Semrush AI Visibility Awards: How Brands Win in AI-Generated Search

Semrush’s new AI Visibility Awards and accompanying AI Visibility Index offer the first large-scale look at which brands surface most often in AI-generated responses. As reported by Search Engine Land, the awards use Semrush’s dataset built from more than 2,500 real prompts run through ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode to identify brands that are frequently cited, recommended, or surfaced by AI systems. As Andrew Warden, CMO at Semrush, put it: “This year marks a turning point in how brands earn visibility. It’s not about submissions or panels – it’s about real user behavior. These awards recognize the marketers cracking the AI code and earning trust where it counts: inside the answers.”

What the AI Visibility Awards measured

The AI Visibility Awards classify brands across multiple categories and verticals to reveal who is being recommended by AI systems. Winners are grouped into three performance tiers: Category Leaders (brands with the largest footprint in AI search), Growth Engines (the fastest gainers in visibility), and Challengers (up-and-comers gaining traction). Semrush used the AI Visibility Index to analyze responses from more than 2,500 prompts across both ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode, producing a dataset that highlights brands that AI systems repeatedly reference when answering user queries.

Notable findings

• Stability among leaders: Top brands showed less than 20% monthly volatility in AI share-of-voice, suggesting AI systems tend to “lock in” trusted names.
• Niches break through: Brands with clear topical relevance — for example, Patagonia in ethical fashion or Logitech in gaming accessories — outperform expectations in their specialties.
• Challengers can compete: Newer players like Nuuly and Anthropic demonstrate that targeted positioning and momentum can yield AI visibility gains.
• Vertical differences: Some verticals, such as Business & Professional Services, are highly competitive, while others reward consistent authority and focus.

Why AI visibility matters

AI-powered search and chat interfaces are increasingly used by consumers for planning, recommendations, and quick answers. Being referenced in those AI responses can drive referral traffic, build brand familiarity, and influence purchase decisions. The AI Visibility Awards underscore that visibility in AI responses is becoming an essential dimension of overall search strategy — one that requires marketers to think beyond traditional ranking metrics.

Actionable recommendations to improve AI visibility

Based on the AI Visibility Index findings and broader best practices for search visibility, here are concrete steps marketing and SEO teams can take:

1. Expand topical authority and coverage

Create content pillars that comprehensively cover the topics your brand should be associated with. AI systems favor sources that provide authoritative, in-depth treatments of a subject. Use long-form guides, FAQs, and practical how-to content to give AI models reliable material to cite.

2. Implement structured data and clear semantics

Structured data (schema.org) helps AI and search engines parse the meaning of content. Use schema types for products, reviews, organizations, how-tos, and FAQs to increase the likelihood that AI models extract and reference your content accurately.

3. Strengthen E-E-A-T signals

Improve experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness by showcasing author credentials, citing reputable sources, using case studies, and maintaining transparent editorial practices. These signals help AI systems prioritize your content when generating responses.

4. Monitor AI outputs and citation patterns

Regularly sample AI-generated answers for queries relevant to your business to see how your brand is being represented. Identify misattributions, missing context, or opportunities where your content could better answer common prompts. Tools that simulate LLM prompts or track AI citations can be useful for scalable monitoring.

5. Optimize for intent, not just keywords

AI systems focus on intent and context. Organize content around intent-based topics (informational, transactional, navigational) and provide concise summaries, definitions, and clear takeaways that AI models can reproduce in answers.

6. Build citation-worthy assets and partnerships

Publish primary research, data, and unique tools that AI systems are likely to reference. Collaborate with industry publications, research groups, or influencers so that your content gains authoritative backlinks and mentions that reinforce AI trust.

Measuring and iterating

Measure success with AI-specific metrics: citation frequency in AI responses, AI share-of-voice, and referral traffic from AI-driven features. Combine these with traditional KPIs such as organic traffic and conversion rates to get a full picture. Because the AI landscape evolves quickly, measure frequently and iterate on the content and structural elements that improve your AI presence.

Conclusion

Semrush’s AI Visibility Awards and AI Visibility Index make it clear that AI-driven discovery is a new competitive arena. Brands that invest in clear, authoritative content and structured presentation will have the best chance of being recommended by AI systems. As Andrew Warden summarized, the awards are about “real user behavior” and recognizing “the marketers cracking the AI code and earning trust where it counts: inside the answers.”

For more details, read the original Search Engine Land coverage by Constantine von Hoffman: https://searchengineland.com/new-ai-visibility-awards-spotlight-brands-thriving-in-ai-generated-search-results-466439