Brand visibility is becoming critical for AI search because consumers increasingly use ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and others for product and company recommendations.
As early as July 2023, a Capgemini study of consumers in 13 advanced economies (PDF) found that “generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are becoming the new go-to for 70% of consumers when it comes to seeking product or service recommendations, replacing traditional methods such as search.”
In other words, consumers’ use of genAI to discover brands and products is skyrocketing. Yet those platforms must be aware of your business or products to recommend them.
That’s where brand search comes into play. Search engines drive brand discovery for genAI platforms and research for humans.
In August 2024, SparkToro cited studies revealing that 99% of genAI users continued to use traditional search engines for details, such as specs, prices, and reviews. Hence consumers likely discover brands and products on genAI and go to Google, Bing, and others to learn more.
This trend will surely grow. The number and type of brand searches are now essential search metrics.
So what can we track and how?
Brand search volume
The easiest way to monitor brand visibility is via search engine data, tracking the number of queries on your company’s name and products.
There are a few options.
Search Console
Search Console’s Performance section reports brand queries. Click Search results > Add filter > Query. Then enter your brand name for the number of impressions and clicks from searchers.
Search Console reports impressions and clicks on any term, including a brand name. Click image to enlarge.
Google Trends
Unlike Search Console, Google Trends tracks competitors’ brands, too. Type your brand name or a competitor’s for trends.
Google Trends tracks any term — yours and a competitor’s. This example shows “ahrefs.” Click image to enlarge.
Google Trends will also report rising related queries that include a brand name. Glimpse, a freemium Chrome extension, overlays Google Trends data on important search metrics such as volume and long-tail queries containing your brand name and competitors’.
Google Trends reports rising queries that include a brand name, such as “ahrefs.” Click image to enlarge.
Semrush
Semrush includes search volume for any keyword (versus a group of keywords in Google Ads reports) over time.
Use the “Keyword overview” tool in Semrush’s dashboard and select months and years in the dropdown menu.
Select months and years in Semrush’s “Keyword Overview” tool. Click image to enlarge.
Brand search impressions
Fewer queries in search engines result in clicks. Thus the number of brand impressions — searchers who view your organic brand listings — is now all-important.
Use Search Console’s “Query” filter to track those impressions.
Track brand-name impressions in Search Console. Click image to enlarge.