The SEO landscape is evolving at breakneck speed as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how search engines interpret and deliver content. From Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, modern search algorithms are leveraging AI to provide richer answers and context. In this new era, traditional ranking factors like keywords and backlinks are being augmented by signals of trust and authority, notably brand mentions. Both linked and unlinked brand mentions (also known as “implied links”) are increasingly influential in how search engines gauge a site’s credibility and how AI systems choose which brands to recommend. This article explores how AI is transforming SEO, with a special focus on brand mentions, E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), and strategies to build your brand’s authority in an AI-driven search world.
E-E-A-T and AI: Why Trust and Authority Matter More Than Ever
Google’s content quality guidelines emphasise E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) as critical indicators of page quality. In an AI-transformed SEO landscape, establishing trust and authority is paramount. AI algorithms and Large Language Models (LLMs) are designed to surface information that they deem reliable and authoritative. To determine this, they consider signals beyond just on-page content or backlink counts:
- Brand Reputation Signals: Google has acknowledged that positive brand mentions across the web contribute to a site’s perceived authority and trust. If respected websites and users are talking about your brand, it’s a strong indication of expertise and legitimacy. Consistent mentions of your brand (with or without a hyperlink) can factor into how Google evaluates your company’s credibility under E-E-A-T.
- Quality Content and Experience: AI-driven search puts even more weight on high-quality, user-focused content. Google’s algorithms (now augmented by AI) evaluate if your content demonstrates first-hand experience and deep expertise. Pages that thoroughly answer user queries, backed by expert knowledge and positive user feedback, tend to perform better. For businesses, this means investing in content that showcases your expertise and earning endorsements from others online – which is where brand mentions come in.
- Trust in AI Systems: AI models like Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s GPT-5 are trained on vast texts and are iteratively learning which sources to trust. If trusted sources frequently cite your brand, the AI begins to associate your name with authority in your niche. On the flip side, a lack of any mentions (or worse, negative mentions) can signal that your brand is obscure or not reputable. In short, building a positive digital footprint is now inseparable from SEO success.
In practice, prioritising E-E-A-T in the age of AI means looking beyond keywords and links to the broader context of your brand online. Are industry experts mentioning your products? Do discussions on forums and social media reference your company favorably? Are your customer reviews positive and well-managed? These elements all feed into the trust profile that Google’s AI-driven algorithms compile about your site. By cultivating strong expertise on your pages and a positive reputation off-site, you align with Google’s quality criteria and increase your chances of being highlighted by AI-powered search features.
Brand Mentions: The New SEO Asset in an AI World
One of the most significant shifts in AI-era SEO is the rise of brand mentions as a key asset. A brand mention is any instance where your business, product, or website is referenced by name on an external site – whether or not that reference includes a clickable backlink. Traditionally, SEO have obsessed over backlinks (linked mentions), but unlinked brand mentions are proving to be powerful signals in their own right. Here’s why brand mentions (both linked and unlinked) are so crucial for modern SEO:
- “Implied Links” and Authority: Unlinked brand mentions are often called implied links. Google’s search algorithms can interpret these mentions similarly to backlinks when it comes to gauging your authority. A Google patent and various SEO studies suggest that even without a hyperlink, a citation of your brand or website can contribute to your site’s authority and relevance. These mentions can drive branded searches (people searching your brand after hearing about it), improve click-through rates, and enhance Google’s understanding of your reputation. In essence, if everyone in your industry is talking about “Your Brand” as a top solution, Google takes note – whether or not every mention directly links to you.
- E-E-A-T Signal: Every time your brand is featured on a reputable platform, it’s a vote of confidence that bolsters your E-E-A-T profile. For example, imagine your company is mentioned favorably in a Forbes article about the best cybersecurity tools, or in a popular Reddit thread discussing reliable SaaS providers. Such mentions signal experience (real users or journalists have interacted with your brand), expertise (your brand is relevant to essential discussions in its field), authority (respected sites consider you worth citing), and trustworthiness (people endorse or recommend you). Google’s algorithms, which increasingly incorporate AI to assess content quality, recognise these contextual clues. Over time, a strong pattern of positive brand mentions can improve your search rankings by reinforcing your credibility in the eyes of both users and algorithms. Remember that Ai will deliver the Ai result in a written summary rather than a long list of URLs with the link through to websites. As of August, we are witnessing this trend in the US and now in the UK. If you have great organic rankings but are not paying attention, your company/brand may not appear in search results that appear as the Gemini Ai summary.
