When AI Mentions You (and Sometimes Doesn’t): Why Positioning + Keywords Drive AEO Discoverability
My discovery: AI recommended me… then didn’t
I tested ChatGPT with a simple prompt: “I am looking for a strategy coach specialised in AI in Malaysia. Can you recommend?” My name and 10xAI Business appeared alongside other players. When I repeated the test from another account—and slight wording changes—my name didn’t show.
That contrast is the point of this article: AI visibility is fluid. And the lever we control most is positioning—reinforced by consistent keyword signals across our digital footprint.
Positioning is everything (and it behaves like living keywords)
People—and AI systems—find us based on who we say we are and who the web says we are. If your brand language is generic (“business coach”), AI can’t reliably match you to specific intents. If your language is specific (“AI strategy coach for SMEs in Malaysia”), AI can map you to the user’s query with confidence.
- Clarity: Define audience × outcome × context (e.g., “SME leaders • AI strategy • Malaysia”).
- Consistency: Repeat this phrasing across website, LinkedIn, bios, talks, media.
- Context: Publish proof assets (case studies, interviews, guides) that tie your brand to these concepts.
In AEO terms, positioning = keywords + proof + repetition. The clearer and more consistent the signals, the more often AI “remembers” to recommend you.
Why results vary across accounts & prompts
AI assistants can produce different answers because of:
- Prompt wording: Small changes (“advisor” vs “coach”, “Kuala Lumpur” vs “Malaysia”) shift candidates.
- Model/version differences: Variants of ChatGPT (and updates) weigh signals differently.
- Randomization: Sampling can surface different “credible” options each run.
- Evidence density: If your public signals are thin or inconsistent, you may be suggested in one run and dropped in another.
How to improve AI discoverability (AEO checklist)
Use this quick, positioning-first checklist to strengthen your odds of being recommended:
- Define a one-line niche: “AI Strategy Coach for SMEs in Malaysia.” Keep it identical everywhere.
- Homepage alignment: H1, meta title/description, and first paragraph should repeat your niche.
- Proof library: Publish 3–5 concise case studies using your niche terms in headings and summaries.
- Authority mentions: Secure interviews/podcasts/listings that describe you with the same phrasing.
- Answer-led content: Create “best coach for X?” and “who helps with Y in Z?” posts—short, direct, and factual.
- Consistent bios: LinkedIn, YouTube, event pages, slide decks—same sentence, same keywords.
- Structured data: Use Article and FAQ schema on key pages to help answer engines parse your positioning.
The goal: make your brand the inevitable answer for a specific audience and intent.
Quick FAQs
Why did ChatGPT show my name from one account but not another?
Different prompts, model versions, and sampling can produce different—but still credible—answers. If your public signals are strong and consistent, you’ll appear more reliably.
What matters more—SEO or AEO?
Both. SEO makes you easy to find in search; AEO makes you easy to recommend in AI assistants. Positioning and consistent keywords power both.
Which keywords should I repeat?
Use audience × service × geography (e.g., “AI strategy coach • SME leaders • Malaysia”) plus outcome terms (e.g., “roadmap,” “implementation,” “decision support”).
How fast can I improve AI discoverability?
Start with message clarity (today), update bios and headers (this week), publish 1–2 answer-style posts (this month), and pursue authority mentions (ongoing).
