FAQPage: For Q&A content
- Product: For product pages
- Organization: For your company
- Review/AggregateRating: For reviews
- HowTo: For instructional content
Research shows approximately 61% of pages cited by ChatGPT use schema markup. It's a clear signal that structured content is more likely to be referenced.
6. Maintain Consistent Brand Information Everywhere
AI assistants evaluate whether your brand is consistently represented across all touchpoints. Inconsistencies create confusion and reduce trust.
Ensure consistency across:
- Website (About page, product descriptions)
- Google Business Profile
- LinkedIn company page
- Social media bios
- Review platform profiles
- Industry directories
- Wikipedia (if applicable)
Every profile should have the same:
- Brand name spelling
- Description/tagline
- Contact information
- Product/service categorization
7. Invest in Digital PR
Press coverage builds authority signals that ChatGPT recognizes. Getting mentioned in authoritative publications significantly increases your visibility.
PR tactics that work:
- Issue press releases for newsworthy updates
- Contribute expert quotes to journalists (HARO, Qwoted, Help a B2B Writer)
- Publish original research that earns coverage
- Guest post on industry publications
- Sponsor or speak at industry events
One well-placed mention in Forbes, TechCrunch, or an industry-leading publication can influence ChatGPT recommendations more than dozens of low-authority mentions.
8. Create Content That Matches User Intent
ChatGPT prioritizes content that directly answers what users are asking. Structure content around actual user queries.
Content structure tips:
- Use question-based headings ("What is [topic]?" "How does [product] work?")
- Answer the question in the first sentence under each heading
- Address follow-up questions users might have
- Include specific, actionable information—not generic advice
Example queries to target:
- "What is the best [product] for [specific need]?"
- "How does [your brand] compare to [competitor]?"
- "[Your brand] review"
- "Is [your brand] good for [use case]?"
9. Build Wikipedia Presence (If Eligible)
Having a Wikipedia page significantly increases ChatGPT mentions. Wikipedia is one of the most trusted sources in ChatGPT's training data.
Wikipedia requirements:
- Your company must meet notability guidelines
- You cannot create your own page (conflict of interest)
- You need citations from independent, reliable sources
How to approach this:
- Check if you meet notability requirements
- Gather all third-party sources that mention your company
- Consider hiring a professional Wikipedia editor
- Focus on building the media coverage needed for notability
10. Track and Iterate
You can't improve what you don't measure. Monitor your ChatGPT visibility and adjust your strategy.
How to track:
- Manually test by asking ChatGPT questions your customers would ask
- Use AI visibility tools like AI Suggest to monitor mentions
- Track increases in branded search volume (AI mentions drive direct searches)
- Monitor referral traffic patterns
Questions to test with:
- "What is the best [your category]?"
- "Recommend a [product type] for [use case]"
- "Compare [your brand] and [competitor]"
- "[Your brand] reviews"
The Results You Can Expect
Brands that consistently invest in these strategies see measurable results:
- 20-30% increase in organic traffic from users who hear about you via AI and then search directly
- Up to 34% lift in conversion rates compared to brands not mentioned in AI responses
- Increased brand recognition as users encounter your brand in AI recommendations
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Focusing only on your website ChatGPT doesn't just crawl your site—it draws from the entire web. Third-party mentions matter more than on-site optimization.
2. Ignoring Bing ChatGPT uses Bing's index. If you're not optimized for Bing, you're handicapping your ChatGPT visibility.
3. Neglecting reviews Review platforms are heavily weighted in ChatGPT's recommendations. No reviews = reduced visibility.
4. Inconsistent brand presence AI systems get confused by inconsistent information. Standardize your brand presence everywhere.
5. Expecting overnight results Building AI visibility takes consistent effort over months. This isn't a quick fix.
Start Building Your ChatGPT Visibility Today
Getting mentioned in ChatGPT isn't luck—it's strategy. The brands winning at AI visibility are the ones systematically building authority, collecting reviews, and creating content that answers user questions.
Ready to see where you stand? Check your AI visibility score and get specific recommendations for improving your ChatGPT presence with AI Suggest.