We sell consumer electronics. Pretty good brand, solid reviews, healthy Amazon presence.
The problem: When people ask ChatGPT “What’s the best [product category] for [use case]?” - we’re not in the recommendations.
I’ve tested dozens of queries. Competitors with WORSE products and reviews get recommended. We don’t.
Our current presence:
What I’ve noticed:
Questions:
This is affecting real revenue. More people are asking AI before buying.
AI product recommendations are a different beast than Amazon rankings. Here’s where AI actually gets data:
Primary sources for product recommendations:
Why you’re not showing up:
If AI says “not enough information” - it means your brand isn’t mentioned frequently enough in sources it trusts.
The competitive gap:
Those 3-4 brands appearing consistently probably have:
Quick audit:
The gaps you find are your roadmap.
Getting Wirecutter coverage isn’t luck, but it’s not easy either.
The reality:
Wirecutter reviews are editorial - you can’t pay for them. But you CAN increase odds:
Submit for consideration They have a contact form for product submissions. Professional PR pitches help.
Have a clear differentiator “Better value than market leader” or “Best for specific use case” - they need an angle.
Be newsworthy New product launches, significant updates, or unique innovations get attention.
If Wirecutter is unrealistic right now:
Build presence in other trusted sources:
More achievable review sites:
User-generated review platforms:
Create the comparison content yourself: If no one else has written “[Your Brand] vs [Competitor]” - write it on your blog.
AI often cites brand blogs for comparison content if it’s balanced and helpful.
Timeline:
Building AI recommendation presence typically takes 3-6 months of consistent effort, not a quick fix.
Reddit is underrated for AI product recommendations.
Why Reddit matters:
AI systems heavily reference Reddit discussions because:
How to build Reddit presence (ethically):
What actually works:
We got our product recommended by AI through Reddit by:
The compound effect:
When Reddit threads mention your product positively, and those threads rank for “[category] recommendation” searches, AI picks them up.
Warning:
Fake Reddit activity backfires. The community detects astroturfing and AI seems to pick up on negatively-discussed brands too.
Authentic presence only.
The review platform strategy most brands miss:
Amazon reviews don’t translate to AI recommendations.
Amazon is a walled garden. AI can see some Amazon data, but it’s not the primary source.
What to prioritize instead:
For Consumer Products:
For B2B/Software:
For Services:
The platform selection matters:
Different AI platforms weight different sources:
Action items:
I’ve seen brands go from 0 AI mentions to regular recommendations just by building G2 presence properly.
Technical side: Product schema helps AI understand what you sell.
Product schema that matters:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Your Product Name",
"description": "Detailed product description",
"brand": {
"@type": "Brand",
"name": "Your Brand"
},
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "99.99",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"availability": "InStock"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.5",
"reviewCount": "5000"
}
}
Why this helps:
AI systems parse structured data more reliably than page content. Schema tells them:
Additional schema types:
Comparison content schema:
If you create comparison pages, mark them up properly so AI understands the comparison format.
Testing:
After implementing, test with Google Rich Results Test. If Google can parse it, AI likely can too.
Comparison content is your secret weapon.
The insight:
When people ask AI “Which is better, X or Y?” - AI looks for comparison content.
If no comparison exists between your brand and competitors, AI can’t recommend you in those queries.
Comparison content strategy:
Yes, on YOUR website. Make them balanced and fair. AI cites these.
“Best [Product] for Small Apartments” “Best [Product] for Beginners” “Best [Product] Under $100”
| Feature | Your Brand | Competitor A | Competitor B |
|---|
Tables are highly extractable by AI.
AI trusts balanced content. One-sided content gets deprioritized.
Results we’ve seen:
After creating 10 comparison pages, our brand started appearing in ChatGPT responses for comparison queries within 6 weeks.
The content created a citable source that didn’t exist before.
YouTube reviews impact AI recommendations more than people realize.
Why YouTube matters:
Strategy:
Identify reviewers in your category Who reviews products like yours? Make a list.
Send products for review Many mid-tier YouTubers accept products for honest reviews.
Don’t demand positive coverage Honest reviews build credibility. Paid promotional content is flagged.
Create your own YouTube content Product demos, comparisons, use case videos.
The multiplier effect:
When a respected YouTuber mentions your product, their review often:
One good YouTube review can cascade into multiple AI citation opportunities.
This thread revealed what we were missing. AI product recommendations are about THIRD-PARTY VALIDATION, not just good products.
Key insights:
Our action plan:
Immediate (This Week):
Month 1:
Month 2-3:
Month 3-6:
What we were doing wrong:
Thanks everyone - this is a completely different playbook than traditional e-commerce marketing!
Get personalized help from our team. We'll respond within 24 hours.
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