Swiss digital agency tracks brand visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode, highlighting differences in German-language search behavior

Swiss digital marketing agency netpulse AG has released new findings from its ongoing research into how companies appear in AI-generated search results across platforms including ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode.

The analysis examines how generative search engines interpret German-language queries and how Google AI Overviews are changing the relationship between traditional organic search visibility and AI-generated answers.

Measuring AI Visibility With Internal Tools

Founded in 2009 and based in Winterthur, Switzerland, netpulse AG has developed its own measurement tools to track brand visibility in generative search environments.

Rather than relying on third-party AI visibility scores, the agency said its approach focuses on observed results from live generative search engines. The latest research specifically examines German-language queries and the factors that influence which companies are referenced in AI-generated responses.

Regional Language Differences Affect Visibility

The research highlights Switzerland as a complex market for AI visibility measurement because search behavior spans German, French and Italian language regions.

According to netpulse AG, generative engines can interpret regional German phrasing differently from standard High German queries. As a result, companies may receive different levels of visibility depending on how a search is formulated, even when the underlying intent remains similar.

The findings suggest that brands operating across Switzerland need to consider linguistic and regional variations when evaluating their presence in AI-generated search results.

Organic Search Visibility Remains Relevant

The analysis also found a relationship between traditional organic search performance and visibility in generative answers.

Companies that were already visible in conventional organic search were more likely to appear in AI-generated responses for comparable German-language queries, although netpulse noted that strong organic rankings do not guarantee inclusion in generative answers.

The agency observed that AI Overviews and conversational search systems tend to reference sources with clear topical structures and strong technical foundations, indicating that traditional SEO fundamentals can remain relevant as search evolves.

SEO Expands Into Generative Search

netpulse AG positions generative engine optimization (GEO) as an extension of traditional search optimization, focused on improving how companies and their content are represented within AI-generated responses.

Its approach combines SEO, Google Ads and GEO, alongside services including social media marketing, web design and e-commerce.

The agency's measurement work is intended to help companies distinguish between estimated AI visibility metrics and actual appearances across generative search platforms.

Research Supports AI Search Strategy

netpulse has documented aspects of its search methodology and recommendations in its netpulse SEO Guide and netpulse Ads Guide, which are written in German for businesses operating in the region.

As AI-generated answers become increasingly integrated into search experiences, the agency's research highlights the need for companies to evaluate visibility across both traditional search results and emerging generative interfaces.

For Swiss brands in particular, the findings point to the additional importance of language, regional search behavior, technical website quality and structured content when assessing visibility in AI-driven search.