The most-cited public studies show that brand mentions on the web relate more to visibility in Google AI Overviews than backlinks do, but they are correlations and do not show that one causes the other. The prudent conclusion is that your brand's presence in reliable sources matters, that a link is one form of mention but not the only one, and that fabricating mentions with no real value is not a sustainable strategy.
Mention, link and anchor: three different things
- Mention without a link: the brand name appears in a text, with no hyperlink.
- Backlink: a hyperlink to your site, with anchor text that can be the brand name, a URL or a description.
- Brand anchor: the hyperlink uses the brand name as its text, so it combines mention and link.
One article can have all three or just one. That is why comparing mentions and backlinks as if they were mutually exclusive is an oversimplification.
What the Ahrefs study shows
In its analysis of 75,000 brands, Ahrefs reports that brand mentions on the web have the highest correlation with visibility in AI Overviews (0.664), followed by brand anchors (0.527) and brand search volume (0.392). Backlinks show a correlation of 0.218. Ahrefs also notes that brands in the top quartile for mentions averaged 169 mentions in AI Overviews, versus 14 in the next quartile.
The caveats matter. Ahrefs stresses that correlation is not causation. In addition, the analysis filtered domains with DR above 40 and a main keyword with at least 800 monthly searches, and it measures only Google AI Overviews. The data does not say how many mentions are needed or which type of mention weighs more.
What Google says about mentions
In its AI optimization guide, Google acknowledges that its features can show what is said about products and services on the web, including blogs, videos and forums. But it clarifies that pursuing inauthentic mentions is not as useful as it seems, because its ranking systems focus on quality content and other systems block spam.
Translated: a mention is worth something if it exists for a real reason, such as news, a case study, a collaboration, an expert opinion. It is not worth it if it is a text with no readers published to manufacture presence.
How to build brand presence without shortcuts
- Define what is newsworthy about your client: a launch, original data, a local story, an expert opinion.
- Choose outlets their audience reads and that are relevant to the topic and the country.
- Be transparent: if there is payment, the content must be labeled according to the outlet's policy, and links qualified with sponsored or nofollow following Google's guidance.
- Make sure the brand appears under a consistent name so it can be identified as an entity.
- Measure what can be measured: brand searches, referral traffic, publications obtained.
One important detail: the studies talk about mentions in general. There is no public evidence on how a sponsored publication, labeled as such, behaves compared to an editorially earned mention. Treating them as equivalent would be an assumption.
SEOfy's approach
SEOfy publishes content in Latin American media, adapted to each outlet's editorial voice, with links whose attribute and labeling are agreed per outlet before you order. That publication can be a brand mention in a real outlet, with or without a link depending on the outlet's policy. It guarantees publication; it does not guarantee rankings, traffic or AI citations, and it does not replace a content strategy of your own.
Frequently asked questions
Does a mention without a link help?
According to the correlation studies, mentions relate to AI visibility even without a link, but there is no proof of causation. Their value is also measured in reputation and readers.
Should I stop building backlinks?
Not necessarily. Links still help Google discover and assess pages. The recommendation is not to depend only on them and to look after brand presence.
Does buying mentions work?
Google warns that pursuing inauthentic mentions is not as useful as it seems. A sponsored publication can give real visibility, but there is no evidence that it equals an earned mention.
Related reading
- Do backlinks help you appear in ChatGPT or AI Overviews?
- How to appear in ChatGPT in Spanish: a realistic guide
- Do backlinks still matter in 2026? What Google says
Next step
If you are looking for brand presence in Latin American media with clear conditions per outlet, you can review the catalog and packages at SEOfy.