AI search · Glossary
What is AI share of voice?
AI share of voice is the percentage of AI-generated answers, for a defined set of prompts, that mention or cite a brand compared with its competitors. It is the AI search version of share of voice in traditional search and advertising.
Written by Noor KhanWhy AI share of voice matters
Rankings don't show whether ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google's AI features name you when buyers ask for options. Share of voice turns that into a number you can track over time and compare against named competitors.
How AI share of voice works
- You define a prompt set that reflects real buyer questions in your market.
- Each prompt runs on the assistants you care about, usually more than once, because answers vary between runs.
- Mentions, citations and position in the answer are recorded per brand, and your share is your count divided by the total.
How to apply it
- Build prompts from sales calls, support tickets and Search Console queries, not just head keywords.
- Track mentions (named in the answer) and citations (linked as a source) separately.
- Segment results by assistant and by topic.
- Rerun the same prompt set on a fixed schedule so changes are comparable.
Example
A behavioral health network tracks prompts such as 'best adolescent residential treatment in Arizona' across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode, and reports the share of answers naming its programs against three competitors.
Common mistake
Reporting share of voice from a handful of one-off prompts. Answers change between runs, so small samples show noise, not trends.
put this into practice