*Thisarticle is based on a YouTube video by Sophie Hundertmark, an expert in the use of artificial intelligence with a focus on chatbots and strategic AI applications in companies and public institutions. Sophie is a researcher and lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and is doing her doctorate in Conversational AI at the University of Fribourg. The blog text was created using a custom GPT model that was trained on Sophie’s video content, language style and expertise. The result is well-founded, up-to-date articles based on Sophie Hundertmark‘s own expertise.
You can find the link to the video at the end of this article.
Digital search is changing fundamentally. More and more people are no longer just asking their questions on Google, but directly in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or other AI systems. They no longer just search for individual keywords, but describe entire problems, situations or purchase intentions.
For companies, start-ups, NGOs and freelancers, this means that it is no longer enough just to be visible on Google. You must also appear in AI answers. And not somehow, but in the right context, with the right content and as a trustworthy source.
From SEO to AI chat management
Classic search engine optimization is heavily based on keywords, rankings and clicks. AI visibility works differently. This is about becoming part of an answer.
When someone asks: “Which sustainable bank is right for me?” or “Which insurance is suitable for my new car?”, the AI system decides which sources are trustworthy, relevant and helpful. This is exactly where AI Chat Management comes in.
It connects three levels:
- Technical optimization
- Content optimization
- Strategic visibility management
This makes AI visibility an overarching framework that goes far beyond traditional SEO.
Why trust is the key factor
Like humans, AI systems try to provide trustworthy answers. When we seek advice ourselves, we ask people or sources to whom we attribute competence and credibility.
It is precisely these signals that are also becoming more important for AI systems:
Professional expertise, clear authorship, external mentions, up-to-date content, customer opinions and consistent information build trust.
If only you yourself write on your website that you are good, this is less powerful than if trustworthy media, studies, platforms or communities talk about you.
The three pillars of AI visibility
1. create a technical basis
Technical optimization is the basis. You already know many elements from the classic SEO world:
A clean page structure, clear H1 and H2 headings, structured data, schema.org, good crawlability, understandable URLs and consistent terms are still important.
If your content cannot be found technically or is poorly structured, AI systems will also have difficulty understanding it correctly.
2. create content for real problems
The biggest difference to classic SEO lies in the perspective. It is no longer about covering as many keywords as possible, but about answering specific user problems.
Ask yourself:
What questions does my target group really ask?
What uncertainties does she have before making a decision?
At what moments should my company be mentioned?
When would you rather not?
A company does not have to appear for every request. It must be visible where it is really relevant.
3. strategically control where you want to be visible
AI visibility is not just a marketing task. It affects communication, PR, social media, product management, service, IT and sometimes even sales.
Larger companies in particular are already realizing that their own websites are only part of the answer. AI systems also draw on third-party sources: media articles, studies, comparison portals, social media, YouTube, Reddit, reviews or community content.
That’s why you need a clear strategy: What issues do you want to stand for? What terms should be associated with your brand? Which sources strengthen your credibility?
Relevance, resonance and trust
Three terms are particularly important for AI visibility:
Relevance means that your content really matches the user’s question or problem.
Resonance means that your content is picked up, shared, quoted or discussed.
Trust is created when competence, timeliness, transparency and external confirmation come together.
Niche providers in particular can benefit greatly here. They may not be mentioned in general questions such as “largest bank in Switzerland”. But when it comes to specific questions such as “sustainable bank” or “digital investment solution”, they can become very visible.
Why external sources are so important
AI systems don’t just rely on your website. External sources are often used to form answers.
This is why these formats are gaining in importance:
Technical article
PR contributions
Studies
Guest contributions
YouTube videos with transcripts
LinkedIn article
Customer ratings
Community comments
Comparison portals
Media mentions
Content that is not purely promotional but conveys real experience, expertise or independent assessments is particularly valuable.
Community content as a visibility factor
One exciting area is user-generated content. This includes ratings, comments, experience reports or community questions.
AI systems often prefer content that is formulated in a human, specific and natural way. This is precisely why customer opinions or community contributions can be valuable.
When users share concrete experiences on a product page, content is created that is often closer to real search queries than classic marketing texts.
What is important here is that the content should be up-to-date, structured and assigned to a credible authorship. They can then be particularly helpful for AI systems.
YouTube, transcripts and content reuse
YouTube is interesting for AI visibility because several levels of content come together there: Video, description, transcript, comments and engagement.
A video can also be reused efficiently. Blog posts, FAQ blocks, LinkedIn posts or short social media posts can be created from a transcript.
This creates an entire content ecosystem from one piece of content that reaches different platforms and target groups.
Risks of AI visibility
AI systems are not error-free. They may hallucinate, use outdated information or mix content from the wrong countries.
This can be particularly problematic in regulated sectors such as banking, insurance or healthcare. For example, an AI system can apply German insurance information to Swiss users or mention non-existent apps.
That’s why AI visibility is not just about being mentioned more often. It is also about being named correctly, consistently and in the right context.
How you can start
Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with a brief analysis of the current situation.
Enter typical questions from your target group anonymously in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity and document the answers:
Will you be named?
Are competitors named?
Are the statements correct?
What sources does the system use?
Which topics are missing?
Where do wrong or inappropriate answers arise?
You can derive specific measures from this: technical optimization, new landing pages, FAQ sections, blog posts, studies, PR work, social media articles or community content.
Which KPIs become useful
Measurability is currently still a challenge. Answers in AI systems change depending on the prompt, context, user profile and tool.
Nevertheless, new key figures are emerging:
How often is your brand mentioned?
In what context do you appear?
Which sources are used?
How correct are the answers?
How visible are you compared to your competitors?
How does the quality of mentions develop over time?
A simple visibility value alone is not enough. The decisive factor is whether you appear correct and trustworthy in the relevant situations.
Conclusion: Now is the right time
AI visibility is still in its infancy. This is precisely why smaller companies, start-ups, NGOs and niche providers in particular can achieve a lot now.
Those who start early to build their content properly, answer real user questions, create trust and integrate external sources can secure a strong position in the long term.
The most important change is not technical, but strategic: away from individual keywords and towards real problems, relevant answers and a trustworthy presence.
Any further questions?
Do you have any questions? I am happy to support you, act as a sparring partner and answer your questions. I am always happy to receive your messages, preferably by WhatsApp message or e-mail.
