I just found something wild about how AI searches for your brand.
We all assume tools like ChatGPT just "know" things from their training data. But when you ask about current products or specific recommendations, they go out and browse the web.
So I ran an experiment. I set up a trap - a server-side logging system - to catch EXACTLY what ChatGPT looks for when you ask it about software.
The data was NOT what I expected.
When I compared generic questions ("What's the best CRM?") vs. brand-specific questions ("Is Salesforce good?"), the AI's behavior completely changed.
Generic prompts triggered 64% MORE internal searches than brand-specific ones.
Here's why that matters - and how you can use it to hack your AEO (AI Engine Optimization) strategy.
🧪 THE EXPERIMENT
I wanted to see the difference between "Discovery Mode" and "Validation Mode."
So I created 28 prompts across 14 categories (CRM, Project Management, Email Marketing, etc.) and split them into pairs:
1. Generic Prompts:
"What's the best CRM for small businesses in 2025?"
2. Entity-Anchored Prompts:
"Is [Brand Name] a good CRM for small businesses in 2025?"
I fed these into ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini, and then I scraped the internal search queries (what the AI actually typed into Bing or Google) and logged the citation URLs (what it sent back to the user).
Here is exactly what I found.
📊 THE RESULTS
The difference in behavior was night and day.
| Metric | Generic Prompts ("Best X") | Entity Prompts ("Is Brand Y Good?") |
|---|---|---|
| Total Search Queries | 113 searches | 69 searches |
| Search Volume | High (+64%) | Low (-39%) |
| Brand Name in Query | 24.8% | 97.1% |
| Review Site Citations | 6 citations | 2 citations |
| Top Source | Broad mix (News, Blogs) | The Brand Itself |
🧠 THE INSIGHTS
1. Discovery vs. Validation Mode
Here's the thing...
When you ask a generic question, the AI goes into Discovery Mode. It casts a wide net, searching for "best [category] 2025," "top rated [category]," and "reviews." It's looking for consensus.
But when you ask an entity-specific question, it switches to Validation Mode. It stops looking around and goes straight to the source—your website.
The Insight: Use generic content to get found. Use entity content to close the deal.
2. Reviews Are for Reading, Not Citing
The data showed something interesting about review sites like G2 and Capterra.
The AI searched for them constantly ("salesforce reviews g2", "hubspot pros cons capterra"). It clearly READS them to understand sentiment.
But it almost NEVER cited them.
For generic prompts, review sites were only cited 6 times. For entity prompts? Only 2 times.
Instead, after reading the reviews, the AI went to the brand's own pricing or features page and cited that as the source.
The Bottom Line: You need good reviews to influence the answer, but you need a great website to get the citation.
3. Your Competitors Are Stealing Your "Entity" Traffic
This one hurt to watch.
In the "Other" bucket of citations, I found competitor brands popping up in the answers for specific companies.
Example: When I asked: "Is Klaviyo good for deliverability?" ChatGPT cited: Moosend.com (a direct competitor) 4 times.
Why? Because Moosend probably wrote a great "Moosend vs. Klaviyo" comparison article that answered the specific question about deliverability better than Klaviyo did.
The Insight: If you don't answer specific questions about your own product, your competitors will do it for you.
🛠️ THE PLAYBOOK
So, how do we turn this into traffic? Here is your new AEO checklist.
To Win Generic Queries ("Best [Category] 2025")
These queries are high-volume but competitive. You need to be everywhere.
1️⃣ Year-Stamp Everything: 77% of generic queries included a year. If your content doesn't say "2025," you're invisible. 2️⃣ Get on the Lists: The AI cites "Best X" lists from authoritative domains (TechRadar, Forbes, niche blogs). Get your PR team on this. 3️⃣ Target "Best X for Y": Don't just rank for "Best CRM." Rank for "Best CRM for real estate agents."
To Win Entity Queries ("Is [Your Brand] Good?")
These queries are lower volume but HIGHER intent. You must own these.
1️⃣ Own Your "Vs" Pages: Write the definitive "Us vs. Them" comparison. If you don't, they will. 2️⃣ Create "Feature" Documentation: The AI loves citing specific feature pages (e.g., "Pricing," "API Documentation," "Security"). Make these easy to read. 3️⃣ Don't Ignore Reviews: Even if they aren't cited, they shape the sentiment of the answer. Keep your G2 profile clean.
CHEERS!
The data is clear: AI doesn't just "know" things—it actively researches them.
If users don't know you yet, you're fighting for generic visibility against the entire internet. If they DO know you, you better make sure you control the narrative—or a competitor will be happy to do it for you.
Time to update those year-stamps. 🚀