Average Position tells you where you appear when AI lists multiple options. When someone asks “What’s the best CRM?” and AI lists 5 brands, are you mentioned first or fifth? Position determines who gets chosen.
Understanding Position
When users ask AI platforms for recommendations, the AI typically lists multiple options in order of preference. Your position is where you appear in that list.
User: "What CRM should I use for my agency?"
AI: "Here are some great options for agencies:
1. **HubSpot** — Great for marketing-focused agencies... ← Position 1
2. **Pipedrive** — Excellent for sales pipelines... ← Position 2
3. **Zoho** — Good budget option... ← Position 3
4. **Monday** — More of a project tool but works... ← Position 4"
| Traditional Search | AI Recommendations |
|---|
| 10 blue links, users choose | AI presents an ordered list with opinions |
| Users scan multiple results | Users often trust AI’s top pick |
| Position 5 still gets clicks | Position 4+ is often ignored |
| Rankings change with algorithms | Positions reflect AI’s synthesized view |
Why Position matters
Users treat AI’s ordering as a recommendation. Position 1 isn’t just listed first — it’s presented as the best option. The AI often explains why it’s recommending each option in the order it chose.
The attention distribution is stark:
| Position | User consideration rate | What this means |
|---|
| 1st mentioned | ~45% primarily consider | Nearly half of users focus on the first option |
| 2nd mentioned | ~25% consider | A quarter look at the second choice |
| 3rd mentioned | ~15% consider | Significant drop-off begins |
| 4th+ mentioned | ~15% combined | Everything after 3rd shares the remaining attention |
How Average Position is calculated
Average Position is calculated across all responses where multiple brands are mentioned:
Average Position = Sum of all your positions / Number of multi-brand responses
Example:
- Prompt 1: You're Position 2
- Prompt 2: You're Position 1
- Prompt 3: You're Position 4
- Prompt 4: You're Position 2
Average Position = (2 + 1 + 4 + 2) / 4 = 2.25
Position is only calculated when multiple brands appear in the same response. If AI mentions only your brand, there’s no competitive ranking to measure — that’s tracked under Share of Voice instead.
Interpreting your Average Position
| Average Position | What it means | Typical situation |
|---|
| 1.0 - 1.5 | Market leader | AI consistently recommends you first. You’re the default choice. |
| 1.6 - 2.5 | Strong contender | Often in top 2. Users see you as a leading option. |
| 2.6 - 3.5 | Mid-pack | You’re in the consideration set but rarely the first choice. |
| 3.6 - 4.5 | Lower priority | Usually mentioned as an alternative or “also consider.” |
| 4.6+ | Afterthought | Rarely positioned favorably. Often mentioned only for completeness. |
Position distribution matters too
Average Position alone doesn’t tell the full story. Two brands can have the same 2.5 average but very different distributions:
Brand A (Average: 2.5)
├── Position 1: 40% of responses
├── Position 2: 20% of responses
├── Position 3: 10% of responses
└── Position 4+: 30% of responses
Brand B (Average: 2.5)
├── Position 1: 10% of responses
├── Position 2: 30% of responses
├── Position 3: 50% of responses
└── Position 4+: 10% of responses
| Platform | What influences position | Notes |
|---|
 ChatGPT | Market share, brand recognition, popularity signals | Tends to favor established, well-known brands |
 Claude | Nuanced analysis, reasoning quality | May surface lesser-known options if they fit the query well |
 Perplexity | Recent citations, authoritative sources | Position heavily influenced by what sources say |
 Gemini | Google Search rankings, SEO signals | Your Google position often carries over |
 Grok | Real-time X/Twitter data, social signals | Trending brands may get position boosts |
Track your position by platform separately. You might be Position 1 on Perplexity but Position 4 on ChatGPT — understanding these differences helps you prioritize improvements.
What influences your Position
Position is determined by how AI interprets your brand’s relevance and quality for a specific query. Key factors:
1. Query-product fit
The better your product matches the specific question, the higher you’ll rank. A specialized tool will rank Position 1 for targeted queries but lower for general ones.
Query: "Best CRM for real estate agents"
├── RealEstateCRM.com → Position 1 (perfect fit)
├── HubSpot → Position 2 (good general option)
└── Salesforce → Position 3 (powerful but overkill)
Query: "Best enterprise CRM"
├── Salesforce → Position 1 (perfect fit)
├── HubSpot → Position 2 (scales well)
└── RealEstateCRM.com → Not mentioned (too niche)
2. Third-party endorsements
When sources actively recommend you (not just mention you), AI positions you higher. “We recommend X” carries more weight than “X is an option.”
3. Recency and freshness
AI models may favor products with recent updates, news coverage, or fresh content. A stale web presence can gradually push you down.
4. Competitive comparison content
Content that directly compares you to competitors — especially if you come out ahead — influences position. AI reads “X vs Y” articles and incorporates those conclusions.
5. Negative signals
Bad reviews, unresolved complaints, or negative press push you down. AI aims to make helpful recommendations, so it deprioritizes brands with red flags.
Strategies to improve Position
Identify who’s blocking you
For prompts where you’re Position 3+, who consistently appears at Position 1-2? This is your blocking competitor.
Your position analysis:
├── "Best CRM for agencies" → You: Position 3, HubSpot: Position 1
├── "CRM for small teams" → You: Position 4, Pipedrive: Position 1
├── "Marketing CRM" → You: Position 2, HubSpot: Position 1
└── Pattern: HubSpot is your primary blocker
Win specific categories first
Instead of trying to improve overall position, dominate specific prompt categories:
| Strategy | Target prompts | Example |
|---|
| Use case specialization | ”Best [tool] for [specific use case]" | "Best CRM for recruiting agencies” |
| Audience targeting | ”Best [tool] for [specific audience]" | "Best CRM for solopreneurs” |
| Feature leadership | ”Best [tool] with [specific feature]" | "Best CRM with email automation” |
| Price positioning | ”Affordable [tool]” or “Enterprise [tool]" | "Best free CRM” |
It’s easier to become Position 1 in a subset of prompts than to improve from Position 4 to Position 2 across all prompts. Win where you can, then expand.
Improve your comparison content
Create content that positions you favorably against competitors:
- Direct comparison pages (“Acme vs HubSpot”)
- “Best for [use case]” guides where you win
- Feature comparison tables where you stand out
- Migration guides from competitors to you
AI reads this content and incorporates it into its rankings.
Address blocking competitor advantages
If a competitor consistently outranks you, understand why:
- Check their citations — What sources mention them that don’t mention you?
- Review their content — What claims do they make that you don’t?
- Analyze their positioning — How do they describe themselves vs. how you do?
- Identify gaps — What do they have that AI values that you lack?
Position changes over time
Position isn’t static. Track trends to understand if you’re gaining or losing ground:
Improving position signals:
- Your content strategy is working
- Competitors are becoming less relevant
- Your product improvements are being recognized
- Your brand authority is growing
Declining position signals:
- Competitors have improved their positioning
- Negative press or reviews are affecting you
- Your content is becoming stale
- Market preferences are shifting away from you
Next steps
