The Next Frontier of SEO: Visibility in AI Search Tools

Although Google still commands online search, the use of AI and Generative Search Engines is growing fast. Even in Google search, Google’s AI Overview is often the first thing you see in results. As user search trends shift, it’s important to make sure your business shows up in search results for these tools. But how do you do that? 

This is a question we’re getting increasingly from our clients. We talk a lot in our blog posts about traditional SEO (see our most recent blog on improving SEO), but these days that is only half the battle. And it is difficult to understand how these AI search tools rank results as queries are specific and personal to each user. 

Luckily, there are tools out there that allow you to analyze what prompts and questions your business shows up for, and how you stack up against your competitors. We’ve started using a new tool at Sanctuary recently, and our Strategy team is loving the insights we get.

What Is AI Search Visibility (and Why It Matters)?

AI search visibility refers to how often your business appears in AI-generated responses across tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, AI Overview, and other generative search engines. Instead of being linked to directly in traditional search results, businesses are being cited, summarized, or recommended in answers. 

This shift changes how we think about SEO, and forces us to think about how to become part of the answer itself. When your business is consistently included in these responses, it signals relevance and authority in a way that’s often more influential than standard ranking. 

Users are increasingly relying on AI to filter, interpret, and deliver information instantly. They are not scrolling through lists of websites anymore. They’re putting their trust in the AI answers, and if your business isn’t mentioned, you’re missing out on highly engaged traffic. Becoming a part of these answers increases trust in your business, improves your credibility, and keeps you competitive. 

The Challenge: AI Search Is a Black Box

In traditional SEO, there are many clear factors that affect your rank. With AI, these factors aren’t as well defined and with outputs constantly changing, it’s hard to nail down exactly what gets your brand mentioned. 

Businesses often see their competitors mentioned in Google’s AI Overview or other search tools and wonder “Why aren’t we showing up there?” Even if brands focus on one or two specific things to talk about on their website and start to see themselves showing up in search results along with competitors, there isn’t a great way to monitor results. 

Our Approach to Monitoring and Optimizing for AI Visibility

At Sanctuary, our Strategy team has recently been experimenting with a new tool that gives us enhanced insight into our clients’ presence in tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overview and Gemini. This tool not only gives us insight into when and where our clients show up in AI search results, but allows us to compare mentions against competitors, and monitor how website changes affect their positions. We can now understand the types of prompts and questions that trigger brand mentions, and even see intent around those searches. 

We can use this information, and so much more, to make practical suggestions to improve our client’s online presence and get mentioned in the right moments by their potential customers. 

Early Impact: What We’re Seeing

While we’re early in our adoption of this tool, we’ve already made a number of meaningful recommendations to our clients based on the insight we’ve gained. One client was missing content on their site altogether that their competitors ranked well for. Another was missing commonly searched differentiators. 

The updates aren’t a major undertaking for our team, but they will have a measurable impact on our client’s site, as well as help to fully round out their online presence. These suggestions become an extension of our clients’ existing SEO strategy. The insights we’re seeing give us more confidence in the work we’ve already done, and give us actionable ideas to continue to improve our strategy. 

What This Means Going Forward

There’s always something new to uncover when it comes to AI, and our team has been really excited about what we’re learning and uncovering about our clients. AI search isn’t replacing traditional SEO, but it is expanding it. The fundamentals of strong content, technical performance, and authority still matter, but now they work together with how AI platforms interpret and deliver information.

As these tools continue to evolve, the brands that succeed will be able to adapt, test, and refine their approach. 

At Sanctuary, we’re committed to staying ahead of the curve. By combining proven SEO strategies with new ways to monitor and optimize for AI visibility, we’re helping our clients show up not only in search results, but in the answers themselves.