How to Track Your AI Search Rankings
AI is revolutionizing how we find answers to questions on the web.
Traditional search engines no longer rule. AI tools like OpenAi’s Chat GPT and Microsoft’s Copilot and many other AI chatbots summarize info and quickly provide answers that originate from a wide array of sources.
This shift means that brands need to start tracking their visibility in AI search results seriously.
Why? It’s because more people turn to AI for quick answers, and understanding your position in these search results is crucial for attracting potential customers.
In this blog, we will explore why tracking AI search rankings is crucial for your business and how you can do it effectively.
Why It’s Just Time to Start Tracking AI Search Rankings
Today, AI and search are dramatically changing the way online information is found. Just imagine that Google’s Overviews will soon provide immediate answers without the need for clicking on links. Thereby, the brands really need to start paying attention to their visibility in these AI-based search results.
If your brand isn’t coming up in those answers, you might be missing a lot of good customers. In fact, studies suggest that if a business fails to change their strategy based on this new landscape, they might end up seeing a loss of up to 60% organic traffic.
The shift from traditional SEO to AI-driven searches is changing the way brands market themselves. As more people turn to AI for information, understanding how your brand is represented becomes essential.
Challenges in Tracking AI Search Rankings
Tracking your brand’s visibility in AI search results is not that easy. Here are some key challenges marketers face:
Different Platforms Yield Different Results
The biggest challenge is that the same query may produce different results on different AI platforms.
For instance, if you search for “best pizza place in New York,” Google’s AI Overview may focus on one restaurant while Bing’s AI will highlight another.
This can make it difficult for brands to have a full view of their visibility across platforms.
If you are checking just one search engine, you might be missing valuable insights about how your brand is perceived overall.
Personalization of AI Answers
AI answers have often been personalized for particular users through their search history or preferences. This implies two different individuals searching for exactly the same term might actually get very different results.
For example, if a certain user usually searches for vegan options they will find a plant-based restaurant being highlighted in their results while an individual who actually prefers a traditional pizza sees another restaurant.
This personalization can skew visibility metrics, making it hard for brands to get an accurate measure of their actual position in the market.
Changing Algorithms
The algorithms used by AI search tools are always changing. These algorithms update almost every month. This can make it tough for businesses to keep track of them.
For example, Google often changes its algorithm to enhance user experience. Because of this, how it ranks brands in its responses can change overnight.
Accordingly, what is on point today may not be in the future, meaning the brand has to remain fluid and keep changing their strategies over time.
How to Monitor Your AI Search Visibility
Monitoring your visibility in AI search results is crucial for knowing how your brand is perceived. Here are some effective methods to track your AI search rankings:
Manual Searches
Performing manual searches can be done by using a search engine or an AI chatbot. Use relevant keywords that your target audience might use.
For instance, if you have a bakery, you may look for “best chocolate cake near me.” Long-tail keywords are important because they are more specific phrases that reflect user intent.
This shows you how well your brand appears in AI responses for particular queries.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console eis a powerful tool to track any website’s performance. They do not yet have an AI Overview report, however, and to get the Performance Report you have to go through these steps:
- Open your Google Search Console account
- Click “Performance” from the menu on the left
- Go through the results for clicks, impressions, and average position.
This report will give you insights into how often your links appear in AI Overviews and will help you understand user engagement.
Semrush
To track your visibility using Semrush, you need to do the following:
- Open the Position Tracking tool.
- Input your website URL and the keywords you want to track.
- Click on “Overview” and then select the SERPs Feature dropdown to choose “AI Overview.”
This will demonstrate how your site performs in AI search, where you can compare yourself against competitors.
Ahrefs
To use Ahrefs to track visibility of AI:
- Open the Site Explorer in Ahrefs
- Enter your website URL. Once you are there navigate over to “Organic search.”
- Click on the option for “Organic keywords” and then over on the SERP features drop-down select “AI Overview”
This will display the pages that are visible from an AI Overview and for which terms.
Wrapping Up
As AI transforms the dynamics of how search engines work, keeping up with your AI search rankings is more crucial than ever. Using the right tools and strategies helps you stay ahead and ensures your website continues to be seen and used.
Remember that the bottom line is to continue to bring value to your users while adapting to this ever-changing search landscape.