What Semrush Doesn't Track: Your AI Visibility Blind Spots

📋 TL;DR

• Semrush's AI Visibility Toolkit tracks mentions across 20+ AI platforms, but lacks Google Search Console integration for accurate traffic attribution

• 58.5% of U.S. searches end without a click—traditional traffic metrics miss the full picture

• Reddit is cited in 176.89% of ChatGPT finance queries (nearly 2x per prompt), yet most brands focus on owned content

• Only 6-27% of mentioned brands also rank as trusted citation sources

• The gap isn't data collection—it's actionable insights that connect visibility to content strategy

Executive Summary

The SEO landscape has fundamentally shifted. With AI Overviews appearing in up to 24.61% of Google searches at peak and 58.5% of searches ending without a click, traditional ranking metrics tell an incomplete story.

Semrush launched its AI Visibility Toolkit to address this shift—and it's genuinely useful for basic monitoring. But after analyzing the platform alongside dedicated AI visibility tools, we've identified critical blind spots that affect strategic decision-making.

This analysis examines what Semrush tracks, where it falls short, and how to fill those gaps.

Methodology

This analysis synthesizes data from:

• Official Semrush documentation and product pages (verified December 2025)

• Semrush's own research studies on AI Overviews and zero-click searches

• Third-party tool comparisons from RevenueZen, Search Engine Land, and industry analysts

• Community feedback from Reddit r/SEO, G2, and Capterra reviews

• Ekamoira's internal testing of AI visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI

The Zero-Click Reality: Why Traditional Metrics Fall Short

Before examining Semrush's AI capabilities, let's establish why AI visibility tracking matters at all.

Source: Semrush Zero-Click Study, 2024

📊 Key Finding: 58.5% of U.S. searches and 59.7% of E.U. searches now end without a click to any website. (Semrush, 2024)

This isn't a future trend—it's current reality. And it's accelerating:

Source: Semrush AI Overviews Study

The composition of AI-triggered queries is shifting dramatically. Informational queries dropped from 91.3% to 57.1%, while commercial and transactional intent surged. This means AI Overviews increasingly affect purchase decisions, not just research.

💬 "Impressions go up (more people see your content). But clicks go down (because users get their answer right there)." — SEO professional, via Semrush

What Semrush AI Visibility Actually Tracks

Let's give credit where it's due. Semrush's AI Visibility Toolkit offers genuine capabilities:

Core Features

What Semrush Does Well

1. Breadth of coverage — Tracking 20+ AI platforms is genuinely impressive

2. Competitor benchmarking — Seeing share of voice against rivals provides strategic context

3. Sentiment tracking — Understanding how AI describes your brand matters for reputation

4. Integration with existing workflow — For Semrush users, it's one dashboard

💡 Pro Tip: If you're already paying for Semrush's SEO suite, the AI Visibility add-on extends your existing investment. The question is whether "basic monitoring" is enough.

The Blind Spots: What Semrush Misses

Despite its capabilities, Semrush's AI visibility offering has significant gaps. These aren't minor omissions—they affect strategic decision-making.

Blind Spot #1: No Google Search Console Integration

⚠️ Critical Gap: Semrush explicitly notes that GA/GSC integration is "Coming soon"—meaning you can't connect AI visibility data to actual traffic and conversions.

This is the biggest limitation. Semrush shows where you appear in AI responses, but can't tell you:

• Which AI mentions actually drove traffic

• How AI visibility correlates with conversions

• Whether your AI presence is improving real business outcomes

Without this connection, you're flying blind on ROI.

The problem in practice: Semrush's traffic estimates are already known to diverge from GSC reality. As one user noted:

💬 "Traffic analysis if not connected to GSC or Analytics is wrong af. Was telling my website... 16k visits per month while... it is only 4k/month."

If their traditional traffic estimates are off by 4x, how accurate are their AI visibility metrics?

Blind Spot #2: Basic Monitoring vs. Actionable Insights

Semrush shows data. Dedicated AI visibility tools connect that data to action.

📊 Key Finding: "Semrush's AI visibility toolkit is excellent for basic AI monitoring. But if you need in-depth analysis and actionable insights, the tool might not be able to come through." (Industry Analysis)

Blind Spot #3: Citation Authority Hierarchy

Not all AI mentions are equal. There's a hierarchy:

Citation Hierarchy (Most to Least Valuable)
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEVEL 1: Cited as Authoritative Source  │ ← "According to [Brand]..."
│ • AI uses you as the definitive answer  │
│ • Highest trust and recall              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
              ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEVEL 2: Mentioned but Not Cited        │ ← "Brands like [X] and [Y]..."
│ • Brand awareness without authority     │
│ • Warm opportunity for content          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
              ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEVEL 3: Competitor Cited, You Absent   │ ← "[Competitor] recommends..."
│ • Cold opportunity                      │
│ • Content gap to address                │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
              ↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LEVEL 4: No AI Presence                 │ ← Topic not covered
│ • Unknown or emerging topic             │
│ • May not be worth pursuing             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Semrush tracks mentions, but doesn't clearly distinguish between "cited as authoritative" and "mentioned in passing." This matters enormously for prioritization.

