The 2024 DTC AI Visibility Report: An Analysis of 50 Leading Brands

Introduction: The New DTC Battleground is AI Search

The way customers discover and research brands is undergoing its most significant transformation yet. For years, the goal was to rank on the first page of Google. Today, that is no longer enough. AI-powered search is the new front door to the internet, with half of consumers already using it to guide their choices [1]. This isn't a future trend; it's the current reality.

This shift introduces a new marketing channel: AI Visibility. It’s the practice of optimizing your brand’s entire digital presence to be favorably understood, synthesized, and recommended by AI models like ChatGPT, Google AI Overview, and Perplexity. Brand discovery is moving away from a list of blue links and toward a single, synthesized answer. In this new paradigm, being cited as a trusted source in an AI response is the new 'rank one'. If you’re not visible to AI, you’re invisible to a growing segment of your potential customers who now do their research faster and more conversationally than ever before [2].

To help direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands navigate this new battleground, we created the first data-driven benchmark for AI visibility in the sector. We analyzed 50 of the most prominent DTC brands to understand how they are perceived by the AI models shaping consumer decisions. In this report, you will learn which brands are winning the war for AI attention, what sources AI models trust for recommendations, and most importantly, an actionable playbook to improve your own brand's AI visibility.

Our Methodology: How We Analyzed AI's Perception of DTC Brands

To ensure our findings are credible, transparent, and replicable, we followed a rigorous research process. Our goal was to simulate how real consumers use AI to make purchasing decisions. This report is based on data collected between October 1, 2024, and October 31, 2024.

AI Models Analyzed: We focused on the three leading platforms that represent the different ways consumers interact with AI search:

• Google AI Overview: Integrated directly into the world's largest search engine.
• ChatGPT (GPT-4): The most popular standalone conversational AI chatbot.
• Perplexity: An AI-native 'answer engine' gaining traction for research-heavy queries.

Simulated User Questions: We developed over 200 unique prompts across three core categories of user intent:

• Broad Discovery: e.g., "what are the best sustainable sneakers?", "recommend a good quality bedding set", "best skincare for sensitive skin"
• Brand Comparison: e.g., "Allbirds vs. Rothy's", "Casper vs. Purple mattress", "Brooklinen vs. Parachute sheets"
• Purchase Validation: e.g., "is the Our Place pan worth it?", "reviews for the Away Bigger Carry-On", "are Warby Parker glasses good quality?"

DTC Brands Analyzed: We selected 50 well-known DTC brands across key consumer categories to ensure a comprehensive analysis: Allbirds, Andie, Athletic Greens, Away, AYR, Bombas, Brooklinen, Burrow, Caraway, Casper, Cuyana, Dr. Squatch, Everlane, Figs, Glossier, Great Jones, Hims, Harry's, Haus, Italic, Jenni Kayne, Lunya, Mack Weldon, Manscaped, MeUndies, Misen, Naadam, Outdoor Voices, Our Place, Parade, Parachute, Pattern Beauty, Peloton, Prose, Purple, Quip, Quince, Rothy's, Saatva, Seed, SKIMS, SmileDirectClub, Stance, Summersalt, Supergoop!, ThirdLove, Thinx, Warby Parker, William Murray Golf, and Youth to the People.

Executive Summary: Key Findings from the 2024 Report

For time-crunched marketers, here are the most critical takeaways from our analysis:

• The Top 3 Most Visible Brands: Brooklinen, Allbirds, and Warby Parker consistently dominated AI-generated answers. The single biggest factor contributing to their success was their frequent inclusion in high-authority, third-party 'Best Of' and comparison articles from reputable publishers.
• The Sources AI Trusts Most: AI models overwhelmingly rely on external validation. The most frequently cited sources for DTC recommendations were, in order: 1) Major media 'Best Of' lists (e.g., from Wirecutter, Forbes Vetted), 2) Niche expert review sites, and 3) Reddit community threads.
• The AI Visibility Paradox is Real: Over 60% of the brands we analyzed that hold top-5 traditional SEO rankings for high-intent keywords were nearly invisible in corresponding AI answers. This proves that a strong SEO strategy does not automatically translate to AI visibility, a concept we call the AI Visibility Paradox.
• A Surprising Finding: User-generated content from community platforms like Reddit had an outsized impact on answers to 'versus' and 'is it worth it' questions. Brands with active, positive discussions in niche subreddits often outperformed larger competitors in these specific query types.