- AI Scrutiny and Context: Unlike traditional search crawlers that mainly look at page content and link graphs, AI systems “read” the web more holistically. Large Language Models(LLMs) build associations between names, topics, and sentiment from vast amounts of text. If your brand name frequently appears alongside specific keywords or topics – especially in a positive light – the AI connects those dots. For instance, if Happy Otter (our brand) is regularly mentioned in articles about “top digital marketing agencies” or “expert SEO services,” AI models like ChatGPT or Google’s SGE will start to associate Happy Otter with those categories. Later, when a user asks an AI, “Who are the leading SEO agencies in the UK?” there’s a greater chance the AI will recommend the brand as an answer, because it has “seen” your brand in that context many times before. In short, brand mentions act as essential signals to AI that your brand is trustworthy, authoritative, and worth recommending.
- Linked vs. Unlinked – Both Matter: To be clear, backlinks are still valuable – they drive traffic and confer direct SEO benefits via PageRank. They must appear natural and relevant, though, and thank goodness the backlink farms of the 00s have all but disappeared. However, unlinked mentions shouldn’t be underestimated. They broaden your brand’s footprint online in places where a hyperlink might not naturally occur. Google’s own Search Quality Raters Guidelines encourage looking at what other websites say about a source as part of evaluating reputation. Even John Mueller of Google has noted that while Google may not count “plain text mentions” the same way as links for ranking, such mentions can indirectly help by increasing brand awareness and prompting people to search for your site.
- Furthermore, unlinked mentions often appear in scenarios where links aren’t appropriate (like a social media post or a news article quoting a company without linking). They still put your name in front of audiences and algorithms. The best approach is to cultivate both: secure authoritative backlinks and foster a buzz where your brand is cited in relevant discussions across the web. Together, these create a robust signal portfolio that traditional SEO and AI algorithms alike can recognise.
- Quality and Sentiment Over Quantity: It’s worth noting that not all mentions are created equal. A dozen mentions on low-quality, spammy sites won’t impress Google’s algorithms (and could even harm perception). What counts are mentions in quality, contextually relevant places. A positive mention in a respected industry journal or a popular community forum can outweigh many trivial mentions. Sentiment matters too: AI can gauge tone and context to some degree, so a glowing recommendation is far more valuable than a passing, neutral mention – and a negative mention could even be detrimental. This is why brand reputation management and sentiment monitoring have become crucial. As we embrace brand mentions as an SEO metric, businesses need to ensure those mentions are positive, relevant, and earned on merit, not through spam. The goal is a natural-looking profile of people talking about your brand for the right reasons.
How AI Systems Leverage Brand Mentions (RAG and GEO)
Modern AI-driven search experiences rely on advanced technologies to deliver results – understanding these can help you see the value of brand mentions.
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Many AI search models use a technique called RAG to provide up-to-date and accurate answers. Instead of relying solely on pre-trained knowledge, a RAG-based system (like Bing’s AI chat or Google’s SGE) will retrieve information from current web content in real time and then generate an answer. This means whenever someone asks a question, the AI might pull data from recent articles, forums, or databases before formulating its response. Brand mentions play a pivotal role here: if your brand is featured in those retrieved sources (e.g. a recent blog post listing top products, or a Quora Q&A where your service is recommended), the AI is more likely to include your brand in its synthesised answer. Essentially, by increasing your footprint in the content that AI tools draw upon, you increase your visibility in AI-generated responses. It’s no surprise that major search innovations like Google’s SGE are using RAG under the hood, pulling content from indexed webpages to craft answers.. For businesses, this underscores a key strategy: ensure your brand is present in the content that AIs are likely to retrieve. If an AI assistant is scanning the web for “best CRM software 2025” and your product was mentioned on a credible “Best CRM” list, you’ve vastly improved your odds of being featured in the AI’s answer.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO): You’ve heard of SEO – now there’s GEO, an emerging concept meaning Generative Engine Optimisation. GEO is about optimising your content and online presence to be featured in conversational AI results and AI-overview snippets. In other words, GEO is SEO adapted for the world of chatbots and AI-infused search. One of the fundamental differences in GEO is the weight placed on brand presence and context. Since generative AI answers don’t just list ten blue links and let the user pick, the AI itself decides which sources (and brands) to weave into its single answer, this is where brand mentions become gold. Industry experts note that brand mentions are critical in GEO because NLP models use them to reduce ambiguity and increase certainty in results.. When an AI sees your brand frequently mentioned alongside specific topics, it gains confidence about what you’re associated with (a concept called mutual information in NLP).. For example, an AI might know the term “Acme Corp.” Still, if it consistently sees “Acme Corp – a leading fintech platform” across many sources, it starts linking Acme Corp to fintech solutions with high certainty. Search engines and generative engines now treat brand mentions as a signal of authority and relevance, much like they treat links in traditional SEO. Because AI-driven search is constantly learning from fresh data, brand mentions likely play an even more crucial role in AI search than in classic search ranking. They provide AI with the context needed to confidently recommend your brand for long-tail, specific user queries§.
