Getting mentioned by AI is good. Getting mentioned enthusiastically is better. Getting mentioned with caveats and warnings is... a problem.
What AI brand sentiment means
When AI mentions your brand, it doesn't just say "here's Company X." It contextualizes. It might say:
- "I'd highly recommend Company X for this use case" (positive)
- "Company X is one option in this category" (neutral)
- "Company X could work, but some users have reported issues with..." (negative)
The sentiment is the tone of that mention. It's not just whether you appear, but how you appear.
Why sentiment matters
Imagine someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation. It mentions three options:
"For invoicing, I'd suggest FreshBooks for its ease of use and great mobile app. QuickBooks is another solid choice if you need more accounting features. Some people use WaveApps, though it has a steeper learning curve and limited support."
All three got mentioned. But which one do you think the user clicks on first? The enthusiastic recommendation beats the lukewarm acknowledgment every time.
AI sentiment directly impacts whether a mention converts into a lead. A positive recommendation is a warm handoff. A grudging acknowledgment is a speed bump.
What shapes AI sentiment
AI forms opinions based on what it's read about you. That includes:
Reviews and testimonials. If your G2 reviews skew positive, AI picks up on that pattern. If there are recurring complaints, AI might mention those too.
How you're described by others. Press coverage, blog mentions, social discussion. Are people enthusiastic about you or skeptical?
Your own content's tone. If your website makes realistic claims and delivers on them, that consistency builds positive associations. If you overpromise and reviews contradict you, that dissonance shows up.
Comparison to alternatives. AI is always contextualizing. If competitors have stronger signals in certain areas, AI might position you as "good but not as good as X for this specific thing."
Monitoring sentiment, not just mentions
This is why pure mention counting is incomplete. "You were mentioned 50 times" doesn't tell you if those were enthusiastic recommendations or cautionary notes.
When tracking AI visibility, pay attention to the language around your mentions:
- Does AI recommend you proactively, or only list you as an alternative?
- Does it highlight your strengths, or mainly acknowledge your existence?
- Are there caveats or warnings attached to mentions of your brand?
Improving your sentiment
This isn't about manipulating AI. It's about genuinely improving how you're perceived across the internet.
Address real criticisms. If there are legitimate complaints in reviews, fix the underlying issues. Then the new reviews will be more positive, and AI will eventually reflect that.
Highlight genuine strengths. Make sure your actual advantages are clearly communicated in your content and picked up by others. If you're great for a specific use case, make that undeniably clear.
Get happy customers talking. Positive reviews, case studies, testimonials. These create the raw material that AI draws from when forming its opinion of you.
Be consistent. Say what you are, deliver on it, and make sure third parties describe you the same way. Consistency builds confidence, both for humans and AI.