Voices of Search // A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Podcast One signal that AI models pick up on (but marketers rarely optimize for)
Feb 27, 2026
Thomas Paham, CEO and co-founder of Otterly AI, tracks brand mentions in AI-generated responses to drive measurable impact for enterprises. He explains why brand mentions can matter more than links. He outlines how to position products to get recommended by AI instead of just chasing citations.
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Mentions Trump Links For AI Recommendations
- Brands should prioritize appearing as product mentions in AI-generated answers over earning links for informational pages.
- Thomas Paham argues mentions drive more eyeballs and direct product consideration, e.g., being named when users ask for "best running shoes."
Sports Brand Example Showing Mentions Matter
- Thomas Paham uses a sports brand example comparing content citations for "marathon training" to product mentions for "best running shoes."
- He shows the latter better drives business impact by directly surfacing products in AI answers.
Optimize For Product Positioning In AI Answers
- Optimize product positioning so AI systems include your brand in recommendation-style queries.
- Thomas Paham contrasts optimizing for content citations like "marathon training" with optimizing to be named for "best running shoes."