A Changing Landscape
Search is splitting into two channels. Traditional search engines list links. AI platforms deliver direct answers. You need to be visible in both — but the rules for each are fundamentally different.
The industry calls AI-side optimisation "GEO" (Generative Engine Optimisation). But the label doesn't matter as much as the data. We analysed 5,600 queries across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. The findings show why a single approach to "search optimisation" no longer works.
SEO: Optimising for Ranking Signals
SEO improves a website's position on search engine results pages. It's well-understood: keywords, backlinks, technical health, click-through rate. Google indexes billions of pages and ranks them using known signals. Success is measured by traffic and rankings.
AI Search Visibility: A Different Game Entirely
AI search visibility is about being mentioned and recommended inside AI-generated answers. The challenge? Each platform behaves completely differently:
| Behaviour | Google AIO | ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answer length | 83 words | 422 words | 241 words | 679 words |
| Brand mention rate | 42.5% | 74.2% | 70.1% | 82.5% |
| Cites sources | 3.1% | 28.6% | 8.7% | 30.4% |
| Recommends brands | 0.2% | 8.9% | 7.3% | 7.3% |
| Tone | Encyclopaedic | Structured assistant | Concise assistant | Verbose conversational |
Google AIO is compressed — 83 words, rarely mentions brands, almost never recommends. Gemini is the opposite — 679 words, mentions brands 82.5% of the time, cites sources in 30.4% of responses. Learn more in our guide on how to measure AI visibility.
SEO vs AI Search Visibility: Key Differences
| Aspect | SEO | AI Search Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Search engine algorithms | 4+ AI platforms, each with different behaviour |
| Goal | Rank high on SERPs | Be mentioned and recommended in AI answers |
| Content Focus | Keywords and backlinks | Structured facts, citations, entity authority |
| Success Metric | Clicks, rankings, traffic | Mention rate, recommendation rate, share of memory |
| Measurement | Google Search Console | Per-platform monitoring (no single dashboard exists) |
What the Data Shows: Intent Changes Everything
AI platforms don't just differ in how they answer — they change behaviour based on what the user is asking:
- ChatGPT contracts 33% for booking queries — it shortens responses from 422 to 284 words and increases hedging language 4x when users are close to a purchase decision
- Google AIO uses 4.3x more superlatives on comparison queries — when users ask "best X", AIO delivers verdicts. The LLMs hedge instead.
- Gemini barely changes regardless of intent — its word count stays within a 9.8% variance, applying the same exhaustive format to every query type
This means optimising for "AI search" isn't one strategy. It's a different strategy for each platform and each intent.
ChatGPT vs Google: A Platform Comparison
The two platforms that most people compare — ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews — turn out to be dramatically different in how they handle brands. Understanding these differences is essential for any GEO strategy.
| Metric | ChatGPT | Google AI Overviews |
|---|---|---|
| Average answer length | 422 words | 83 words |
| Brand mention rate | 74.2% | 42.5% |
| Willingness to recommend | 8.9% | 0.2% |
| Cites sources | 28.6% | 3.1% |
| Opening style | Direct fact 77%, "Here are" 19% | Direct fact 99.8% (no preamble) |
How ChatGPT Handles Brands
It's an assistant that recommends. ChatGPT introduces brands early (17.5% into the response), averages 2.7 brands per answer, and is the most likely platform to say "I'd recommend" or "the best option is." It organises information into scannable sections with heavy formatting — 36 bullet points and 13 headers per response.
But it retreats from transactions. When users ask booking-intent questions, ChatGPT shortens its response by 33% (422 to 284 words) and increases hedging language 4x. It recognises transactional intent and actively pulls back.
How Google AI Overviews Handles Brands
It's a compressed encyclopedia. Google AIO averages just 83 words — the shortest answers by 3x. It rarely mentions brands (42.5%), rarely cites sources (3.1%), and almost never recommends (0.2%).
But it becomes opinionated for comparisons. Google AIO uses 4.3x more superlative language ("best", "top", "leading") on comparison queries. When asked "best X", it delivers a verdict. ChatGPT hedges the same queries. And 99.8% of AIO responses start with a direct factual statement — if your brand appears in an AIO response, it appears in a high-trust editorial context.
What This Means for Your GEO Strategy
Optimise for ChatGPT with comprehensive, structured content. ChatGPT wants bullet points, headers, and facts it can cite. It rewards structured content with citations in 28.6% of responses.
Optimise for Google AIO with concise, authoritative statements. AIO compresses aggressively. Give it clear, factual one-line answers it can extract. Lead with your strongest claim.
Don't forget Claude and Gemini. Claude front-loads brands at 8.5% into responses. Gemini lists the most alternatives (3.4 per response). A comprehensive AI search visibility strategy covers all four.
Where SEO and AI Search Visibility Overlap
- Quality content matters for both. Accurate, well-researched information builds credibility with search engines and AI models alike.
- Structure helps both. Clear headings and concise paragraphs help crawlers and AI extractors. ChatGPT uses an average of 36 bullet points and 13 headers per response — it values structure.
- Authority is a shared signal. Backlinks help SEO. Third-party mentions and citations help AI visibility. Building authority benefits both channels.
Practical Takeaways
- Audit both channels separately. Your SEO position doesn't predict your AI visibility. Check each platform individually.
- Include data in every section. Gemini cites sources in 30.4% of responses — it actively looks for statistics to reference. Give it content worth citing.
- Match content to intent. Comparison content needs strong opinions (AIO uses 4.3x more superlatives on "best X" queries). Booking content needs clarity and trust signals.
- Monitor over time. AI models retrain regularly. What works today may not work in three months. Track your share of memory consistently.
Final Thought
SEO and AI search visibility aren't competing strategies — you need both. Google still handles billions of searches daily (SimilarWeb). But AI platforms are increasingly where customers form opinions and make decisions. The brands that master both channels — with data-driven approaches tailored to each platform — will dominate discovery. The ones that optimise for one and ignore the other will only be half-visible.