What the New Study Reveals About ChatGPT Visibility
If you’ve been chasing visibility in ChatGPT by publishing across every topic you can think of, a new study from Semrush suggests you might be wasting your effort. The data shows that depth in a few core categories—not breadth across many—is what earns your brand a mention by name in ChatGPT responses. For business owners, this is a strategic signal: focus your content and SEO efforts where you already have authority, then expand carefully into adjacent topics.
The study, conducted with Kevin Indig and Growth Memo, tracked 1,094 US categories in ChatGPT from January through June 2026, analyzing 283,215 domain-category citations and 76,493 brand mentions. The key finding: brands cited as a source in 74% of appearances in close-to-core categories, but that dropped to 50% in distant ones. More tellingly, being both cited and mentioned by name fell from 34% in close categories to just 9% in distant ones. In other words, your authority doesn’t travel far.
Why does this matter for your bottom line? Because being named by ChatGPT—not just cited as a source—is what builds brand recognition and customer trust. If your business isn’t showing up by name when people ask AI assistants for recommendations, you’re missing out on a growing channel of customer discovery.
Depth vs. Breadth: The Data Speaks
The study’s most actionable insight is that depth beats breadth. Brands that appeared in only one of five prompts in a category saw a drop in mention share. That penalty didn’t disappear until the brand reached at least three of five prompts. So, showing up once in 20 categories doesn’t build brand recognition—it actually hurts it.
Citation share, however, responded to coverage either way. Even a single appearance in a category’s prompts gained some citation share, and appearing in all five gained more. But citations alone don’t drive brand awareness. As Kevin Indig put it, “Being cited in many categories does not show a spread-thin effect in this sample. But brand recognition works differently. The categories where a brand consistently earns named mentions are the ones from which it can credibly expand.”
What this means for your content strategy: Instead of trying to cover every possible topic, double down on the categories where you’re already recognized. Aim to appear in at least three of five ChatGPT prompts in those categories. Then, expand into adjacent topics where your authority is likely to transfer.
Industry Variations: Finance and Real Estate vs. Legal and Healthcare
The study found that industry matters. In finance and real estate, broader coverage held more citation leverage. A brand that appeared in all five prompts in a category gained stronger citation share than one that appeared in only one. This suggests that in these industries, spreading your content across many categories can still pay off—at least for citations.
But legal and healthcare set a higher bar. Even at full five-prompt coverage, mention share still trended negative in those fields. Being widely cited didn’t translate into being named. This is a critical warning for businesses in these sectors: don’t expect ChatGPT to recommend you by name just because you have comprehensive content. You’ll need to work harder on brand positioning and third-party credibility.
Strategic Implications for Your Business
Where to Focus Your Efforts
Start by mapping where you already have authority. Use tools like Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit to identify categories where you consistently earn both citations and mentions. These are your anchor categories. From there, expand into categories that are semantically close—where the customer, problem, and buying decision are similar.
How to Earn Brand Mentions
To earn mentions in a new category, focus on clear brand positioning, third-party coverage from credible sources (like Reddit, review sites, and industry publications), and evidence of expertise (author credentials, primary research, real product details). These signals weren’t tested directly in the study, but they’re common factors that tend to impact AI visibility.
What to Avoid
Don’t spread yourself thin. The data shows that appearing in only one prompt in a category can hurt your mention share. Instead, prioritize depth in a few categories before moving to the next. And if you’re in legal or healthcare, be prepared for a longer road to brand recognition in AI search.
Bottom Line: Impact for Executives
For business owners, this study is a clear call to refine your content strategy. The days of casting a wide net and hoping for the best are over—at least when it comes to AI visibility. Focus on building deep authority in your core areas, then expand strategically into adjacent topics. And remember, this is just one factor; writing style, content quality, and overall brand authority all play a role.
If you’re in finance or real estate, you have more room to experiment with broader coverage. If you’re in legal or healthcare, double down on brand positioning and third-party credibility. Either way, the message is the same: depth wins.
FAQ
Aim for at least three out of five prompts in a category. Appearing in only one prompt can actually hurt your mention share.
Yes, for citations. Even one appearance in a category can boost citation share. But citations alone don't build brand recognition—you need depth for mentions.
The study found that even full coverage in these industries didn't translate into positive mention share. This suggests a higher bar for brand recognition, likely due to the need for specialized expertise and trust signals.
