Brand Mention Rate vs First Position Rate: Which Metric Matters More
Brand Mention Rate (BMR) measures how often you appear; First Position Rate (FPR) measures how often you're recommended first. Both matter, but which to prioritize depends on your situation. Low BMR = focus on visibility first. High BMR but low FPR = work on authority and differentiation.
Key Takeaways
- • BMR = visibility breadth—are you in the conversation?
- • FPR = visibility depth—are you the top choice?
- • BMR first—you need visibility before position matters
- • FPR = 3-5x more engagement than lower positions
Brand Mention Rate (BMR) #
Definition: Percentage of monitored queries where your brand appears in the AI response.
Formula: BMR = (Queries with mention / Total queries) × 100
BMR Benchmarks
- >60%: Excellent—strong brand recognition
- 40-60%: Good—solid presence
- 20-40%: Average—room for improvement
- <20%: Poor—visibility crisis
First Position Rate (FPR) #
Definition: Percentage of mentions where your brand appears as the first recommendation.
Formula: FPR = (First position mentions / Total mentions) × 100
Why FPR matters:
- First position gets 3-5x more user attention
- Implies AI considers you the “best” option
- Higher trust and conversion correlation
Which Matters More? #
| Situation | Priority | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Low BMR, Low FPR | BMR First | Build visibility foundation |
| High BMR, Low FPR | FPR Focus | Improve authority signals |
| Low BMR, High FPR | BMR Expansion | Expand query coverage |
| High BMR, High FPR | Maintain | Defend position, monitor competitors |
Related: Understanding AI Visibility Scores | Competitor Tracking
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.