Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time testing, analysing, and tracking how companies are viewed, mentioned, and selected in AI-driven search and AI responses. The more I’ve worked on this, the clearer it’s become to me that AI visibility isn’t about a single strategy. It’s about making it easy for AI to understand who you are, what you offer, and why you, in particular, is relevant.

Here are five things I’ve learned so far.

1. Most websites are less understandable than their owners think

In my experience, many companies believe their website content is easily understood, but when I look at it through an “AI lens,” it’s often unclear what they actually offer, who they help, and what topics they should be associated with.

The biggest problem is rarely that there isn’t enough content. More often than not, the content is too general, too sales-oriented, or poorly structured.

2. Structure often has a greater impact than more content

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that adding more content isn’t always the fastest way to see results. Often, you get more out of tidying up what’s already there.

When I see pages with clear H1 headings, specific H2 headings, short paragraphs, and helpful FAQs, they’re usually much easier to understand, both for humans and AI. That’s why I almost always start with structure before content volume.

3. It’s often harder to gain visibility on ChatGPT than on Google

This is something I’ve seen time and again in practice: it often seems easier to gain visibility in Google’s AI platforms than in ChatGPT.

My interpretation is that Google already has a long history of understanding websites, brands, links, structure, and authority across the web. Many companies therefore already have a “foundation” within Google’s ecosystem. ChatGPT may be more selective, more consensus-driven, and often a bit more demanding to be accepted into, especially if the brand isn’t already clearly established or well-supported by other sources.

I’ve also noticed that these platforms gather and weigh information in slightly different ways. Google AI Overviews and AI Search naturally build on Google’s own understanding of the web, while ChatGPT may rely more heavily on how your brand and topics are portrayed across multiple clear and credible sources. Gemini is somewhat closer to Google’s logic, likely because it is more closely integrated with Google’s ecosystem.

This is why I don’t think companies should assume that “AI visibility” is a single concept. It’s the same discipline, but different algorithms may prioritize slightly different signals.

4. FAQs are more valuable than many people realize

I have become increasingly convinced that FAQs are one of the most underrated strategies in AI visibility efforts.

When an FAQ is based on real questions from customers, it’s often both more useful and more accurate than standard marketing copy. It forces you to answer clearly, concisely, and without unnecessary fluff. This also makes the page easier for AI to use.

5. It’s still early enough to get a head start

Perhaps the most inspiring thing I’ve learned is that this is still a field where many companies haven’t really gotten started yet.

Most companies are still focusing almost exclusively on Google rankings, while far fewer have a clear plan for how to be understood and referenced in AI responses. This means that companies that start streamlining their language, structure, FAQs, topic coverage, and credibility now can build a head start while many others are still watching from the sidelines.

Summary

If I had to sum up my experience in one sentence, it would be this: AI visibility is less about tricks and more about clarity.

The clearer you are about who you are, what you offer, and what questions you can answer, the greater the chance that the AI will actually understand you and choose you.

Frequently asked questions

Is gaining visibility in ChatGPT more difficult than in Google AI?

In many cases, yes. Businesses often already have some history, authority, and presence across Google’s ecosystem, which can make it easier to appear in Google AI experiences. ChatGPT, by contrast, can be more selective and may rely on clearer signals from multiple trusted sources before consistently surfacing a brand.

What is the most important first step?

If you were to focus on one change, make your website clearer. Well-defined service pages, specific headings, strong FAQ content, and a cleaner structure are often more effective than simply publishing large amounts of new content.

Do I need FAQ content and schema markup to improve AI visibility?

Not always, but both can help. FAQ content makes your pages easier for AI systems to interpret and reuse in answers, while structured data helps search engines and AI tools better understand what your pages are about.