Mentions in AI – Nico Bignu
Nico Bignu is the co-founder of GEO Metrics, a technology start-up created to work on SEO positioning in the era of artificial intelligence, now known as GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
In other words: it helps you to appear in mentions on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot or DeepSeek. How does it do this? By tracking the citations made by AI, which keywords or queries are used and how it compares you to your competitors in the market.
He is also the co-founder of TrendSights, which helps you monitor your brand comprehensively (where it appears, in which media and the brand sentiment on social media); and LeadScoring.ai, which reduces conversion costs per lead by prioritizing the most profitable customers; among other projects.
We talk about the new way of working with SEO, mentions in LLMs (large language models) and how to appear in ChatGPT, also for small and medium-sized businesses.
What was your first job and how did you work your way up to founding GEO Metrics?
My first job was outside the start-up world. I trained as a geologist and worked for a large corporation before launching my own business. At 23, I left that world because I knew I wanted to build technology, not consume it.
I founded Human Trends and we started developing applied AI solutions: media monitoring, sentiment analysis, automatic classification… That’s where I learned something key: AI is not magic, it’s data + execution + distribution.
When ChatGPT exploded, many saw it as a trend. I saw a structural change in how information is distributed.
That’s where GEO Metrics comes in: if the answers are no longer links, but AI-generated text, you have to measure who appears in that text.
How did the change in people’s perceptions affect you?
It was brutal. Before 2022, when I talked about AI, the reaction was fear or scepticism. After ChatGPT, it became curiosity and mass adoption.
The most interesting change wasn’t technological. It was cultural.
Suddenly, CEOs, marketers and journalists were using AI on a daily basis. That accelerated conversations that used to take months.
For us, it was an opportunity: we no longer had to evangelise about AI. We just had to explain how to use it strategically.
What works best for us is build in public: sharing real data, learnings and mistakes.
If an SME or start-up does not have a budget, what can it do to work with mentions in LLMs?
Three very practical things:
- Define your entity clearly. When someone asks about your sector, be clear about what you do and why you exist.
- Create ultra-specific and structured content. Clear FAQs. Comparisons. Case studies. AI loves content that is easy to extract.
- Appear on sites that are already sources for LLMs: digital media, specialised forums, directories, guest articles.
You don’t need thousands of euros. You need consistency and focus. 80% of brands aren’t even thinking about this yet.
What happened to make CNN interested in your work?
In 2020, before the whole GEO and ChatGPT boom, my team and I were already diving into open sources, extracting information that we then used to train AI models. We mainly used data from Twitter (X).
And in the midst of the pandemic, a report we published about protesters in Argentina caught the attention of CNN, which decided to publish it.
It was our first big viral hit.
In the end, beyond tools and trends, what matters is the ability to adapt. And no one can automate that.
Does AI help you get more customers? What strategy works best for you?
Yes. But not in the way people think. AI doesn’t close deals for me. It helps me to:
- Analyse the market.
- Detect opportunities.
- Improve copy.
- Test value propositions.
- Attract qualified traffic.
What works best for us is build in public: sharing real data, learnings and mistakes.
Today, authority is built by showing what you do.
In addition to your projects, what are your favourite AI tools?
I use the following on a daily basis:
- Anthropic (Claude) for analysis and writing.
- Google (Gemini) for integration with its ecosystem.
Each model has its own nuances. Understanding their differences is key.
Just as Black Hat exists in SEO, can bad practices be used in GEO to influence AI?
Yes. And they are going to grow. Some brands will try to:
- Generate massive artificial mentions.
- Manipulate forums or trainable content.
- Create networks of fictitious authority.
The problem is that LLMs evolve very quickly and artificial patterns are detected. In SEO, those who cheat can get away with it for a while, but they end up being penalised. In GEO, the penalty may not be the same, but it will happen eventually.
Bread today, invisibility tomorrow.
What do you think will happen with ChatGPT ads? Will they influence the responses?
There will be hybrid models, clearly marked advertising and separate organic responses.
If the ads directly influenced the “neutral” responses, the system would lose credibility.
Trust is the main asset of these models. Without trust, there is no use. And without use, there is no business. And if not, let’s all use Claude, ha ha ha.
What do you do in your free time to get away from screens?
I spend time with my wife and son.
I also do martial arts. I practise BJJ and MMA. There are no prompts there.
What would be your vision for lead generation (whether as a sponsor or not)?
SEO events are going to change. There will be fewer generic events and more specialized ones. More practical debate and fewer recycled slides.
In terms of lead generation, I believe the future lies in:
- Micro-events with a highly qualified audience.
- Practical workshops where people leave with something they can implement.
- In-depth conversations instead of stands full of brochures.
Real networking is once again a competitive advantage.
What would you ask the next interviewee?
I would ask him:
‘If your business model disappeared tomorrow because of AI, what skill would allow you to start again from scratch?’
Because in the end, beyond tools and trends, what matters is the ability to adapt. And no one can automate that.
