The AI-driven marketplace is undergoing rapid changes, and businesses are finding themselves in a race to stay visible in this new digital ecosystem. Brands are no longer simply competing for traditional search engine rankings; they are also fighting for visibility in AI-generated suggestions and search results. London-based startup Searchable has stepped up to address this challenge, recently closing a €4.5 million funding round to help businesses navigate their brand presence in an increasingly AI-dominated landscape. Here’s how they are setting a new standard, and what all startups and entrepreneurs should learn from this.
Why Your Brand Needs an AI Visibility Strategy
As search ecosystems integrate AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini, the way products and services are recommended has fundamentally shifted. Instead of directing users to websites, these systems often provide direct answers, leaving some brands overlooked while others surface prominently. Traditional tools like SEO are becoming insufficient when dealing with the complex algorithms and data sources powering AI systems.
A survey highlighted in McKinsey’s AI Discovery Study showed that 44% of consumers now rely on AI-powered search engines as their primary resource for information. This percentage dwarfs reliance on traditional search engines or industry-specific websites. Marketers are scrambling to adapt to this shift, and startups like Searchable are stepping in to provide solutions.
Searchable's Solution and Product Features
Searchable, founded by Chris Donnelly, offers an analytics-driven platform designed to help brands understand and improve visibility in AI-driven search environments. Early adopters have already noted significant results, including up to a 40% increase in visibility on AI platforms. Let’s break this down step-by-step:
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Real-Time Monitoring
Searchable monitors how brands are showcased across tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Anthropic’s Claude. This includes the tone, frequency, and citations of brand mentions. -
Actionable Recommendations
The platform doesn't just analyze, it offers actionable steps like rewriting content, improving metadata, or updating references to make brands more recognizable to AI systems. -
User-Friendly Queries
Users can ask plain language questions such as, “Which AI models recommend us?” or “Where is our brand visibility slipping?” The software responds with tailored data and suggestions. -
Seamless Integration
By connecting with Google Analytics and Search Console, Searchable provides a unified dashboard, making AI visibility a natural extension of existing workflows. -
Future Features
The company plans to roll out predictive modeling, a feature that will estimate how proposed changes could affect a brand’s AI visibility.
This innovation positions Searchable as an early leader in what could soon become a hotly contested market.
How to Adapt Your Strategy to AI Search
If you’re a founder or business owner, adapting your current marketing approach is crucial. Here’s how to get started:
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Audit Your Existing Content
Ensure that your website and marketing materials are optimized for readability by large language models (LLMs). Models prioritize clear metadata and structured data. -
Invest in AI Visibility Tools
Platforms like Searchable or Ranketta provide analytics to track how your brand performs in AI-generated queries. -
Focus on Trustworthiness
Search algorithms are valuing trust signals more than ever. Verified third-party mentions, high-quality backlinks, and authoritative content can all improve how AI perceives your brand. -
Keep Testing
Use tools to simulate how different AI platforms are presenting your brand. Run regular A/B content tests to optimize what resonates with AI systems.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Moving into AI-driven marketing comes with potential pitfalls. Here are some of the most damaging mistakes I’ve seen founders make:
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Focusing Solely on Traditional SEO: SEO matters less in an AI-first world, as 90% of AI responses pull from a broader range of sources, not just search indexes.
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Ignoring Metadata Quality: Many founders don’t think to structure their metadata for AI, meaning critical information gets lost or misrepresented.
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Failing to Build Authority Outside of Owned Channels: If your brand isn’t getting discussed on third-party platforms, AI systems may view you as less credible.
Entrepreneurial Lessons from Searchable
Investors’ interest in Searchable reflects a broader trend: first-movers in AI-centric marketing strategies have a window to capture market share before the space gets saturated. Here's what you can learn from their success:
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Speed and Execution Matter
Chris Donnelly launched Searchable in only 60 days. Fast execution allowed them to claim an early foothold in a high-growth industry. -
Target the Tools People are Using
Donnelly correctly identified the rise of AI search platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity as the new gatekeepers for user information. -
Funding Reflects Timeliness
Searchable pulled €4.5 million from backers like Freestyle VC, all because their solution directly answers a pain point no one else is addressing comprehensively.
Deep Trends Shaping AI Marketing
I’ve observed three overarching trends defining this moment:
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AI as the New Gatekeeper
Brands competing on platforms like Perplexity are playing a different game than those vying for Google SEO rankings. The difference lies in how AI delivers synthesized information rather than traditional links. -
Decentralized Discovery
Consumers don’t start and end their searches in one place anymore. Instead, they bounce between AI tools, chat apps, and localized search suggestions. Marketers should be ready to meet them at any point in the customer journey. -
The Early Phase of AI Transparency Tools
Companies like Searchable are emerging to make AI’s decision-making processes clearer. The transparency of whether and why your brand is featured in recommendations is becoming a competitive advantage.
Final Thoughts
Searchable’s success story indicates the growing importance of understanding AI-powered brand visibility. Startups investing early in tools and tactics designed for this new environment stand to reap enormous benefits. By adopting platforms that help you monitor, analyze, and act on AI search trends, you can position your business for success in an increasingly digital and automated world.
Searchable has proven that moving beyond traditional strategies is not just necessary, it’s urgent. Don’t let your brand fade into the noise. Learn more about Searchable’s funding story, and start preparing for the AI era today.
FAQ
1. Why is AI search important for brands today?
AI search is reshaping how users find information, with search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity delivering direct answers instead of linking to websites. This shift requires brands to optimize content for AI models to maintain visibility. Read about the AI search landscape
2. How does Searchable work?
Searchable is an innovative platform that monitors brand visibility in AI systems like ChatGPT and Perplexity. It provides tools to improve brand appearance by optimizing content structure, metadata, and AI training data. Explore how Searchable helps brands
3. What are actionable recommendations made by Searchable?
Searchable offers brands tailored advice, such as updating metadata, revising references, and ensuring structured data for AI models to improve visibility in AI responses. Learn about actionable recommendations
4. What is the role of AI search platforms like Perplexity and Claude?
Platforms like Perplexity provide synthesized user answers, while Claude may surface brand critiques. Each AI platform categorizes brands differently, offering unique challenges for visibility optimization. Understand how AI platforms categorize brands
5. Why are investors interested in AI-driven marketing tools?
Tools like Searchable attract investors because they address the urgent need for new strategies in AI-first ecosystems where traditional SEO strategies are less effective. Check out investor insights
6. What metrics does Searchable provide to brands?
Searchable measures factors like tone, frequency of mentions, and citations across multiple AI systems, enabling brands to refine their visibility in response-driven environments. Explore how Searchable enhances metrics
7. How do startups like Searchable and Ranketta compare?
While Searchable specializes in comprehensive AI visibility optimization, Ranketta focuses on tracking product-level recommendations and overall brand sentiment in AI platforms. Learn about Ranketta's solutions
8. What are Chris Donnelly's entrepreneurial achievements?
Chris Donnelly, founder of Searchable, previously created Verb Brands and Lottie. Both ventures became highly successful due to rapid execution and market focus, qualities reflected in Searchable's growth. Discover Chris Donnelly's past achievements
9. What is predictive modeling in AI visibility?
Predictive modeling, planned as a future feature of Searchable, will forecast how content changes can improve brand visibility across AI systems, offering proactive optimization strategies. Learn about predictive modeling planned by Searchable
10. How does decentralized discovery impact marketing strategies?
Consumers now use multiple AI tools, chat apps, and localized search suggestions to find information. Brands must adapt by ensuring readable, trustworthy, and optimized content appears seamlessly across decentralized platforms. Understand decentralized discovery in the AI era
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.