Guide · 2026
How to get your product mentioned in AI search
When someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Perplexity for “the best [your category]”, you want to be in the answer. Here’s how those answers actually get built — and a concrete plan to get named, without spam or black-hat tricks.
Why this matters now
A growing share of “what should I use?” questions never hit Google’s blue links anymore — people ask an AI and take the shortlist it gives them. If your product isn’t on that shortlist, you’re invisible for that buyer, no matter how good you are. This is the new top of funnel.
New to the idea? Start with the strategy overview: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
How AI assistants decide what to recommend
Models don’t have a secret ranking of products. They generate the answer from what they learned during training and (for some) what they retrieve live. In practice, a product shows up when it appears, in a positive light, across the kinds of sources models trust:
- Reddit and Hacker News threads where real people recommend tools
- “Best X” / “X vs Y” / “X alternative” listicles and comparison articles
- Developer blogs, Medium posts, and indie newsletters
- Your own site — clear, specific copy about what you do and for whom
- Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, and niche community mentions
The pattern: AI recommendations are downstream of human recommendations. Get named by humans in indexable places, and the models follow.
The playbook (do this over a month)
Nail your one-line positioning
On your homepage, say exactly what you are and who it's for in one sentence ("X for Y who want Z"). Vague copy can't be quoted.
Get into the comparison conversation
Publish or earn honest "best [category]" and "[competitor] alternative" content. These are the exact pages models lean on for recommendations.
Show up in the right communities
Answer real questions on Reddit, Hacker News and Indie Hackers where people ask for tools like yours. Be useful first; mention yourself only where it genuinely fits.
Earn a few quality mentions
One thoughtful blog review or newsletter feature beats fifty spammy backlinks. Models weigh credible sources.
Track it, then double down
Check which queries already name you and which name competitors instead — those gaps are your roadmap.
What not to do
Don’t auto-spam Reddit with your links, fake reviews, or buy low-quality backlinks. Models (and communities) are good at discounting that, and it can actively hurt you. The honest path is slower but it compounds — and it’s the only one that survives.
How Glotier helps
Glotier tracks whether AI assistants name your product, where you rank on Google, and where you’re mentioned across indie communities — then gives you one focused action each week. You can check your AI visibility free right now (no signup) to see where you stand.
See if AI knows your product — free, 30 seconds.