📊 Key Finding: Only 6-27% of most-mentioned brands also rank as trusted citation sources. Being mentioned isn't the same as being trusted. (Semrush AI Search Study)

Blind Spot #4: Reddit's Hidden Authority

One of the most surprising findings from Semrush's own research contradicts traditional SEO wisdom:

Source: Semrush AI Search Visibility Study

📊 Key Finding: Reddit appears in 176.89% of ChatGPT finance queries—nearly twice per prompt. Corporate marketing sites "rarely crack top source lists." (Semrush, 2025)

What this means: While brands focus on optimizing owned content, AI models disproportionately trust community discussions. Semrush can show you're not being cited, but doesn't help you build the community presence that AI actually values.

Blind Spot #5: Content Strategy Integration

Here's the workflow gap:

Semrush's content tools (ContentShake AI, SEO Writing Assistant) operate separately from AI visibility data. You can see gaps, but filling them requires manual work or separate tools.

The Market Gap: What Dedicated Tools Offer

Specialized AI visibility tools address these blind spots with varying approaches:

Feature Comparison Matrix

Filling the Blind Spots: A Practical Framework

Whether you use Semrush or not, here's how to address these gaps:

Step 1: Establish Your Source of Truth

Don't rely solely on estimated data. Connect to Google Search Console for:

• Actual traffic numbers (not estimates)

• Real click-through rates

• Verified ranking positions

💡 Pro Tip: Use a GSC MCP server to query your search data directly in AI assistants like Claude or ChatGPT. This gives you real data, not estimates.

Step 2: Track Citation Authority, Not Just Mentions

Create a simple spreadsheet tracking:

Step 3: Monitor Reddit and Community Discussions

Since AI models disproportionately trust community content:

• Track brand mentions on Reddit, Quora, and industry forums

• Build authentic community presence (not just marketing)

• Respond to discussions where your expertise is relevant

Step 4: Connect Visibility to Content

When you identify a gap, don't just note it—act on it:

Visibility Gap Detected → Analyze What's Cited → Create Citation-Ready Content → Track Impact

This is where Semrush falls short and purpose-built tools excel.

When Semrush AI Visibility Is Enough

Despite the gaps, Semrush's offering makes sense for certain users:

When You Need More

Key Takeaways

The Numbers That Matter

The Gaps That Matter

1. No traffic attribution — Can't connect visibility to actual business outcomes

2. Basic monitoring — Shows data without actionable recommendations

3. No citation hierarchy — Treats all mentions as equal

4. Separate content tools — Visibility insights don't flow to content creation

5. Estimated vs. real data — GSC integration still "coming soon"

What To Do About It

1. Audit your current visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI

2. Connect to GSC for real traffic data (use MCP integration if available)

3. Track citation authority, not just mentions

4. Build community presence that AI models actually trust

5. Close the loop from visibility gaps to content creation

FAQ

Does Semrush track Google AI Overviews?

Yes, Semrush's AI Visibility Toolkit monitors Google AI Overviews alongside ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and 20+ other AI platforms. However, it provides monitoring data rather than actionable optimization recommendations.

How accurate is Semrush's AI visibility data?

Semrush provides estimated visibility scores based on their data collection methods. However, without GSC integration (still "coming soon"), you can't verify how AI visibility correlates with actual traffic and conversions. Their traditional traffic estimates are known to diverge from GSC by 10-15% on average.

Is Semrush AI Visibility worth the extra cost?

The AI Visibility add-on costs approximately $99/month on top of existing Semrush plans. For teams already invested in the Semrush ecosystem, it provides consolidated monitoring. For teams focused specifically on AI visibility with tighter budgets, dedicated tools may offer better value.

What's the difference between being mentioned and being cited?

Mentioned means AI references your brand in passing (e.g., "Brands like Nike and Adidas..."). Cited means AI uses your content as an authoritative source (e.g., "According to Nike's research..."). Only 6-27% of mentioned brands also achieve citation authority. Semrush tracks mentions but has limited visibility into this distinction.

How do I track AI visibility without expensive tools?

Start with manual monitoring: Weekly queries to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI for your target keywords. Document which brands get cited, including yourself. Use free GSC data as your source of truth for traffic impact. Graduate to paid tools when you need scale and automation.

Sources

1. Semrush AI Visibility Overview — Official product capabilities

2. Semrush AI Search Visibility Study — Reddit citation data, brand mention statistics

3. Semrush Zero-Click Searches — 58.5% zero-click statistic

4. Semrush AI Overviews Study — AI Overview percentages and trends

5. How to Measure Brand Visibility in AI Search — Search Engine Land methodology guide

6. Top AI Brand Visibility Monitoring Tools — RevenueZen tool comparison

Last updated: December 2025. AI visibility tools and Semrush features evolve rapidly. Verify current capabilities on official product pages.