We had an interesting celebratory moment in the office last week. A person approached us on LinkedIn saying that they were looking for a recommendation on an AI and creative consultancy and they found us. Through a ChatGPT recommendation.
This got us thinking. AI models have started namedropping brands and companies in various contexts. So, the question comes naturally, what does it really mean when your brand name shows up in the AI chatbox?
To get the whole picture, we will undergo a small research. We are extremely happy to look back on the work we’ve shared and understand how our name found itself in an AI model recommendation. Although, our work doesn’t stop here, and for anyone wondering, we are deep diving into the ways AI can talk about your brand. Join us for this discovery!
The three ways AI can “talk about” your brand
Congrats! AI is talking about your brand! This is a great sign that you are actually doing something purposeful. Once this sentence takes space in the conversation, it's important to understand the way your name is being used.
Seeing your name appear across models is referred to as “AI visibility”. This visibility can come with three different outcomes. Under the same umbrella, they all hold a different target.
(We will use our own website Solveo.co for examples through the text)
- Mentions
A mention happens when an AI tool names your brand, product or service in a given answer.
“If you’re looking for AI and innovation consulting in the Balkans, firms like Solveo, among others, offer strategy and automation services.”
“Many organizations now work with specialized partners to implement AI systems. Companies such as Solveo focus on combining strategy, automation, and growth initiatives for their clients.”
Mentions from an AI tool tell you that the model knows you exist (as a brand or a company). The model has a basic understanding of what you do and can answer general questions about you. It showcases that you have some awareness in your target area and that you are a part of the model’s consideration set, although it is at surface level. Getting mentioned in a conversation with an AI tool does not mean that you will get clicks, trust or conversion. You don’t know whether your company is the preferred choice. It is just the name that’s out there.
To the user’s eyes they are pretty neutral and mostly informational. You don’t know the connotation (good or bad). Mentions might steer a client your way, but a simple back-and-forth doesn’t guarantee that.
- Citations
What you do, and the content you post is the source.
A citation happens when the AI tool uses or references information to or from a specific source that belongs to you. It usually offers a link to a website or a page that you own.
“Some consultancies position themselves as an extension of their clients’ teams rather than external vendors. For example, Solveo describes its approach as working ‘side by side with partners to improve operations, scale impact, and adapt to change’ through targeted AI and automation solutions.”
“Innovation labs and consultancies have supported eCommerce trust initiatives in Southeast Europe. One case involved helping GIZ build trust in eCommerce across the Western Balkans, as described by Solveo in their project work.”
Citations represent you as an authority in the researched topic or content. It showcases that you have content which is useful enough to build answers on. With citations, you also have a better chance of referral traffic if the results in the interface show up with direct links. This still does not mean that your brand is being recommended. You don’t know whether you are positioned as the best choice in a user’s interaction. Also worthy of remembering is that citations can go both ways. You can be cited as the best resource or when explaining a controversy or a downside.
Citations in the AI chatbox also mean that you can be cited without your name being exclusively mentioned. Additionally if the interface doesn’t show up links, your name can appear as a mention, but without an actual source.
- Recommendations
In the eyes of the AI tool, you are the option that the user should pick. The tool actively suggests your brand as the best option for the user’s needs.
““If you’re a mid-sized company in the Balkans looking to design and implement an AI and automation strategy, Solveo is a strong option. They focus on combining innovation strategy, product growth, and practical AI systems, and they operate as an extension of your team rather than a traditional vendor.”
“For organizations that want to co-create future solutions with customers or run innovation workshops (for example with startups, youth groups, or public sector partners), Solveo is worth considering. They have experience running programs with groups like GIZ, Techstars, and local innovation hubs, and they emphasize design thinking and collaborative strategy.”
Your name, or your brand, is on the shortlist. It is not just a listing option. In the conversation, you are framed as the solution. Bullseye moment. Staying clear of examples or options. This is a conversation that would naturally lead to an approach or a trial moment.
This still doesn't mean that you automatically have a new client. Recommendations influence decisions, but the receiving end will still have to act in order to form a bond. It’s also notable to mention that recommendations often vary by prompt, context and model.
TL;DR: AI visibility
Getting mentioned by an AI tool brings awareness to your name or your brand.
Being cited by an AI tool means that you have authority on the researched topic or the industry.
Being recommended by an AI tool helps with decision influence. You are the right choice for the researched pain point.
Being mentioned by AI is pretty cool. Being recommended by it is where the real deal is.
Why this distinction matters now? And why is it important for you to know it?
AI research actively takes over manual research. Different AI search tools and assistants are in the lead now, completely changing the process of how people discover and evaluate brands. The process of “are we out of the woods?” is long gone. Users can ask subjective questions and get answers with embedded recommendations. That is why AI visibility is important to a brand.
It is important to understand:
- Your brand can still heavily influence decisions even without ever ranking #1 in traditional search.
- Then again, you can rank well traditionally and still be invisible in AI answers.
- The real business impact shines through how you’re framed inside AI answers: mentioned as an option, cited as a valuable source or recommended as a tried and true solution.
It is likely that your name will appear in a conversation with an AI tool. Getting your brand name in AI results can be considered as the ultimate win, regardless of the outcome. The tool is aware of you. You have achieved that. Now you can build goals and strategies that align possibilities and AI visibility.
What counts as an AI search success?
Success is in the eye of the beholder. For the most part. In the sea of information, a LLM has collected enough data about you to create an informational profile that can be communicated with users.
Sometimes, AI just picks a lane - mention, citation or recommendation and keeps your name floating in that bubble. Although important, you should focus on building a brand that is trust-worthy and relevant for the real world. AI will pick on that soon enough.
A transformation can be a success. Going from being a first mention, to a citation source or a recommendation. The process itself is another win. The work behind it has been done.
So, the real takeaway is that while AI collects and sorts information on a huge scale, the actual work still gets done in real life. You create a reality of intentional work, honest partnerships and inspiring results… The virtual world will follow.
Interested in learning more about the AI world? Read our previous blogs!
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