How to monitor where your brand appears in AI search (free and paid ways)
You can't see AI answers in your analytics, so you have to go and look. Here is a free way to do it by hand, what to record, and when a tool is worth paying for.
By the Citeably team · · 7 min read
Why this is hard to see
A search engine shows you impressions, rankings and clicks. An AI assistant gives a person one answer with a few names in it, and nothing tells you whether yours was among them.
Answers also differ by engine, by wording, and from one run to the next. So "checking once" isn't a measurement. You need a fixed set of questions asked on a schedule.
The free method: do it by hand
This takes about an hour to set up and costs nothing. It's also a good way to learn what your buyers actually see.
- Write 8 to 12 questions a buyer would really type, such as "best invoicing tool for freelancers" or "alternatives to [a big competitor]". Do not put your own brand name in them, or you'll flatter yourself.
- Ask every question in each engine you care about, in a logged-out or private window so your own history doesn't skew the answer.
- Record, for each answer: were you named, at what position in the list, which sources were cited, and which competitors appeared.
- Repeat each question two or three times. Answers vary, so a single run can mislead.
- Do it again every week and keep the results in a spreadsheet so you can see the trend.
What to track
- Mention rate: the share of answers that name you. This is the number that matters most.
- Position: being first in a list is worth far more than being fifth.
- Sources: the sites the engine cites when it recommends your competitors. These are your outreach targets.
- Competitors: the names that keep appearing instead of you.
- Tone: whether you're described positively, neutrally or with caveats.
When a tool is worth it
Doing this by hand gets tedious past a handful of questions, and consistency is the hard part. A tool is worth paying for when you want it repeated weekly without effort, across several engines, with the sources and competitors pulled out for you.
Prices range from free checks to several hundred dollars a month. Small brands rarely need the enterprise end. See our comparison of the main tools for who each is built for.
On a budget: solo founders and small teams
Start free. Run a free check, or do the manual method above, and see where you stand before paying for anything. If you're rarely named, tracking daily is pointless. First fix what's blocking you, then track weekly.
The cheapest useful setup is a free check now, a weekly repeat, and a paid plan only once you're actively improving and want trends.
For e-commerce brands
Shoppers ask product-level questions: "best running shoes for flat feet under $100", "gift ideas for a coffee lover". Track those, not just brand-level questions, and add the price range and use case your products fit.
The sources that matter for products are review sites, comparison articles, Reddit threads and marketplace listings. Check which of those the engines cite for your category and make sure your products are present and accurately described there.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to track brand mentions across ChatGPT and Gemini?
Do it by hand for free: ask the same fixed buyer questions in each engine in a private window, and log the results weekly. A free check such as Citeably's does the same in about a minute, and some paid tools start around $29 a month.
How often should I check?
Weekly is enough for most small brands. Answers change gradually, and daily checks mostly add noise unless you're running a large campaign.
Why does my brand not appear even though people know it?
Engines recommend what is widely discussed on the pages they read. Being well known with your own customers doesn't help unless review sites, articles and communities also describe you.