Key Takeaways
- What we measure: for a list of questions, the presence of your website or brand in the results from each search engine, ranking, competitors and sources cited, sentiment, with repeated data points.
- Manual: This is feasible for 10 to 20 questions per month using a spreadsheet; it's enough to get started.
- Tools: GEO-specific tools (€50 to €500 per month), AI modules in SEO suites (Semrush, Ahrefs), and management platforms that integrate tracking with other channels.
- Criteria: covered search engines, query repetition, voice share, France localization, export, price per question.
AI models don't have a Search Console: to find out if ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini mention you, you have to ask them questions and analyze their responses. This is the core of measuring GEO. This article describes what to measure, the manual method for getting started, the families of tools available in 2026 along with their prices, and the selection criteria. The indicators themselves are defined in GEO KPIs.
What to Measure
| Data | Details | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance | Your domain cited as a source, or your brand mentioned, for each question and each search engine | Citation Rate and Mention Rate |
| Rank | Position of your source in the list provided | One primary source carries more weight than one eighth |
| Competitors and sources cited | Who appears in your place or next to you | Market share, benchmarks to emulate |
| Content of the note | What AI Says About You: Accurate, Outdated, Positive | Accuracy and Emotion |
| Variability | Results from multiple runs of the same question | Responses vary; a reliable measurement is based on an average of several readings |
| Evolution | The Same Questions Over Time | Impact of Actions |
The Manual Method for Starting Up
- Create the list: 10 to 20 target questions, divided into "understand," "compare," and "choose"; see Keyword Research for GEO.
- Select engines: ChatGPT with web search enabled, Perplexity, Google (AI preview and AI mode), and possibly Gemini and Copilot.
- Raise Once a month, in incognito mode or using a neutral account (the cache and history personalize the responses), each question twice per search engine.
- Rate in a spreadsheet: date, engine, question, cited (yes/no), rank, brands and domains cited, comments on the content.
- Calculate the citation rate by search engine and the list of the most frequently cited competitors.
Allow two to three hours per month for 20 questions across three search engines. Beyond that—or to closely monitor competitors—a tool becomes necessary.
Tool Families in 2026
| Family | Examples | What They Do | Estimated price (excluding tax) per month | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEO Specialized Tools | Peec AI, Profound, Otterly, Scrunch, Rankshift, AthenaHQ, SEMrush AI Toolkit (module) | Check search engines at regular intervals for your queries; track citations, mentions, share of voice, sentiment, and sources; monitor competitors | €50 to €500, depending on the number of questions and search engines; price upon request | Brands and agencies for which AI recommendations are a key issue |
| AI Modules in SEO Suites | Semrush (AI Toolkit), Ahrefs (Brand Radar), Similarweb | Brand visibility in AI responses, keywords that trigger AI snippets, comparison to competitors | Included or available as an add-on (Semrush AI Toolkit, approximately $99) | Teams that already have a suite |
| Position-Tracking Tools with AI Detection | Monitorank, SE Ranking, AccuRanker | AI previews appear in your Google searches, with quotes included in the preview, sometimes picked up by voice assistants | €10 to €150 | SEO tracking for those who want to see the impact of previews |
| Marketing Management Platforms | GreenRed (GEO module) | Mentions and citations by search engine, share of voice, linked to AI traffic (GA4), SEO rankings, and other channels, with alerts and actions | Included in the subscription | SME and agency executives who want a big-picture view |
| Homemade Solutions | Scripts for OpenAI, Perplexity, and Gemini APIs | On-Demand Automated Statements | A few euros for APIs + development | Technical Teams |
The market is changing rapidly: new tools emerge and merge every quarter; be sure to check which search engines are supported and the pricing when making your choice. Metrics from APIs do not exactly replicate the responses from the consumer interface (settings, personalization, web search), a fact that reputable tools make clear in their documentation.
Selection Criteria
- Engines covered: At a minimum, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google (AI previews and AI mode), Gemini; Copilot, Claude, and Mistral's Le Chat, depending on your audience.
- Survey Method: query repetition (multiple executions per query), frequency (daily to weekly), interface or API, location in France, and the French language.
- Market share: monitoring competitors on the same issues.
- Analysis of Sources: which pages and domains are cited, to guide our actions; see Sources of Generative AI.
- Accuracy and feeling: What AI Says About You.
- Integration: Integration with GA4 (AI traffic), Search Console, and SEO tracking, to avoid having multiple dashboards.
- Price per question: These tools are billed based on the number of questions answered; 30 to 50 questions are sufficient for an SME.
- Export and History: to keep your data if you switch tools.
Interpreting the Results
Three precautions. Responses vary: base your judgment on three-month averages and trends, not on a single data point. Engines aren’t directly comparable to one another: a citation rate of 30% on Perplexity and 10% on ChatGPT is common; compare each engine to its own historical performance. Finally, cross-reference with traffic: sessions originating from chatbots in GA4 confirm that citations drive visits; see Identify AI traffic in GA4. Monitoring what AI says about the brand—beyond the target questions—is covered in monitor its presence in generative AI.
How GreenRed Can Help You
Instead of juggling multiple tools, GreenRed's GEO tracking brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time, and shows you which actions to prioritize. You can try it for free—no credit card required—on the page Rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Search Console for ChatGPT?
No. No assistant provides tracking tools to website publishers. This process involves regularly querying search engines using a list of questions—either manually or through specialized tools that automate the data collection and calculate citation rates, share of voice, and cited sources.
How much does an AI-powered visibility tracking tool cost?
From €50 to €500 (excluding tax) per month for specialized tools, depending on the number of queries and search engines; approximately $99 for Semrush’s AI module; and a few dozen euros for AI-powered insights in a ranking tool. Some marketing management platforms include it in their subscription.
Is it possible to track your AI visibility without a tool?
Yes, for 10 to 20 questions: ask them each month to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google in incognito mode—twice each—and record in a spreadsheet whether the search term appears, its ranking, and any competitors mentioned. Allow two to three hours per month. Beyond that, a tool can automate the process and ensure the reliability of the data.
Why do the results from a tool differ from what I see in ChatGPT?
Tools often query search engines via APIs or neutral accounts, whereas your interface tailors responses based on your history, location, and memory. Responses also vary from one run to the next. Reliable tools repeat queries and document their methodology; compare trends rather than isolated results.