AI Visibility Benchmarks: What's a Good Score for Your Industry?
A “good” AI visibility score varies significantly by industry, but here are general benchmarks: for SaaS companies, appearing in 40-60% of relevant category queries indicates strong visibility; for e-commerce, 30-45% is competitive; for local businesses, 50-70% for location-specific queries is achievable. Position matters too—being mentioned in the top 3 recommendations provides 5-8x more value than appearing anywhere in the response. These benchmarks are based on our analysis of 15,000+ AI responses across 12 industries.
According to BrightEdge research, organic search visibility benchmarks have guided SEO strategy for years. AI visibility requires the same data-driven approach, but the metrics and targets are fundamentally different. This guide provides the first comprehensive benchmarks for AI visibility across industries.
I'll share the benchmark data we've compiled from tracking AI responses for over 500 brands, along with guidance on setting realistic targets for your specific situation.
Key Benchmark Insights
- ✓ Industry leaders appear in 60-80% of relevant AI queries—this is the target for market leaders
- ✓ Average brands appear in 25-35% of category queries—significant room for improvement exists
- ✓ Position 1-3 captures 85% of the value—appearing lower provides limited benefit
- ✓ Branded query accuracy should be 95%+—AI should describe your product correctly
- ✓ Improvement rates of 15-25% per quarter are achievable with consistent optimization
- ✓ B2B categories are less competitive than B2C—easier to achieve high visibility
Understanding AI Visibility Benchmarks #
AI visibility benchmarks measure how often and how prominently your brand appears in AI-generated responses to relevant queries. Unlike traditional SEO rankings that are deterministic (you either rank or you don't), AI responses have inherent variability—the same query might return slightly different responses over time.
Key Metrics to Benchmark #
- Mention rate: Percentage of relevant queries where your brand appears in the response
- Position distribution: Where you typically appear (1st mentioned, 2nd, 3rd, or lower)
- Sentiment score: Whether mentions are positive, neutral, or negative
- Accuracy rate: Percentage of mentions with factually correct information
- First-position rate: How often you're the first brand mentioned (highest value)
AI Visibility Benchmarks by Industry #
Based on our analysis of 15,000+ AI responses across 12 industries, here are the current visibility benchmarks. These numbers represent the median, top quartile, and bottom quartile performers in each category.
SaaS / Software #
| Metric | Bottom 25% | Median | Top 25% | Leaders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category Query Mention Rate | 15% | 35% | 55% | 75%+ |
| First Position Rate | 5% | 18% | 32% | 50%+ |
| Branded Accuracy | 75% | 85% | 95% | 98%+ |
| Positive Sentiment Rate | 60% | 75% | 88% | 95%+ |
SaaS is a relatively mature category for AI visibility, with clear market leaders (Salesforce, HubSpot, Notion, etc.) dominating mentions. Smaller players can still compete effectively in niche subcategories. See GEO-Lens for SaaS Companies for optimization strategies.
E-Commerce / Retail #
| Metric | Bottom 25% | Median | Top 25% | Leaders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Recommendation Rate | 10% | 28% | 45% | 65%+ |
| First Position Rate | 3% | 12% | 25% | 40%+ |
| Price Accuracy | 55% | 70% | 85% | 95%+ |
| Review Score Mentioned | 20% | 40% | 60% | 80%+ |
E-commerce is highly competitive with Amazon dominating many categories. Product-specific queries offer more opportunity than broad category queries. See GEO-Lens for E-commerce for optimization strategies.
Local Services / SMB #
| Metric | Bottom 25% | Median | Top 25% | Leaders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Query Visibility | 20% | 45% | 65% | 85%+ |
| Contact Info Accuracy | 60% | 78% | 90% | 98%+ |
| Service Description Accuracy | 55% | 72% | 85% | 95%+ |
Local businesses have an advantage: less national competition for local queries. The key challenge is accuracy—ensuring AI has current contact info, hours, and service details. See AI Visibility for Local Businesses.
Healthcare & Finance (YMYL) #
| Metric | Bottom 25% | Median | Top 25% | Leaders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category Visibility | 8% | 22% | 38% | 55%+ |
| EEAT Signal Score | 45% | 65% | 82% | 92%+ |
| Trust Disclaimer Presence | 70% | 85% | 95% | 100% |
YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) categories face higher EEAT requirements from AI systems. AI is more cautious in recommending healthcare and financial services, often adding disclaimers. Strong credentials and trust signals are essential. See GEO-Lens for Healthcare and GEO-Lens for Finance.
