Why do brand mentions matter for AI search?
Because assistants check what you say against what others say. A claim on your own site is a start. The same claim repeated by a directory, a review and a newspaper is something they can rely on.
When an assistant answers a buying question, it usually searches and reads a mix of pages. Your website might be one of them. The rest are comparison articles, directory listings, forum threads and reviews. If those pages mention your competitors and not you, the assistant has more reasons to name them.
Over time, mentions also shape what the model itself learns. A business described clearly and consistently across many sites is more likely to be known before the assistant even searches.
What does AI read about you?
Five kinds of source come up again and again in the answers we track.
- Forum threads, especially Reddit, where people ask for and compare recommendations.
- Comparison lists: "best X in Y" articles, roundups and buyer's guides.
- Directories and review platforms, such as Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Clutch and sector directories.
- Press and trade coverage, local and national.
- Partner, supplier and client sites that name you, from case studies to "who we work with" pages.
Why does Reddit show up so often?
Because it's full of real people asking for recommendations and answering honestly, which is exactly what an assistant wants to read. Reddit threads also rank well in Google, and Reddit has data agreements with both Google and OpenAI.
A thread where someone asks "who's good for bathroom fitting in Leicester?" and five people name the same business is strong evidence. The assistant doesn't need to trust your website if real customers are saying it for you.
How should a business use Reddit?
As a helpful person, not an advert. Communities spot self-promotion quickly, and most have rules against it.
- Post from a real account under your own name, and say who you work for when it's relevant.
- Read and follow each community's rules on self-promotion before you post.
- Answer questions in your area of expertise properly, even when the answer isn't "hire us".
- Never post fake recommendations, use extra accounts or ask people to upvote. Reddit's rules ban vote manipulation, and getting caught does lasting damage.
- Keep an eye on threads that mention you, and reply calmly to complaints.
How do you get onto comparison lists?
Find the lists assistants already cite for your questions, then give the writers a reason and the facts to include you.
Many "best of" lists are kept up to date by publishers, trade bodies or directories. Send the editor a short note with what makes you different, your "from" price, your turnaround and one piece of proof with a timeframe. If a list is pay to play, decide whether it's worth it and make sure it's labelled honestly.
You can also publish fair comparison pages of your own, such as "agency or freelancer?" or "us compared with the alternatives". Keep them factual. Assistants read them, and so do buyers.
Do mentions without a link count?
Yes. For AI search they count far more than they do for classic SEO. Assistants read names and descriptions, not just links.
A newspaper feature, a podcast's show notes or a trade body's member list that names you correctly all help. Our clients have been featured in The Times and on BBC Radio 2, and coverage like that is read by people and machines alike.
How do you build brand mentions, step by step?
Seven steps. The first two take an afternoon. The rest are steady monthly work.
- Run your buyers' questions in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot, and list every source they cite.
- Sort that list into directories, comparison lists, forums, review sites and press, and mark where you're missing.
- Fix the easy ones first: claim and complete your directory and review profiles, with identical details.
- Ask happy customers for reviews on the platforms that keep coming up.
- Pitch the comparison lists and roundups, with facts and proof the writer can use.
- Earn press coverage with a real story: data, a strong opinion, or news from your business.
- Join the conversations where your buyers ask for help, as yourself, and be useful.
What should you never do?
Fake it. Fake reviews are banned in the UK under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, and the CMA enforces it. Planted forum posts and sock-puppet accounts break platform rules and tend to get found out.
Even if a shortcut worked for a month, it would leave the assistant with a picture of you that real customers don't back up. The slower, honest version builds something that lasts.