What we've measured: Google rank doesn't predict AI visibility
In our April 2026 UK pensions batch (20 firms, identical five-keyword methodology), the correlation between firms' Google organic rank on these terms and their AI visibility score was effectively zero. Two firms with strong Google rankings scored 100 and 88. Another, with comparable Google rankings on the same terms, scored 0. The variable that explained the spread was off-site citation density on the trade-press, regulatory and Wikipedia entries AI engines weight, not the firms' Google performance. The same disconnect repeated in our enterprise marketplace batch. SEO and GEO measure different things even when they appear to share input signals. Treating them as one discipline produces work that helps neither.
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 queries across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. The findings show why a single approach to "search optimisation" no longer works. These figures come from our own testing, not published as a standalone study, so treat them as indicative.
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 | Shortest | Mid-length | Brief | Longest |
| Brand mention rate | Lowest | High | Moderate | Highest |
| Tone | Encyclopaedic | Structured assistant | Concise assistant | Verbose conversational |
Google AIO is compressed, rarely mentions brands and almost never recommends. Gemini is the opposite, with long-form responses, frequent brand mentions and citations in a meaningful share 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:
- Google AIO uses noticeably more superlatives on comparison queries, when users ask "best X", AIO delivers verdicts. The LLMs hedge instead.
- Gemini barely changes regardless of intent, 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 | Mid-length | Shortest |
| Brand mention rate | High | Lowest |
How ChatGPT Handles Brands
It's an assistant that recommends. ChatGPT introduces brands fairly early, names a small number 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.
How Google AI Overviews Handles Brands
It's a compressed encyclopedia. Google AIO is by far the shortest answer format. It rarely mentions brands, rarely cites sources, and almost never recommends explicitly.
But it becomes opinionated for comparisons. Google AIO uses noticeably more superlative language ("best", "top", "leading") on comparison queries. When asked "best X", it delivers a verdict. ChatGPT hedges the same queries. AIO responses usually open with a direct factual statement, so if your brand appears, 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.
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 tends to name brands early in its answers. Gemini lists the most alternatives (more brands per response than other platforms). 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 leans heavily on bullet points and headers.
- 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 a meaningful share 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 noticeably 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, and that means a data-driven approach tailored to each platform, not a single strategy stretched across both.