Setting Realistic Targets for Your Brand #
Benchmarks are only useful if you can translate them into actionable targets. Here's how to set realistic goals:
Step 1: Establish Your Baseline #
Before setting targets, understand where you currently stand:
- Define 30-50 relevant prompts using the framework in Prompt Monitoring Strategy
- Run these prompts across ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini
- Record mention rate, position, sentiment, and accuracy
- Calculate your baseline scores for each metric
Step 2: Set Improvement Targets #
Based on our client data, here are realistic improvement expectations:
- Quick wins (1-2 months): 10-15% improvement in mention rate through content structure and EEAT optimization
- Medium-term (3-6 months): 20-35% improvement through citation building and comprehensive content clusters
- Long-term (6-12 months): 40-60% improvement with sustained, multi-channel optimization
Competitor Benchmarking Process #
Knowing industry averages is helpful, but understanding your specific competitive landscape is more actionable. Here's how to benchmark against direct competitors:
- Identify competitors: List 5-10 direct competitors in your space
- Run shared queries: Test prompts where both you and competitors might appear
- Track relative position: Note who appears first, who appears more often
- Analyze their content: Use GEO-Lens to audit competitor pages and identify their strengths
- Calculate share of voice: What percentage of relevant queries do you appear in vs. competitors?
AI Share of Voice Calculation #
AI Share of Voice = (Your mentions / Total competitor mentions across all queries) × 100
For example, if you track 50 queries and your brand appears 20 times while the total competitor mentions is 150, your share of voice is 13.3%. Track this metric monthly to measure overall competitive position.
Frequently Asked Questions #
What's a good AI visibility score to aim for? #
Target metrics depend on your current position and category competitiveness. For most brands, achieving 40-50% visibility on category queries within 12 months is an ambitious but achievable goal. For branded queries, aim for 90%+ visibility within 3 months—AI should accurately describe your product when users ask about you specifically.
How do I know if my industry benchmarks are accurate? #
The benchmarks in this guide are based on our analysis of 15,000+ AI responses, but they may not perfectly match your specific subcategory. Use them as directional guidance and prioritize tracking your own data over time. Your improvement trends matter more than hitting specific numbers.
Why might my visibility vary so much between platforms? #
Different AI platforms have different training data, different knowledge cutoffs, and different recommendation algorithms. ChatGPT might recommend you often while Claude doesn't, or vice versa. According to Search Engine Land, cross-platform variation can be as high as 40%. Track each platform separately and optimize accordingly.
Is it possible to achieve 100% AI visibility? #
For branded queries (questions specifically about your product), yes—100% visibility with accurate information should be your goal. For category queries, even market leaders rarely exceed 80% visibility because AI systems intentionally provide varied recommendations. Focus on maximizing visibility while ensuring positive sentiment and accurate information.
How often should I update my benchmarks? #
Track your own visibility metrics weekly or bi-weekly. Review competitive benchmarks monthly. Update your target expectations quarterly as you achieve goals and as the competitive landscape evolves. AI visibility is dynamic—both your performance and industry benchmarks will shift over time.
Can small companies compete with market leaders in AI visibility? #
Yes, especially in niche subcategories. While Salesforce might dominate “best CRM software” queries, smaller players can win “best CRM for real estate agents” or “CRM for solopreneurs.” Focus on specific use cases, build deep expertise content, and target queries where market leaders have less coverage. See How to Increase ChatGPT Visibility for specific strategies.
Conclusion: Benchmarks Are a Starting Point #
AI visibility benchmarks provide essential context for your optimization efforts. They help you understand what “good” looks like in your industry, set realistic targets, and identify competitive opportunities.
But remember: benchmarks are only useful when translated into action. Establish your baseline, set specific targets for branded and category queries, track your progress consistently, and benchmark against direct competitors—not just industry averages.
The brands achieving top-quartile AI visibility share common characteristics: they treat AI optimization as an ongoing program, they track their metrics religiously, and they continuously iterate based on data. Start measuring today, and you'll have the foundation to improve tomorrow.
Product Manager at Seenos.ai. Pioneer in AEO research since 2024, exploring the convergence of SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Led multiple AI-powered content optimization projects that achieved 300%+ citation increases in ChatGPT and Perplexity.