In 2025, ranking #1 on Google’s organic search results is no longer the ultimate finish line. With the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), your brand needs to be visible where decisions are actually being made: inside the answers generated by AI.
Today, a potential customer might ask ChatGPT, "What is the best CRM for small businesses?" or type a complex query into Google that triggers an AI Overview (AIO). If your brand isn't cited in that generated response, you are effectively invisible to that user—even if you rank first in the traditional blue links below.
In this comprehensive guide, you will learn how to audit, track, and measure your brand's presence across major AI platforms. We will cover manual auditing techniques, the best automated tools available in 2025, and the specific metrics you need to report on.
The Shift: From Share of Search to "Share of Model"
Before diving into the how, it is critical to understand what you are tracking. In traditional SEO, we tracked rankings and traffic. In the AI era, we track Share of Model (SoM).
Definition: Share of Model measures the frequency with which a brand is mentioned or cited in AI-generated responses for relevant queries compared to competitors.
According to Semrush’s late 2025 data, AI Overviews now appear for approximately 15.7% of all search queries, with "Science" and "Electronics" sectors seeing saturation as high as 26%. Furthermore, an Authoritas study revealed that AI rankings are highly volatile, with 70% of AI Overview results changing over a 2-3 month period. This volatility makes consistent tracking non-negotiable.
Step 1: Identify Your Priority AI Platforms
Not all AI engines are relevant to every business. Focus your tracking efforts on the platforms where your audience actively searches.
The "Big Three" Engines
- Google AI Overviews (AIO): The most critical for general traffic. It appears at the top of Google Search and drives click-throughs via citation links.
- ChatGPT (SearchGPT): With over 200 million weekly users, this is often the first stop for "discovery" queries (e.g., "Help me plan a marketing strategy").
- Perplexity AI: A "response engine" favored by tech-savvy users and B2B decision-makers. It heavily prioritizes citing sources, making it a goldmine for referral traffic.
Secondary Platforms:
- Claude (Anthropic): Growing in B2B usage.
- Microsoft Copilot (Bing): Integrated into Windows and Office environments.
Step 2: Define Your Success Metrics
Tracking "rankings" doesn't work in AI because there are no pages—only answers. Instead, track these four KPIs:
MetricWhat It MeasuresWhy It MattersMention RatePercentage of times your brand is named in an answer.Basic brand awareness.Citation ScoreHow often the AI links to your website as a source.Direct driver of referral traffic.Sentiment AnalysisIs the AI describing you positively, neutrally, or negatively?Brand reputation management.Share of Voice (SoV)Your mention rate vs. your top 3 competitors.Competitive benchmarking.
Step 3: How to Manually Audit Your Brand (Free Method)
If you don't have the budget for enterprise tools, you can perform a manual audit. This is time-consuming but offers deep qualitative insights.
1. Enable "Incognito" Mode
AI models can personalize results based on your chat history. Always use a fresh Incognito/Private window or a temporary chat session to get unbiased results.
2. Develop a Prompt List
Create a spreadsheet with 20-50 queries relevant to your business. Categorize them by intent:
- Broad/Informational: "What are the best project management tools?"
- Comparative: "Asana vs. Monday.com for enterprise."
- Brand Specific: "Is [Your Brand] reliable?"
3. Run the Audit
Feed these prompts into ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google (to trigger AIO). Record the following in your spreadsheet:
- Did the AI mention you? (Yes/No)
- Did it provide a link/citation? (Yes/No)
- Was the sentiment positive? (Score 1-5)
- Who were the primary competitors mentioned?
Tip: In ChatGPT, specifically ask: "What sources did you use to generate this answer?" to see if your content is part of its knowledge retrieval process.
Step 4: Use Automated AI Tracking Tools
Manual tracking is impossible to scale given the volatility of AI results. In 2025, several specialized tools have emerged to automate this process. Here are the top contenders:
1. Attensira
Attensira is the leaders in this space. It specializes in tracking Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.
- Key Feature: The "AI Success Score" which combines mentions, citations, and sentiment into one metric.
- Best For: SEO professionals who need granular data on why a brand is ranking in AI Overviews.
2. Semrush (AI SEO Toolkit)
Semrush has integrated AI visibility into its classic suite.
- Key Feature: The "AI Visibility Score" (0-100). It allows you to track your brand alongside competitors for thousands of keywords.
- Best For: Existing Semrush users who want an all-in-one SEO dashboard.
3. SE Ranking
SE Ranking offers a robust "AI Visibility Tracker" that specifically monitors which content formats (lists, tables, text) are triggering AI results.
- Key Feature: Historical data tracking to see how Google's frequent algorithm updates impact your AI visibility.
- Best For: Agencies reporting to clients.
4. Authoritas
Authoritas is excellent for enterprise-level "Share of Model" tracking.
- Key Feature: Pixel-level analysis on SERPs to show exactly how much screen real estate AI Overviews are taking from your organic results.
Step 5: Analyze Sentiment and Context
Tracking if you are mentioned is only half the battle. You must understand how you are mentioned.
The "Hallucination" Risk
AI models sometimes hallucinate, attributing features to your product that you don't have, or citing negative reviews from years ago.
Real Example: A SaaS company might be mentioned as a "top solution," but the AI might add, "however, users often complain about its high price."
If you see this pattern:
- Identify the Source: Use tools like Perplexity to find the specific article or review the AI is citing.
- Correct the Record: If the source is your own site, update the pricing page. If it's a third-party review, reach out to the publisher for an update or publish fresh content that contradicts the outdated claim.
Step 6: Optimize for AI Visibility (GEO)
Once you are tracking your performance, how do you improve it? This process is called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
- Cite Sources Clearly: AI loves structure. Use HTML tables, bullet points, and clear
<h2>tags. - Build "Entity Authority": Ensure your brand is listed in reputable knowledge bases (Wikipedia, Crunchbase, G2, Capterra). AI models rely heavily on these structured databases to verify facts.
- Answer Directly: If you want to rank for "How much does X cost?", ensure your page has a direct answer: "The cost of X is $99/month." Do not bury the answer behind 500 words of fluff.
Key Stat: According to WordStream, 88% of users click "show more" to expand truncated AI answers. Getting into the initial snapshot is good, but being in the expanded view is also valuable for traffic.
Next Steps
Tracking your brand in AI search results is no longer optional—it is a survival skill for modern digital marketing. Start by conducting a manual audit of your top 10 keywords today. If you find gaps, consider investing in a tool like ZipTie or Semrush to monitor your progress.
