AI Visibility: How ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini Discover Your Business

Reading time: 8 minutes

Surmado does not sell AI placements and cannot submit your site to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Meta AI, Grok, or DeepSeek. No one can. We test how these systems already talk about you and give you a plan to improve.

TLDR

AI visibility is how often AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini recommend your business when customers ask for help. Forty percent of searches now happen through AI platforms instead of Google. AI platforms don’t rank websites like Google does. They recommend businesses based on structured data, reviews, citations, and authoritative signals. Surmado Signal tests your AI visibility across 7 platforms and shows you where you’re strong and where competitors are winning.

---

What is AI Visibility?

AI visibility is how often AI platforms recommend your business when customers ask questions.

Example:

• Customer asks ChatGPT: “Which Dallas movers are most reliable?”
• ChatGPT recommends 3 businesses, including yours
• Your AI visibility = how often you appear in these recommendations

Key difference from Google SEO:

• Google ranks web pages based on keywords and links
• AI platforms recommend businesses based on structured data, reviews, and authority signals

---

The 7 Platforms We Test

Surmado Signal tests your visibility across these AI platforms:

ChatGPT (OpenAI) 60% of AI search market. Uses Bing search data and web crawling.

Perplexity Research-focused users. Combines web search with AI synthesis.

Claude (Anthropic) Growing among professionals. Uses Google’s Knowledge Graph.

Gemini (Google) Integrated with Google Search. Directly owned by Google.

Meta AI Facebook and Instagram integration. Uses Meta’s social graph.

Grok (X/Twitter) Real-time information focus. Emphasizes recent mentions.

DeepSeek Technical and analytical queries. Popular in developer communities.

---

How AI Platforms Discover Businesses

AI platforms discover businesses through five data sources:

1. Google Business Profile

Your foundational data layer. AI systems extract:

• Business name, address, phone (NAP consistency)
• Description (750 characters with keywords and differentiators)
• Services list (specific offerings, not generic categories)
• Attributes (veteran-owned, women-owned, wheelchair accessible)
• Q&A section (answers customers actually ask)
• Photos and posts (recency and activity)

Why it matters: GBP is the single most important signal for local businesses. If your GBP is incomplete or generic, you’re invisible to AI.

2. Review Content and Sentiment

AI systems don’t just see star ratings. They read review text and extract:

• Specific features mentioned (“veteran-owned,” “transparent pricing”)
• Sentiment patterns (positive language, complaint themes)
• Outcome descriptions (“moved our entire office in 6 hours”)
• Comparisons to competitors (“better than [Brand X]”)

Why it matters: Detailed reviews mentioning your differentiators help AI systems understand what makes you unique.

3. Website Structured Data

Machine-readable facts through schema markup:

• LocalBusiness schema (name, address, hours, services)
• FAQPage schema (question-answer format AI systems love)
• AggregateRating schema (star ratings and review counts)
• Service schema (specific offerings and service areas)

Why it matters: Structured data removes ambiguity. AI systems can extract facts without parsing HTML.

4. Citations and Media Mentions

Third-party validation from:

• Industry directories (BBB, Yelp, Angi)
• News articles and press coverage
• Awards and certifications
• Guest posts and thought leadership

Why it matters: AI systems trust third-party validation more than self-reported information.

5. Social Signals

Real-time brand activity:

• Brand mentions on social platforms
• Content consistency (regular posting)
• Engagement metrics (comments, shares, reactions)

Why it matters: Shows recency and activity. Weakest of the five signals, but still contributes to Authority Score.

---

Why AI Visibility Matters

The shift: 40% of searches now happen through AI platforms instead of Google.

What this means:

• Your #1 Google ranking means nothing if ChatGPT recommends your competitor
• Customers get direct answers from AI, not blue links
• AI recommendations bypass your website entirely

Example scenario:

• Customer asks ChatGPT: “What’s the best moving company in Dallas?”
• ChatGPT recommends 3 businesses with specific reasons
• Customer contacts those businesses directly
• Your website never gets a visit

If you’re not visible to AI platforms, you’re missing 40% of potential customers.

---

How Surmado Signal Tests Your AI Visibility

Surmado Signal asks 50+ persona-based questions across 7 platforms:

Example questions:

• “Which Dallas movers offer transparent pricing?”
• “Who handles piano moves in Fort Worth?”
• “What moving companies are veteran-owned?”

What you get:

• Presence Rate: How often you’re recommended (0-100%)
• Authority Score: How confident AI systems are in recommending you (0-100)
• Platform breakdown: Which platforms mention you most
• Ghost Influence: How often competitors are mentioned instead of you

Example report:

AI Visibility Report:
ChatGPT: 3/10 mentions (30%)
Claude: 2/10 mentions (20%)
Gemini: 1/10 mentions (10%)
Perplexity: 4/10 mentions (40%)

Authority Score: 42/100 (Needs Work)
Ghost Influence: 17% (competitors mentioned instead)

---

Common Misconceptions

”I can pay to get listed in ChatGPT”

False. No one can submit your site to AI platforms or sell placements. AI systems discover businesses organically through the five signals above.

”AI visibility is the same as Google SEO”

False. Google ranks pages. AI platforms recommend businesses. Traditional SEO tactics like keyword stuffing and thin content fail for AI.

”I just need more backlinks”

False. AI systems ignore low-quality links. They focus on authoritative citations, structured data, and review content.

”Social media doesn’t matter”

Partially true. Social signals are the weakest of the five, but they still contribute to Authority Score and show recency.

---

How to Improve Your AI Visibility

Priority 1: Complete your Google Business Profile

• Write a detailed description with keywords and differentiators
• Add specific services (not just “moving services”)
• Fill out Q&A section with answers customers actually ask
• Add attributes (veteran-owned, women-owned, etc.)

Priority 2: Request detailed reviews

• Ask customers to mention specific features in reviews
• Respond to reviews (positive and negative)
• Guide customers to mention your differentiators

Priority 3: Add structured data to your website

• LocalBusiness schema with complete information
• FAQPage schema with 5-10 common questions
• AggregateRating schema with review counts

Priority 4: Build citations and mentions

• List your business in industry directories (BBB, Yelp)
• Get press coverage for milestones and events
• Apply for local “Best Of” awards

Priority 5: Maintain social presence

• Consistent NAP across all platforms
• Regular posting (1-3x/week)
• Share customer success stories

---

What Surmado Signal Shows You

Surmado Signal tests all five signals and shows you:

• Which platforms mention you most (ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini)
• Where competitors are winning (Ghost Influence)
• Which signals are strongest/weakest for your business
• Specific recommendations for improvement

Next step: Run Surmado Signal ($25) to see your current AI visibility, then use Solutions ($50) to get a tactical roadmap for improvement.

---

Related Guides

• Understanding Your Signal Report - Learn how to read your AI visibility results
• How AI Platforms Discover Your Business - Deep dive into the five discovery signals
• AI Visibility vs Traditional SEO - Why your Google strategy isn’t enough
• FAQ Pages for AI Visibility - How to write FAQs that AI systems love
• Google Business Profile Optimization - Complete your GBP for AI discovery