In short, traditional digital marketing is no longer enough. To be discovered and considered in the age of AI, brands need a dedicated AI visibility strategy.

The AI Visibility Rankings: Winners, Losers, and Surprises

Our analysis revealed a clear hierarchy in the world of DTC AI visibility. Some brands have built a strong narrative that AI models readily repeat, while others, despite their market share and brand recognition, are failing to appear in the conversation.

The Top 10 Most Visible Brands: These brands were consistently mentioned and cited across a wide range of relevant queries. Their success provides a blueprint for others.

1. Brooklinen: The clear winner, mentioned in over 85% of bedding-related queries. Its dominance in gift guides and 'Best Sheets' articles from dozens of publications has made it an undeniable authority for AI.
2. Allbirds: A top performer due to its strong association with 'sustainability' and 'comfort' in countless reviews and articles.
3. Warby Parker: Frequently recommended for its business model innovation ('try-at-home') and value proposition, which is well-documented in business and consumer press.
4. Casper
5. Away
6. Rothy's
7. Everlane
8. Harry's
9. Our Place
10. Bombas

Highlighted 'Invisible Brands': These well-known companies had near-zero visibility in AI answers for even their core product categories, demonstrating the risk of inaction. For example, despite strong brand recognition, SmileDirectClub was rarely mentioned in queries about at-home teeth alignment, with AI models often citing dentist-led alternatives or competitor brands that were more heavily featured in recent health and wellness articles.

A Surprising Riser: A smaller brand like Quince, which focuses on affordable luxury basics, punches far above its weight in AI visibility. It was frequently recommended in queries about 'cashmere sweaters' and 'washable silk'. Our analysis shows this is not due to massive ad spend, but because it has cultivated a powerful reputation in niche fashion forums and Reddit communities where users praise its quality-to-price ratio. This grassroots validation is a powerful signal for AI models.

Deep Dive 1: The Anatomy of an AI-Visible Brand

The top-performing brands in our study share a set of common characteristics that make them 'citable' for AI models. The most important theme is that AI visibility is less about what you say about your own brand and more about what others say about you. AI models are designed to synthesize information from a wide range of sources to determine authority and trustworthiness [3].

Our data shows a direct correlation between the volume of positive, third-party validation and high AI visibility. This validation comes in two primary forms:

1. Expert & Media Validation: The top brands are masters at getting featured in content from reputable sources. This aligns with Google's own E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) guidelines, which are foundational to how it evaluates content quality [4]. When a trusted publication says your product is the 'best,' AI models listen.
2. User & Community Validation: Strong signals from user-generated content, such as detailed product reviews and organic community discussions, are critical. This social proof is a powerful psychological trigger for humans [5], and it appears to be just as influential for AI. Models use this content to gauge real-world experience and sentiment.

Ultimately, AI-visible brands actively work to create citable assets and build a 'Social Proof Moat' around their business. They don't just sell a product; they create data, guides, and customer stories that AI models can reference. This very report is an example of that strategy in action, a citable asset designed to build authority, a tactic we detail in our guide on how to build a social proof moat.

Deep Dive 2: The Sources AI Trusts for Recommendations

To win in AI search, you must be present where AI models are looking for answers. Our analysis provides a clear map of the most influential sources for DTC product recommendations.

