What is Ahrefs Brand Radar? Measuring AI visibility
Ahrefs Brand Radar tracks how brands appear in AI answers. Its observations use questions derived from search data; they do not count every real user's conversation or visit. Official data explanation
Start by defining the brand and comparison conditions. This guide explains how to read the metrics, prepare a report, and choose an existing page to improve.
Separate mentions, citations, and estimated exposure
A brand appearing in an answer is different from a link to its website.
| Metric | What it describes | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Mentions | Brand mentions in answers | Is the description accurate and relevant? |
| Citations | Pages cited as sources | Which explanation uses this page? |
| Impressions | Estimated exposure using demand associated with questions | Are the location and calculation method comparable? |
| AI Share of Voice | Relative visibility within a comparison | Did adding a competitor change the result? |
Repeated mentions of a brand within an answer count once. Citations are measured separately. AI Share of Voice depends on the comparison conditions and is not business market share. Metric definitions
Evaluate being found, receiving visits, and generating inquiries with their respective data sources.
Record the October 2026 calculation change
Ahrefs' September 29 update introduced search volume adjusted for AI platform usage and entities grouping brand names with URLs. Adjusted volume remains a demand estimate, rather than a count of people who saw an answer. Product update
Since October 1, 2026, the Brand Radar API always uses AI-adjusted search volume. Annotate that change when comparing older exports. API changelog
A larger number this month does not necessarily show that a page edit worked. Check the report conditions, data freshness, and calculation method first.
Prepare a consistent report
Create a saved report through “+ Report” or “Save report.” Configure brand name variations, associated URLs, competitors, location, and filters. Custom queries require a project, and a mapped project cannot subsequently be changed. Report setup
Before configuring the report, complete this planning worksheet.
| Field | Decision |
|---|---|
| Brand scope | Track the company and product together or separately |
| Name variations | Include relevant names and abbreviations without mixing unrelated companies |
| Associated URLs | Identify the official site and product pages |
| Competitors | Choose alternatives buyers consider for the same purpose |
| Location and question language | Keep domestic and international questions distinct |
| Question purpose | Separate definitions, comparisons, and buying decisions |
| Observation conditions | Record dates, filters, and the version of tracked questions |
This worksheet defines your comparison. It does not mean every row is a separate interface control. Check the language of the actual questions and answers as well.
Open representative answers to verify that they refer to your brand. A graph containing unrelated companies cannot support a useful decision.
Choose a page to improve
Read the questions and answers alongside the metrics. Use this decision table after reviewing results.
| Observation | Check | Possible action |
|---|---|---|
| Competitors appear in comparison answers | Does your site explain how to choose? | Add suitability, conditions, and comparison evidence to an existing page |
| Your description is outdated | Current official information and the cited page | Correct old prices, capabilities, or conditions |
| Your brand appears without a citation | The sources used in the answer | Improve verifiable evidence and practical instructions |
| Your brand appears for irrelevant questions | Namesakes and question scope | Adjust report configuration |
Avoid producing multiple articles that answer the same question. Improve the existing page when it already serves the intent. See how to investigate search intent.
No edit guarantees inclusion in AI answers. For site fundamentals, use the AI Overviews and SEO checklist.
A prompt for interpreting the report
Use this AI visibility report to suggest improvements to existing pages.
Brand and competitor definitions:
Location, question language, observation date, and metric calculation conditions:
Questions, actual answers, and cited URLs:
Current official descriptions and relevant pages:
Identify mistaken brand matches and outdated descriptions first.
For each suggestion, provide the reader's question, missing explanation,
page to edit, and evidence to verify.
Do not treat estimated exposure as measured visits.
Prefer editing an existing page when it already answers the same intent.
Start with a report whose comparison conditions are fixed, then inspect answers and citations before choosing a page. Shoryaku AI's chat can help prioritize improvements using results and business information you supply. It does not connect directly to Ahrefs, so prepare the report yourself.