How to Evaluate Your Brand's AI Visibility: A Step-by-Step Audit Guide

How to Evaluate Your Brand's AI Visibility: A Step-by-Step Audit Guide

It's 2023, and if you're not thinking about your brand's visibility across AI, you're already lagging behind. Here’s an uncomfortable truth: many businesses are pouring money into content and marketing strategies while being blissfully unaware of whether their efforts are even visible to AI systems. But here's the thing, does any of that really matter if AI can't find you? Innovation is about asking the why, and that's where an AI visibility audit comes in.

At Contxt, we've tracked a staggering 6489 total AI prompts across 54 businesses. What we've found? The overall brand mention rate across our network is 58.4%. This means nearly half of the brands we assessed aren’t even being acknowledged by major AI systems. If your brand is part of that statistic, it's time to act.

In this post, I’ll take you through how to conduct an AI visibility audit that pinpoints where you're shining and where you’re hiding in the shadows. Let's dive in.

Understanding AI Visibility

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's clarify what we mean by AI visibility. Simply put, it's how easily AI systems can find, recognise, and recommend your brand. This isn't just about being present; it’s about being present in a way that resonates with what customers are searching for.

Think about it: in a world where 37% of the time ChatGPT and Google AI give conflicting recommendations, can you really afford to be invisible? An AI visibility audit will help you answer these questions and more.

Why Conduct an AI Visibility Audit?

In my experience, brands often underestimate the impact of AI on their visibility. A mate of mine runs an agency and mentioned that many clients are aware of social media and SEO but overlook AI systems entirely. They focus on traditional optimisation tactics while the landscape changes rapidly. This misalignment can lead to lost opportunities.

So why should you care? Because understanding your visibility can lead to better market positioning, improved customer engagement, and ultimately, increased revenue. Related reading: The Cross-Provider Visibility Gap: Why 39% of AI Systems .... Related reading: The Missing Link Between LLM Visibility and ROI: A Strate.... This matters more than most people realise.

Step 1: Gather Your Data

The first step in your AI visibility audit is gathering data. Luckily, if you’re already using platforms like Contxt, you have access to a treasure trove of insights. Start by reviewing your brand mention rates across different AI systems.

Here’s what our data indicates:

• ChatGPT: 73.1% mention rate
• Google AI Overview: 46.9% mention rate
• Claude: 61.1% mention rate
• Perplexity: 44.7% mention rate

These rates aren’t just numbers; they tell you which platforms are acknowledging your brand and which ones are leaving you in the dust. Related reading: Why B2B Brands Struggle with LLM Visibility (And How to G.... Related reading: this piece about why 37% of ai systems disagree on brand recommendations: .... Are you being recommended consistently across these platforms? Or are you only visible on one?

Step 2: Identify Visibility Gaps

Next up, let's talk about visibility gaps. This is where the real work begins. Our data shows a wide disparity in brand visibility. For instance, while some brands hit a perfect 100% visibility rate, others crash and burn, like DUO in e-commerce, which boasts a pitiful 0.0% visibility.

Take a close look at your brand against these figures. Are you in the low visibility (below 30%) category? If so, you need a serious rethink. Brands like Castle pumps and TOCA Social fall into this range, with mention rates of 6.3% and 10.0% respectively. Related reading: this piece about the psychology of ai recommendations: how cognitive bias .... You can Contxt platform features to see for yourself. Not exactly a glowing review from AI.

To identify your visibility gaps, compare your mention rates across different AI systems. A brand visible on ChatGPT is far from guaranteed to appear on Google's AI answers , and vice versa. You can how AI visibility monitoring works to see for yourself. Look for patterns and inconsistencies that might suggest where you're falling short.

Step 3: Conduct a Competitive Analysis

Now that you've identified your gaps, it’s time to spy on the competition. Who's winning in AI visibility? Look at brands that are thriving. For example, brands like Viking Pumps are not just visible , they’re dominating with a 100% visibility rate.

What tactics are they employing? Are they using a specific content strategy? Are they leveraging keywords differently? I’d argue that understanding what your competitors are doing right can be a game-changer.

In our testing lab, we've run 75 completed experiments across various businesses, assessing everything from buying intent to brand recall. We've seen some brands mentioned consistently in certain contexts but entirely absent in others. This inconsistency means your competitors could be capturing your audience without you even knowing it.

Step 4: Engage Your Audience

With your gaps identified and competition analysed, the next step is about engagement. AI systems are increasingly sophisticated and they respond well to brands that connect with their audience. Think about how you can optimise your content to attract not just AI visibility, but genuine audience interest.

For example, if your mention rates are low for buying intent queries, like the 14 buying-intent runs we've executed, it might indicate that your content isn’t meeting customer needs. Maybe it’s too technical, or perhaps it’s not addressing the right pain points. Test different approaches to see what resonates.

Step 5: Implement Adjustments and Monitor Progress

You’ve gathered data, identified visibility gaps, and engaged your audience. Now, it’s time to make adjustments based on what you've learned. This could involve tweaking your content strategy, refining your SEO tactics, or even rethinking your brand messaging.

But don’t stop there. Continuous monitoring is key. Use the reports from your ongoing AI visibility audits to track your progress. Are your mention rates improving? Is that engagement translating to higher visibility across AI platforms? This isn't a one-and-done scenario; it requires consistent effort.

Step 6: Develop a Strategic Plan for Future Visibility

Finally, you need a strategic plan moving forward. You've laid the groundwork, now build upon it. Think about how you can optimise for AI visibility in your broader marketing strategy. Ask yourself:

• How often are we reviewing our AI visibility?
• Are we using the right content formats to be understood by AI?
• What are the emerging AI technologies we need to consider for future visibility?

One client I worked with made it a priority to regularly update their content and ensure that their brand was being positively recommended across multiple platforms. The result? A significant uptick in both visibility and customer engagement.

Actionable Strategies for Improvement

So, what can you do right now to improve your AI visibility? Here are a few actionable strategies based on our data-driven insights:

• Enhance Content Quality: Produce high-quality, relevant content that answers the questions your audience is asking. Tailor it to fit the nuances of different AI systems.
• Leverage Keywords: Use keyword analysis to ensure you're capturing the search terms that align with your audience’s intents, especially in places where your mention rates are low.
• Test Regularly: Implement a cycle of testing and learning. Use insights from our 75 experiments to understand what works and what doesn’t.
• Engage with AI Platforms: Work on partnerships or content collaborations that could boost your brand’s visibility on AI systems.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, understanding and improving your brand's AI visibility isn't just a nice-to-have; it's essential for staying competitive. Businesses may be asleep at the wheel, but the future is bright for those who adapt. An AI visibility audit can shine a light on your brand's standing and help close those gaps that are hindering your recognition.

So, take a moment to evaluate where you are. Are you ready to take action and improve? Don’t let your brand become another statistic in the vast sea of invisibility. Dive deep into your AI visibility audit, and take the leap towards better recognition. The journey won't be easy, but I promise it’ll be worth it.

Remember, this is an evolving process. Keep asking the why, challenge the norms, and adapt to the changing landscape. That's where true innovation lies.

Ready to get started? Sign up with Contxt to begin your journey toward enhancing your brand's AI visibility today.