Breakdown of Top Cited Source Types:

• 'Best Of' & Comparison Listicles (45%): Articles from major publishers (e.g., The New York Times' Wirecutter, Forbes Vetted, CNET) and endemic review sites were the single most powerful source category. Being featured in these roundups is the fastest path to being recommended by AI [6].
• Niche Expert & Enthusiast Blogs (25%): In-depth reviews from credible individuals or specialized media outlets carry significant weight. For a category like skincare, a review from a respected dermatologist's blog was often cited. For cookware, it was a review from a professional chef's website.
• Community Platforms (20%): The influence of Reddit and, to a lesser extent, Quora, was one of our most significant findings. For 'is it worth it' and direct comparison queries, AI models frequently synthesized opinions directly from subreddit threads. Research from Website Builder Expert shows that consumers already view Reddit as a highly trusted platform for authentic recommendations, and AI models appear to be following suit.
• Brand's Own Website & Content (10%): A brand's own site was primarily used for factual specifications (e.g., dimensions, materials, pricing) but rarely as the source for a qualitative recommendation.

The Takeaway for Marketers: Your digital PR and content partnership strategy must be re-prioritized. Getting your product included in one definitive 'Best Of' article on a high-authority site is now more valuable than dozens of low-tier blog mentions. Furthermore, ignoring community platforms like Reddit means leaving a critical part of your AI narrative to chance.

Your Actionable Playbook for Winning in AI Search

Understanding the data is the first step. Taking action is what drives results. Here is a step-by-step guide for SMBs to translate the findings of this report into a winning AI visibility strategy.

Step 1: Establish Your Baseline You cannot improve what you don't measure. Before you do anything else, you need to understand how AI models currently perceive your brand and where you stand against your competitors. This report provides a benchmark, but your brand's situation is unique. Start by getting your free, no-obligation AI Visibility One-Pager to see how you compare.

Start here: Get Your Free AI Visibility One-Pager

Step 2: Identify Your True AI Competitors Your competitors in AI-generated answers may be different from your traditional SEO competitors [7]. You might be competing with content from major publishers, niche bloggers, or community discussions, not just other brands. You must identify who is being cited for the questions your customers are asking. Searchify's platform is built to track this, helping you focus on the right competitive landscape. Learn more in our guide to AI competitor analysis.

Step 3: Target and Engage with High-Value Sources Our data shows that 'Best Of' articles are the holy grail of AI visibility. Your PR and outreach efforts should be laser-focused on getting your products featured in these lists. This requires a systematic approach of identifying the right publications, finding the right editors, and making a compelling pitch. We've created a detailed playbook on exactly how to get featured in 'Best Of' articles.

Step 4: Build Your Social Proof Moat Don't wait for others to tell your story. Proactively build your authority by creating your own citable assets and systematizing the collection of user reviews. Encourage customers to leave detailed feedback on your site and third-party platforms. This feeds AI models with the positive sentiment and real-world experience they need to trust and recommend your brand. This strategy turns your happy customers into your best AI visibility asset.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your AI Narrative

The age of AI search is not on the horizon; it is here. This report shows that AI visibility is a new, manageable marketing discipline that requires a dedicated strategy, a new set of tools, and a shift in focus from keywords to concepts and from rankings to citations.

For many small and medium-sized businesses, this creates what we call the AI Visibility Execution Gap. They have the knowledge of what needs to be done but lack the time, technical resources, or content creation bandwidth to implement the necessary changes.

This is precisely why Searchify exists. Our platform provides the data-driven insights and actionable recommendations to build your strategy. And for those who need to bridge the execution gap, our optional full-service add-on provides the expert team to implement the technical fixes, create the high-quality content, and conduct the PR outreach on your behalf—delivering the value of an entire AI visibility agency at a fraction of the cost.

The conversation about your brand is happening right now on AI platforms. It's time to take control of that narrative.

See where your brand stands. Get your free AI Visibility One-Pager now.