Quick answer
Most mainstream global AI assistants search the web when answering recommendation questions and list their sources. Each searches a different scope: Gemini relies on Google Search, Copilot on Bing, Grok uses real-time content from X, and ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity have their own search and fetching crawlers. The way to be recommended is the same on every platform: state the facts clearly on your English site, let these platforms' search crawlers access it, get into the third-party sources they cite often, and then monitor each platform separately.
Details
Where each platform gets information
| Platform | Sources when searching the web | Related crawlers or index |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | ChatGPT search; answers include source links | OAI-SearchBot (search), ChatGPT-User (user fetching); GPTBot is for training |
| Perplexity | Search-first; answers list cited sources | PerplexityBot, Perplexity-User |
| Gemini | Relies on Google Search results | Google Search index; Google-Extended is a policy token controlling AI training use |
| Claude | Web search feature; answers include sources | Claude-SearchBot, Claude-User; ClaudeBot is for training |
| Copilot | Relies on Bing search | Bing search index |
| Grok | Web search plus real-time content from X | X content and web retrieval |
Without web search, these models answer from training data, which may be out of date and comes without sources.
Why a platform does not recommend you
- It cannot read you: little information on your English site; search crawlers blocked by robots.txt or CDN protection; ranking far down in the Google or Bing index, which affects Gemini and Copilot.
- You are not in its sources: recommendation questions often cite overseas review sites, forums, media and list articles.
- Unclear or outdated facts: prices, models, shipping and after-sales policies missing or contradictory.
- Brand name confusion: mixed up with another company or product of the same name.
What to prioritise on each platform
- ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity: make sure their search and fetching crawlers can access your pages; whether to allow training crawlers is a separate decision.
- Gemini, Copilot: do solid Google and Bing SEO so pages are indexed and key information is clear.
- Grok: pay attention to discussion about you on X and the information on your official account.
How to check brand performance
Use real English questions from users in your target market, ask on each platform separately, at least three times per question, save the raw text and source links, and count "recommended / mentioned only / absent". Results can differ by country and region, so test each market separately.
When a platform gets your information wrong
Check the sources listed in the answer, correct the pages you control, contact third-party sources for corrections, publish a clear fact page on your English site, then retest. Some platforms offer feedback on answers, which can supplement this but cannot be relied on to fix errors.
Common questions
Q: What does ChatGPT base brand recommendations on?
A: With web search, mainly the web pages it searches and cites; without it, what it learned from training data.
Q: How can a brand going overseas monitor its presence in ChatGPT?
A: Sample regularly with English questions for the target market, save the sources, count by market and language, and keep the results separate from Chinese platforms.
Q: Why do Gemini and Copilot depend on Google and Bing SEO?
A: Because they answer from Google and Bing search results respectively when searching the web, so whether your pages are indexed and how they rank affects what they read.
Related facts
Contact: contact@winin.ai