Brand mentions are a form of social proof, and they carry more weight than many marketers realize.
They work because people trust what others say about you more than what you say about yourself.
Search engines are starting to act the same way.
When your brand gets mentioned online, even without a link, it sends a strong signal. It tells Google you’re credible. It tells AI models you’re relevant. And it influences how your brand gets pulled into AI summaries and what search engines consider credible.
So, if you’re only chasing backlinks, you’re missing part of the SEO equation.
In this article, I’ll break down what brand mentions are, why they matter for SEO and large language models (LLMs), and how to get more of them.
Key Takeaways
- Brand mentions, linked or unlinked, build trust with both Google and AI models.
- Search engines treat mentions as implied links, which support rankings and authority.
- Large language models (LLMs) use brand mentions as signals for credibility in AI Overviews and generated answers.
- Digital PR, guest posting, and thought leadership are proven ways to earn high-quality mentions.
- Tools like Google Alerts, Brandwatch, and Mention help you track where and how often you’re mentioned.
- You can often convert brand mentions into backlinks with a simple outreach email.