Impact on Google’s AI-Driven Algorithms: Google’s core algorithms are increasingly intertwined with AI models. Features like Knowledge Panels, People Also Ask, and the new AI summary boxes pull from Google’s vast understanding of entities (brands, people, places) and their relationships. Having widespread brand mentions boosts your brand’s prominence as an entity in Google’s Knowledge Graph. Moreover, Google’s experimental generative search results often cite sources or at least draw on multiple websites to form answers. If your brand isn’t part of that conversation online, you risk invisibility in these AI-curated answers. Conversely, a brand that’s well-mentioned in authoritative contexts signals to Google’s AI: “This is a trusted name in this domain” Practically, this could mean your brand gets nods in AI answers (even without clicks, such visibility builds awareness), or that Google’s algorithm gives a slight ranking boost to your content because it recognizes the brand as reputable.
To put it simply, AI is forcing SEO to evolve from just optimising webpages to optimising brand presence. This isn’t about gaming the system; it’s about truly building authority. Google’s AI-driven algorithms aim to serve users the best, most trustworthy answers. By cultivating strong brand mentions and positive associations, you’re aligning your SEO strategy with what the AI is looking for. As one industry piece succinctly put it, in the era of GEO, you should make building a strong presence through brand mentions a top priority – potentially even more critical than traditional link building alone. The brands that succeed will be those that have established themselves as authoritative sources in the collective online mind of both humans and machines.
Strategies to Earn Brand Mentions in an AI-First World
Building up quality brand mentions doesn’t happen by accident – it’s the result of deliberate content marketing, PR outreach, and reputation management strategies. Fortunately, many traditional SEO and marketing tactics can be adapted to generate the kind of mentions that boost your E-E-A-T and AI visibility. Below are some practical strategies to help your brand get talked about online (for the right reasons), along with how Happy Otter can assist in each area:
- Create Mention-Worthy Content (Content Marketing): The foundation of earning brand mentions is producing high-value content that others naturally want to reference. This could be original research, insightful thought leadership articles, infographics with compelling data, or comprehensive guides that become go-to resources. AI systems and human searchers alike gravitate towards unique, informative content. When you publish something noteworthy, bloggers and journalists may cite it, influencers might share it, and forum users could link to it when answering questions – all of which are brand mentions. Focus on content that showcases your expertise and offers genuine value. (For example, publishing an annual “Industry Trends Report” with proprietary data can attract media coverage and countless mentions.) At Happy Otter, our Content Marketing service is geared towards creating this kind of impactful content. We craft articles, whitepapers, videos, and more that not only rank well in search engines but also earn organic mentions and backlinks from other websites, feeding the cycle of authority.
- Leverage Digital PR and Outreach: Digital PR is one of the most powerful tactics for generating authoritative brand mentions at scale. It involves securing your brand’s inclusion in press articles, industry publications, reviews, and listicles. AI tools love structured and reputable content – think “Top 10” lists, expert roundups, and product reviews – as these are often the first sources referenced when AI generates answers. By getting your business featured in “Best of” lists or high-profile news stories, you not only earn a backlink but also a valued mention in a context that signals credibility. For instance, being listed in a “Top 5 Law Firms in London” article or mentioned in a TechCrunch piece about emerging startups provides context that your brand is among trusted, notable players. Happy Otter’s PR outreach can help pitch your brand to journalists and bloggers to secure such features. Our Digital PR campaigns focus on getting your brand mentioned in high-authority publications and niche blogs your audience reads – precisely the kind of coverage that AI models recognise and value. We also help clients craft press releases and expert commentary to increase the chances of media pick-up. The result is brand mentions in trusted contexts that boost both your SEO and public perception.
