In one sentence
Brand sentiment is whether AI answers and online reviews describe your brand positively, neutrally or negatively, which decides whether being named wins you the shopper or sends them to a competitor.
How AI assistants form an opinion of your brand
AI assistants don't have opinions of their own. They summarize what their sources say: product reviews, forum threads, review roundups, news stories and your own pages.
If those sources praise your fit and complain about your shipping times, the answer will likely say both. Old complaints can linger long after you fix the problem, because the pages that describe it are still out there.
Brand sentiment vs. brand mentions: why both count
A brand mention tells you whether AI names you. Sentiment tells you how. "Ridgeline is a strong pick for wide feet" and "Ridgeline is popular, but reviewers report sizing problems" are both mentions. Only one of them sends the shopper to your store.
How to check your brand sentiment in AI answers
- Ask each AI assistant the questions shoppers ask about you: "Is [your brand] any good?", "[your brand] reviews", "[your brand] vs. [competitor]".
- Note the words each answer uses about you: praise, caveats, warnings.
- Look at the sources it cites to see where those words come from.
- Repeat on a schedule, since answers change from run to run.
How to improve how AI talks about your brand
- Fix the real problem first. No page can outrank a product issue that keeps showing up in reviews.
- Reply to complaints in public, on review sites and forums, so the fix is on record.
- Earn a steady flow of fresh reviews, so recent experiences outweigh old ones.
- State the facts clearly on your own site: shipping times, return policy, sizing, warranty.
Brand sentiment FAQs
Can I ask ChatGPT to change what it says about my brand?
Not directly. AI assistants repeat what their sources say, so change the sources: fix the issue, answer complaints and publish clear facts on your own pages.
Why does AI still mention a problem we already fixed?
The answer may come from older reviews that are still online, or from training data collected before the fix. Publish the fix clearly and earn newer reviews that mention it.
How often should I check my brand sentiment?
Monthly works for most stores. Check sooner after a product launch, a shipping delay or a wave of new reviews.
About the author
Jenn Starr, Co-founder, Selix
Jenn has spent 20+ years helping SaaS startups build their marketing and implementation playbooks. She has bootstrapped three marketing agencies and is a 500 Startups alum. At Selix, she leads the work of getting ecommerce brands named in AI answers.
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