*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.
AI Visibility means that your brand, your content or your products appear in responses from AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Perplexity. So it’s no longer just about ranking on Google for certain keywords. The decisive factor is whether you become part of the response that users receive from a large language model.
This is changing the way companies have to think about visibility. In the past, a search query was entered into Google, a list of links appeared and users clicked through various websites. Today, people often formulate their entire problem in an AI tool. They ask for recommendations, compare providers or are guided step by step through a decision.
For companies, this means that it is no longer enough to simply appear as a link. You must appear as a relevant, trustworthy and helpful source in the AI’s answers.
Why AI Visibility is not simply classic SEO
SEO remains important. But AI Visibility goes beyond that.
Classic SEO often focuses on keywords, rankings and clicks. AI Visibility is more about being relevant in terms of content for an entire question or customer journey. Users not only enter short search terms such as “buy magnets”, but also formulate more complex questions such as:
“Which magnet is best for attaching something to a wall?”
Or:
“Which suppliers of strong magnets are recommended?”
AI systems then try to generate a suitable answer from a large amount of available information. Whoever is mentioned in this answer receives a new form of visibility.
How large language models evaluate content
Large Language Models, LLMs for short, work via probability calculations. They don’t “think” like humans and they don’t really know whether an answer is correct. Instead, they calculate which words, information and sources are likely to be a good match for the query in question.
This means that AI systems can provide helpful answers, but they can also make mistakes. It is therefore important for companies to understand which signals contribute to content being classified as relevant by AI systems.
These include, among others:
- Authority: Your site or brand is perceived as an important source.
- Trust: Your content appears serious, comprehensible and credible.
- Relevance: Your content fits exactly to the question or problem of the target group.
- Up-to-dateness: Information is up to date.
- Frequent mentions: Your brand or your content appears in several relevant places on the web.
The different types of prompts
When analyzing AI Visibility, it is helpful to distinguish between different types of prompts.
General prompts are questions such as “What is AI Visibility?” or “Name a provider for …”. These questions are very broad and often difficult to optimize specifically.
Informational prompts go more in the direction of explanation. For example: “How does AI Visibility work?” or “How can I optimize my website for AI systems?” Such content can often already be found in FAQs, blog articles or advice pages.
Transactional prompts are particularly exciting for companies. Here, users ask specifically about providers, products or solutions. For example: “Which provider is best for …?” or “Which solution do you recommend for my problem?”
Competitive prompts refer to comparisons. Users want to know which provider is better suited, which solution makes more sense or what the differences are between several options.
This is where AI Visibility becomes commercially relevant. This is because users are often very close to making a decision.
Why AI traffic can be particularly valuable
Users who come to your website via AI systems have often already dealt intensively with their problem. You have asked questions, examined options and received recommendations. When they land on your website, they are often much further along in their decision-making journey than traditional Google users.
This makes this traffic particularly valuable. It’s not just about more visitors, but about better-informed visitors who already have a concrete interest.
At the same time, current developments show that sites that are not strongly represented in the classic organic search can also become visible. This means: AI Visibility opens up new opportunities, even beyond classic SEO rankings.
AI Visibility affects the entire customer journey
An important point is: AI Visibility does not just start shortly before the purchase.
Users ask AI systems questions at a very early stage. They describe a problem, look for solutions, compare options and later find out about specific providers. Questions may also arise after the purchase, for example about use, care or problem solving.
The customer journey can look like this, for example:
- A user describes a general problem.
- The AI suggests various solutions.
- The user asks for suitable products or providers.
- The AI compares options.
- The user ends up visiting a website.
- Later, the user asks further questions about the application or use.
For companies, this means that you need content for all phases of this journey. Not only product pages, but also guides, comparisons, FAQs, application examples and confidence-building content.
AI visibility is also relevant for employer branding
AI Visibility does not only affect sales and marketing. It can also play an important role in employer branding.
Potential applicants can ask AI systems which employers in an industry are exciting, which companies stand for certain values or which companies offer good development opportunities. If your brand does not appear in such responses, you may lose visibility with relevant talent.
AI Visibility should therefore not only be seen as a sales topic. It’s about the digital perception of your brand as a whole.
Why companies should act now
User behavior is already changing significantly. More and more people are using AI systems to find information, prepare decisions or compare providers.
At the same time, many companies are already working on improving their visibility in AI responses. If you start now, you can gain experience early on, identify gaps and build up content in a targeted manner.
It does not make sense to focus on a single tool such as ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity. Usage is constantly changing, tools are evolving and users are switching between different systems. It is better to take a holistic approach to the fundamental principles of AI Visibility.
The process: analyze, prioritize, optimize, measure
AI Visibility is not a one-off project. It is an ongoing process.
The first step is analysis. You need to understand in which questions, topics and prompts your brand is already visible and where there are still gaps.
This is followed by prioritization. Not every gap is equally important. The decisive factor is which topics are particularly relevant for your target group, your products and your business goals.
The next step is optimization. Content is created, revised, expanded or better distributed. This is not only about texts on your own website, but also about mentions, external sources and the general trustworthiness of your brand.
Finally, measurements are taken. What content appears in AI answers? Where are you mentioned? Which questions lead to visibility? And where is there still a need for optimization?
Then the process begins again: analyze, prioritize, optimize and measure.
Conclusion: AI Visibility is becoming the new basis for digital visibility
AI Visibility is changing how companies are found online. It is no longer enough to just look at traditional search engines and keywords. Users ask more complex questions, spend longer in AI systems and expect direct, helpful answers.
This is a great opportunity for companies. Those who create relevant, trustworthy and well-structured content can become visible in AI responses and accompany users along the entire customer journey.
The most important step is to start now: analyze, identify gaps, improve content in a targeted manner and regularly check your own visibility.
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.
