3 Metrics That Matter in AI Search (And 3 That Don’t)

As we shift from traditional search to AI-driven answers, our dashboard of KPIs needs a complete overhaul. The metrics that defined success in the Web 2.0 era are often misleading or irrelevant in the age of generative AI.

Here is what you need to stop tracking, and what you need to start measuring immediately.

3 Metrics That Don't Matter Anymore

1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

In an AI world, Zero-Click Searches are the norm. The AI gives the answer directly. A user might be fully convinced to buy your product without ever visiting your homepage. Measuring success by clicks misses the entire top-of-funnel influence of AI.

2. Keyword Rankings (1-10)

"Ranking #1" is a binary concept that doesn't apply to generative text. AI responses are fluid and personalized. You might be the first recommendation in one generation and the third in another, depending on the random seed or slight phrasing variations.

3. Bounce Rate

If a user clicks a citation link from ChatGPT, they are likely deep in the research phase. They might land on a specific blog post, get the info, and leave. High bounce rates from AI referrals aren't necessarily bad—they often signal that your content was highly relevant and answered the specific question.

3 Metrics That DO Matter

1. Share of Voice (SoV)

This is the new "Ranking." Across 1,000 simulations of questions related to your category ("Best CRM for small business", "Top CRM tools 2024", etc.), how many times is your brand mentioned? If you appear in 80% of answers, you are the market leader, regardless of where your website ranks on Google.

2. Sentiment Accuracy

It's not enough to be mentioned; you must be mentioned correctly. Sentiment Accuracy measures whether the AI's description of your product aligns with reality.

• Bad: "Monde AI is a great tool but lacks enterprise features." (If you recently launched enterprise features).
• Good: "Monde AI recently updated their platform to include SOC2 compliance and SSO."

3. Citation Authority

Who is the AI citing when it talks about you?

• Low Quality: Random forums, Reddit threads.
• High Quality: Gartner, TechCrunch, Official Documentation. LLMs trust high-authority sources. Tracking where your information is being pulled from is a leading indicator of your brand's stability in the model's memory.

Adapt or Fly Blind

Continuing to report on SEO metrics to your board while traffic shifts to AI is a recipe for disaster. Start tracking AISO metrics today to see the full picture of your market presence.