Searchable, a London-based startup that works with brands to improve visibility in the age of AI search engines, has raised $4m (£3.1m) in seed funding.
The startup was launched in response to efforts from companies like Google and OpenAI, which have been integrating AI heavily into traditional web searching.
For years brands have practiced the art of search engine optimisation (SEO) to ensure visibility from consumer web searches.
As platforms move towards AI-generated search responses, the traditional SEO techniques are becoming irrelevant, with digital marketers now preaching AI engine optimisation.
Looking to support that process is Searchable, which offers firms insights into how their content is read, ranked and recommended by large language models.
“Visibility is no longer earned through keywords or ads. It’s earned by how AI interprets and prioritises your brand,” said Searchable founder Chris Donnelly (pictured).
“On Google, you could survive on the second page. In AI search, there is no second page. If you’re not in the top results, you don’t exist.”
According to the startup, it connects data from Google Analytics and Google Search Console and uses its own AI tools to answer performance questions and suggest improvements.
Searchable has been backed by Freestyle VC, which has led its seed investment round.
“The way consumers search has changed drastically in the past year and AEO has emerged as a defining consumer category”, said Maria Palma, general partner at Freestyle VC.
“While we have seen some companies start to innovate in AI marketing, the team at Searchable has the leading analytics tool but more importantly a recommendation engine that shows brands how to take hold of this opportunity.”
