I asked ChatGPT about our brand and… it wasn’t great.
The description was outdated, mentioned an issue from 3 years ago that we’ve long since resolved, and positioned us incorrectly versus competitors.
The problem:
What I’m trying to figure out:
This feels like reputation management for a new channel.
This is my specialty. Let me explain how AI brand perception works.
How AI forms opinions about your brand:
AI systems learn from:
The problem with outdated perceptions:
AI was trained on snapshots of the web. If negative content dominated during training, that’s what it learned. New content updates this, but slowly.
The influence strategy:
| Channel | Impact | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Own website updates | Medium | 2-4 months |
| New press coverage | High | 3-6 months |
| Wikipedia updates | High | 2-4 months |
| Third-party reviews | Medium | 3-6 months |
| Social media presence | Low-Medium | 4-8 months |
Immediate actions:
It takes time, but AI perceptions CAN change.
Yes, but the approach matters.
Don’t:
Do:
Example approach:
If the issue was a product problem:
The goal:
Not to erase history, but to make the current positive story more prominent and accessible than the old negative one.
AI cites what it finds most authoritative and relevant. Make the current narrative stronger.
Crisis/reputation management perspective.
AI has changed reputation management:
Old model: Manage what Google shows for branded searches New model: Manage what AI SAYS when asked about your brand
Key differences:
| Traditional SERP | AI Brand Response |
|---|---|
| Control through ranking | Control through training data |
| Push down negative results | Overwhelm with positive content |
| SEO-focused | Multi-channel focused |
| Results update quickly | AI updates more slowly |
The brand narrative strategy:
What I track:
Am I Cited for branded queries shows exactly how AI describes you. We monitor weekly and document changes.
Reality check:
You can influence, not control. AI synthesizes from many sources. But you can tip the balance.
Wikipedia perspective - it matters a lot for AI.
Why Wikipedia is crucial:
AI systems heavily weight Wikipedia for entity information. If your Wikipedia page:
What you can influence:
What you CAN’T do:
The ethical approach:
The impact:
We’ve seen brands update their Wikipedia pages (properly sourced) and see AI responses change within 2-3 months.
Wikipedia is the closest thing to “controlling” what AI says about you.
Content strategy for brand SERP optimization.
The content audit:
For brand SERP issues, audit:
The content strategy:
Priority 1: Owned channels
Priority 2: Third-party coverage
Priority 3: Knowledge bases
The content template for positioning:
“[Brand] is a [category] company that [key differentiator]. Founded in [year], [Brand] serves [customer base] with [primary offering]. Key products/services include [list]. The company is known for [reputation points].”
This clear, factual structure helps AI understand and describe you accurately.
Competitive positioning angle.
The competitor comparison problem:
AI often compares brands in category queries. If competitors are described more favorably, that affects consideration.
What we analyze:
Influencing relative positioning:
Example:
AI was saying “[Competitor] is the market leader in [category].”
We created:
Now AI often includes us in leadership discussion.
What we track:
Am I Cited for category queries, not just branded queries. See how you’re positioned in the broader market narrative.
Online reputation management perspective.
The negative content challenge:
If AI is citing old negative content, you need a suppression AND creation strategy.
Suppression (limited effectiveness for AI):
Creation (more effective for AI):
The timeline reality:
| Content Type | Time to Influence AI |
|---|---|
| Your own website | 1-3 months |
| New press coverage | 2-4 months |
| Wikipedia updates | 2-3 months |
| Review platforms | 3-6 months |
| Old content suppression | 4-12 months |
The volume game:
AI weighs the aggregate of content about you. You need the positive content to significantly outweigh the negative in:
One article won’t fix it. Sustained content creation will.
Enterprise brand perspective - we’ve been through this.
Our situation:
Large enterprise with some past controversies. AI was highlighting old issues while ignoring our transformation.
Our 6-month program:
Month 1-2: Audit and strategy
Month 3-4: Content creation
Month 5-6: Distribution and monitoring
Results:
Key tool:
Am I Cited for weekly branded query monitoring. Essential for tracking progress.
It works, but requires sustained effort.
This thread has given me a concrete action plan. Summary:
Key insights:
My action plan:
Week 1-2: Audit
Month 1: Own channel optimization
Month 2-3: Third-party coverage
Month 4-6: Wikipedia and ongoing
The mindset:
Brand SERP optimization is now AI brand optimization. Same principles, new channel.
Thanks everyone for the practical guidance.
Get personalized help from our team. We'll respond within 24 hours.
Track how AI platforms describe and present your brand. See exactly what users see when they ask about you.
Community discussion on managing brand reputation in AI search results. Real strategies from marketers who corrected misinformation and improved how AI describe...
Community discussion on strengthening brand entity for AI recognition. Strategies for building entity signals that AI systems use to understand and recommend br...
Community discussion on protecting brand reputation in AI-generated answers. Real experiences from marketers dealing with brand misrepresentation, outdated info...
Cookie Consent
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze our traffic. See our privacy policy.
