In the age of generative AI, brand visibility has evolved beyond traditional SEO. It is now crucial for businesses not only to appear in Google search results but also to be featured in responses from ChatGPT, Google AI Overview, Gemini, and other AI systems. This was the central theme of the Marketing Link webinar: “How to Make Your Brand Visible in Google and ChatGPT.”
The keynote speaker was Mykola Lukashuk, founder and CEO of Marketing Link. A marketing expert since 2013, he holds over 100 certifications from Google, Microsoft, Meta, and HubSpot. With extensive international experience, he serves as a jury member for prestigious competitions, contributes to the Forbes Business Council, and speaks at major professional events. His company is ranked among the Top 1000 Global Service Providers (#277 out of 350,000+ companies).
From SEO to AI-First: The Shifting Logic of Visibility
Traditional SEO is undergoing a transformation. While businesses previously competed for Google rankings, they now also fight for a spot in AI-generated answers. In professional circles, this is described through concepts like AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and AI-first approaches.
The main takeaway: simply having a website is no longer enough. A brand must be perceived as an authoritative source — cited, mentioned, and used as a foundation for answers by both search engines and AI.
How Google and ChatGPT “Read” a Brand
Google operates by established rules: technical optimization, site speed, high-quality content, and external backlinks remain the baseline. AI systems are still evolving but already share common traits:
- They analyze open-source data
- They trust mentions, citations, ratings, and reviews
- They favor public and active brands over those that operate “quietly.”
Content That AI Sees
Content must provide unique expert value rather than just repeating generalities. For AI, it is important that materials have clearly stated authorship, contain real case studies and practical examples, client and partner testimonials, as well as interviews, speeches, and brand participation in industry events. A crucial nuance: if content exists only on social media and is not mirrored on the website, it effectively “does not exist” for AI.
PR, Reputation, and Publicity
Like search engines, AI prefers brands with a consistent public presence: in media and news, professional rankings, competitions, awards, conferences, and expert communities.
Even old certificates or accolades matter — but only if they are published on the website. Anything not available online is invisible to AI.
Online reputation is another vital block. ChatGPT analyzes Google Maps, review sites, forums, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Negative or controversial reviews can directly influence whether an AI will recommend a brand at all.
Regarding social media:
- YouTube and LinkedIn are indexed well.
- Facebook and Instagram are almost entirely closed to crawlers. If a brand is present only on Facebook, search engines and AI effectively cannot see it.
Technical Details Often Ignored
Since ChatGPT is integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, indexing your site in Bing is critical. If Bing cannot see the site, the chances of appearing in ChatGPT responses drop significantly.
It is also worth checking Cloudflare settings—by default, it may block AI bots. If a business wants to be included in AI results, access for these bots must be granted manually. Traditional factors—site speed, usability, accessibility, and inclusivity—remain vital for Google and are becoming increasingly significant for AI.
Final Conclusion for Business
To remain visible in Google and ChatGPT, a brand must become a public expert. Technical SEO alone is no longer sufficient. You must build an ecosystem around the brand through media presence, case studies, partnerships, speaking engagements, reviews, and the systematic publication of expert content on your own website.
Furthermore, do not limit yourself to Facebook or Instagram — AI and search engines work primarily with open platforms.
We thank Mykola Lukashuk for his practical insights and clear vision on how businesses can remain visible in the era of Artificial Intelligence.
The webinar recording is available on the SUP YouTube channel.