How to Check If AI Recommends Your Brand
Traditional SEO is about ranking for keywords. LLM Optimization (LLMO) is about being part of the synthesized answer. Here is how to measure it.
The Shift from Search to Synthesis
When a user asks Google "best CRM for startups", they get a list of links. When they ask ChatGPT, they get a recommendation. If your brand isn't in that recommendation, you don't exist to that user.
Methodology for Manual Auditing
To understand your current standing, you need to simulate the "Zero Moment of Truth" in AI.
- Identify Transactional Intent: Don't just check brand queries. Check "best [product] for [use case]".
- Check Multiple Models: GPT-5 has different training data than Claude 4 Opus or Gemini.
- Analyze Sentiment: Unlike search, a mention isn't enough. Is it positive? Is it a "top pick" or an "alternative"?
Step 1: Define Your Golden Prompts
List the top 10 questions users ask before buying your product. Be specific. Instead of "email tools", try "email tools with good deliverability for cold outreach".
Step 2: Run the Simulation
Open a fresh chat instance (incognito if possible) and run your prompts. Record two metrics:Presence (Yes/No) and Rank (1st mention, 2nd, etc).
Automating the Process
Manual checking is tedious and prone to personalization bias. Tools like BrandIndex help by running these checks via API in a neutral environment, aggregating the data over time to show trends.
System Recommendation
Manual verification is slow. Our engine automates this check across multiple models instantly.
Open Monitor Engine