Rob Hoffman: How We Built Mentions.so, A Tech-Savvy AI Brand Visibility LLM Tool for Websites
Meet Rob Hoffmann, the founder of the AI SEO LLM marketing tool "Mentions." Our conversation focuses on the evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO) due to the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, DeepSeek, and Perplexity etc,, which are becoming alternatives to traditional Google search.
Rob Hoffmann discusses his journey into entrepreneurship, which started with an SEO agency called Contact, and how the need to track and improve brand visibility on these new AI platforms led to the creation of Mentions, which helps brands appear in LLM recommendations.
Throughout our interview, Rob Hoffmann emphasizes the importance of reverse engineering consumer behavior, the need for excellent customer service (even providing his direct phone number to customers), and the affordability of mentions compared to competitors. Our discussion concludes with practical advice for businesses on determining if investing in LLM visibility is worthwhile based on their customer's buying journey.
FAQs
1. What is Mentions, and why was it founded?
Mentions is a tool that assists brands and SEO agencies in navigating the evolving search landscape dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs).
Founding Rationale:
• Mentions was born out of Rob Hoffmann’s SEO agency, Contact.
• The shift was necessitated by the recognition that SEO had "changed a lot" recently in response to AI, with search trends moving away from Google and "towards platforms like ChatGPT" (along with Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, etc.).
• The founding goal was to be "the SEO agency of the future".
• The tool was specifically created to solve two problems: providing a way of measuring brands visibility on LLM platforms, and helping brands get more visibility on platforms like ChatGPT.
2. Why are LLMs becoming preferred search alternatives, and how does this affect marketing?
People are increasingly turning to LLMs because consumer trust in traditional Google search results (the SERP’s top 10 links) has declined, as many users feel these results have been "gamed" by marketers.
• Trust in ChatGPT: Conversely, trust in ChatGPT is "through the roof". This is because the chat-based interface makes interaction feel like a conversation with a friend or even a therapist, providing personalized responses from an "all-knowing AI entity".
• Customer Acquisition Channel: Because ChatGPT is becoming a frequently used search engine alternative, showing up in its responses when a user searches for a product (e.g., "what is the best organic sulfite free shampoo") is seen as a "great customer acquisition channel".
3. How does the mention tool conceptualize LLM visibility (GEO)?
Mentions is built on the understanding of how modern LLMs generate answers: LLM + search operator = the result.
• The Process: When a user inputs a query (e.g., "what is the best shampoo for dry scalps"):
1. The LLM searches the internet (like Bing or Google).
2. It scrapes the top 10 to 20 results that show up on those search engines.
3. It digests, summarizes, and serves that information to the user.
• The Strategy: For a brand to achieve visibility in LLMs (GEO), they must first show up in those underlying search results (traditional SEO). Mentions helps brands reverse engineer the process by figuring out how platforms like ChatGPT get their data and, critically, what sources they are citing to provide responses, thereby guiding the brand to become a cited source.
4. What are the key features of the mentions platform?
Mentions helps users understand and optimize their content strategy based on LLM data.
• Prompts Section (Favorite Feature): This allows users to track specific searches or prompts. When tracking a prompt, mentions shows examples of conversations and, most usefully, lists the pages that are most being cited by ChatGPT. This list provides an "easy road map" for the brand to know whether they should create new content or reach out to those listed publishers to get mentioned.
• Analytics Feature: This feature pulls data from Google Analytics 4 (J4) into an easy-to-use dashboard. It helps users see which pages on their website people are visiting most often from LLMs (such as ChatGPT or Perplexity), along with geographical data and device usage (mobile vs. desktop). The founder notes that seeing this traffic is often a "magical experience" for users.
• Tracking Cadence (24-Hour Clock): Mentions inputs tracked prompts into all supported LLMs (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Deepseek, etc.) every 24 hours. This is essential because LLM responses are not identical on every search (the overlap is about 70%), so regular, repeated testing ensures the collection of a large data set, which increases the accuracy of the insights provided.
5. Who should invest in mentions or GEO (LLM visibility)?
The decision to use mentions depends entirely on the company's buyer journey.
• Yes, Use Mentions If: If the company’s buyer journey involves the ideal customer having a problem and then searching for an answer in Google or Chat GBT to inform their buying decision, then investing in SEO and GEO (LLM visibility) is recommended. If the end customer uses ChatGPT to inform their buying decision, then mentions is advisable.
• No, Don't Use Mentions If: If the product is an impulse buy (e.g., a consumer package goods product seen on TikTok or Instagram that prompts an immediate purchase), then search engines like Google or ChatGPT are not part of the buyer journey, and SEO/GEO is likely not the best investment of marketing resources.
6. How does mentions handle customer service and support?
Customer service is a highly emphasized competitive advantage and value proposition for mentions.
• Direct Access: Rob Hoffmann, the CEO and co-founder, gives his personal phone number, WhatsApp, email, and allows customers to contact him on social media (X/Twitter). This is done to avoid the frustration associated with generic AI chatbots, calling hotlines, or being put on hold.
• Personalized Onboarding: He finds it helpful to get on calls with users (or a co-founder) to provide a live demo, walk them through the platform, suggest useful features, and look at their specific site.
• Commitment to Resolution: Hoffmann promises that if a user has a question, he will answer it; if they encounter a bug, he will fix it (or ping a technical co-founder); and if they request a new feature, "we will ship that for you". Customers can literally pick up the phone and call him directly if they run into an issue.
7. How can people start using mentions?
To get started, users should go to the website mentions.so and create an account.
After creating an account, they will receive an email that allows them to book a call directly with Rob Hoffmann. He also welcomes connections via LinkedIn or X (search for Rob Hoffman), or email rob@contactststudios.com to connect with Rob today!
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