A study of 100,000 keywords found that social media links appeared in 67.66% of Google AI Overviews, while their presence varied considerably across other AI platforms.
Brands looking to improve their visibility in AI-powered search may need to pay closer attention to their social media strategies, as new research suggests that posts and profiles across major platforms are increasingly appearing in AI-generated answers.
An analysis by SE Ranking examined 100,000 keywords across different brand categories to identify the sources most frequently cited by Google’s AI search features and AI chatbots. The findings point to a growing role for social platforms in how users discover brands and products, although their influence differs significantly between services.
Social media links appeared in 67.66% of Google AI Overview responses, 32.39% of Google AI Mode answers and 8.4% of ChatGPT responses, according to the study.
The figures suggest that an active social media presence could help brands become more visible when consumers use AI tools to research products, services and businesses. However, the results do not establish that social media activity directly improves a brand’s ranking in AI-generated answers.
YouTube leads Google’s AI citations, while ChatGPT draws on different sources
The platforms most frequently referenced vary by AI service. YouTube, which is owned by Google, was the most commonly cited source in Google AI Overviews. For ChatGPT, Reddit and LinkedIn ranked among the leading social platforms referenced.
However, the study indicates that social media links remain a relatively small part of ChatGPT’s answers overall. Citations from Reddit, LinkedIn and Facebook each appeared in fewer than 1% of responses to common queries.
This distinction is important for businesses deciding where to invest their marketing resources. A strategy that helps improve visibility in Google’s AI-powered search features may not produce the same results in ChatGPT or other AI assistants.
The research also highlights how quickly citation patterns can change. Search Engine Land reported in August that Reddit’s share of ChatGPT search citations dropped by 86.4% over four days. The reason for the decline was unclear, illustrating the uncertainty brands face when relying on individual platforms for AI-driven exposure.
Google, meanwhile, has a data-sharing agreement with Reddit. The arrangement has coincided with more consistent Reddit citations in Google’s AI responses, although the long-term implications for either company remain uncertain.
Non-branded searches offer another opportunity for social content
SE Ranking also examined 100,000 branded and non-branded queries in Google AI Mode to understand how social media sources appeared across different types of searches.
Social platforms were cited in 39.34% of responses to branded queries and 48.58% of responses to non-branded searches. Facebook, YouTube and Reddit were the most frequently referenced platforms in this analysis.
The higher share recorded for non-branded queries suggests that social content may feature in AI answers even when users are not searching for a particular company by name. This could matter for businesses seeking to reach potential customers who are researching a product category or looking for recommendations before choosing a brand.
For marketers, the findings reinforce the potential value of publishing useful, discoverable content across relevant social platforms. Videos, professional insights, community discussions and other public-facing posts may all contribute to the information AI systems draw upon when generating responses.
However, the results do not mean that every brand needs to maintain an active presence on every social network. Platform selection should reflect the audiences a business wants to reach and the AI services those audiences use.
AI visibility requires a broader strategy than traditional SEO
The findings point to a more fragmented approach to digital discovery as consumers increasingly turn to AI-powered tools alongside conventional search engines.
Traditional search engine optimisation has largely centred on improving visibility in search results, particularly Google. AI-driven discovery introduces additional considerations because different systems cite different sources and can change their citation patterns over time.
For businesses, maintaining a credible and active social media presence may be a useful part of a broader visibility strategy, alongside a well-structured website and relevant, authoritative content. Yet the study does not identify a universal formula for earning AI citations, nor does it demonstrate that social media activity alone will generate more traffic or sales.
The practical lesson is that brands should assess their visibility across multiple AI platforms rather than assume that success in one will translate to another. As AI-generated answers become another route through which consumers encounter businesses, understanding which sources these systems reference could become an increasingly important part of digital marketing planning.
Source: Planable