- Strategic Guest Posts and Link Building: Traditional link building isn’t just about the link juice – it’s also a way to spread your brand name across relevant sites. Every guest article you contribute, every interview you give, and every partnership content piece is an opportunity to reinforce your brand’s identity on the web. When doing guest blogging or collaborative content, ensure your brand is prominently mentioned (and linked, when appropriate) in the author bio or content body. Over time, these editorial mentions accumulate into a powerful signal. It’s also essential to maintain a natural mention profile just as you do a natural link profile.. That means getting cited in contexts that make sense – e.g., a niche edit (content update) on a relevant blog that inserts a reference to your brand as an example, rather than forcing your name onto unrelated pages. Happy Otter’s Organic SEO and outreach services can help identify the right guest posting opportunities and craft content that naturally integrates your brand mention. We focus on contextual relevance – placing your brand in articles where the surrounding topic aligns perfectly, so both readers and AI algorithms see your mention as adding value.
- Encourage Reviews and Testimonials (Reputation Management): Customer reviews and third-party testimonials are another potent source of brand mentions. They typically include your brand name (often unlinked) and provide sentiment signals. A series of positive reviews on platforms like Google, Trustpilot, G2, or industry-specific sites will flood the web with your brand mentions accompanied by high-star ratings or favourable comments. These user-generated mentions help AI understand not just what your brand does, but how people feel about it. Sentiment analysis is a growing part of AI algorithms – a strongly positive sentiment around your brand can reinforce trustworthiness. Conversely, a pattern of negative mentions could hurt (and remember, unlike links, you can’t “disavow” a bad mention easily). Proactively manage your online reputation by encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews and responding professionally to any negative feedback, demonstrating your care. Internally, Happy Otter guides clients on reputation management best practices – from setting up Google Alerts to monitor new mentions at happyotter.co.uk, to using AI tools to analyse the sentiment of social media mentions. By staying on top of what people say about your brand, you can amplify the positives and address the negatives, ensuring the overall narrative about your brand across the web stays favourable.
- Community Engagement and Social Presence: As AI integrates more data from forums and social media, establishing a presence in online communities can yield significant benefits. Reddit and Quora have been observed as two of the most-cited domains in Google’s AI-driven results. Participating (authentically) in Q&A threads or subreddit discussions can seed your brand into those high-visibility platforms. For example, if someone asks “What’s the best project management tool?” on a forum and a user (or your representative) mentions your tool with a genuine endorsement, that’s a lasting brand mention that both future readers and AI scrapers can pick up. Likewise, engaging on LinkedIn groups or industry Facebook communities builds your brand’s profile among your target audience. The key is to add value in these discussions – share knowledge freely rather than just self-promote. Over time, you build community goodwill, and people may start recommending your brand of their own accord. Happy Otter provides guidance on community outreach and community mentions services (akin to digital word-of-mouth), helping you secure positive, natural-looking comments and posts about your brand in strategic online communities. By boosting your brand’s visibility on platforms where your audience hangs out, you increase the likelihood that both humans and AI will take note.
- Consistent Branding and Schema Markup: Ensure that your brand name is presented consistently across all platforms – exact spelling, capitalisation, and associated descriptors – so that AI algorithms can recognise and consolidate your mentions. Using schema markup on your website (such as Organisation schema on your homepage and Article schema on blog posts) can also aid Google in understanding your brand entity. For instance, implementing the WebPage and Article schema with your organisation’s details signals to search engines who the content is about, which can reinforce the connection between your site and off-site mentions. Additionally, adding an FAQ page schema for Q&A content on your site (like the FAQ below) can directly improve how your content is featured in search. While schema alone won’t create brand mentions, it complements the strategy by ensuring that when your brand is mentioned, search engines fully comprehend the context and can attribute it correctly to your entity in the Knowledge Graph. Essentially, strong branding, structured data on your site, and widespread brand mentions off-site create a synergistic effect for maximum visibility.
By combining these strategies, you create a virtuous cycle: great content and PR give people something to talk about (brand mentions), which boosts your authority, which in turn improves SEO and AI visibility, bringing you more traffic. The overarching principle is integration: SEO in 2025 is no longer an isolated technical effort but part of a broader digital brand-building exercise. As AI transforms how consumers find information, businesses must ensure their brand is not just optimised for keywords, but optimised for credibility across the entire web. Brand mentions that are genuine and mention your company name, or individuals associated with your company who are leaders in their field.