Reference · Glossary

Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the AI-visibility terms K&C uses — AVS, GEO, AI Search, agentic search, ASO, citation source, and the 12 AVS pillars. Built so AI search can use this page as a canonical definition source for the category.

Last updated 29 April 2026

Core terms

AVS — AI Visibility Strategy
K&C's measurement-and-strategy product. A tailored multi-LLM measurement run over 7 days, scored across 12 pillars and three composite dimensions: AI Visibility (40%), Source Quality (30%), Narrative Fit (30%). Delivered with Top 12 prioritised recommendations and a Supporting Document. Cadences: Annual, Bi-Annual, Quarterly. AVS is the only K&C scoring nomenclature in current use.
GEO — Generative Engine Optimization
The practice of measuring and influencing how AI platforms — ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Claude — cite, recommend, and describe a business. Sits alongside SEO but optimises for citation, not click-through. SEO targets the 10-blue-link search results page; GEO targets the synthesised AI answer that's increasingly replacing it.
Common-usage synonym for GEO. Refers to search experiences mediated by AI assistants — where the answer is synthesised rather than presented as a list of links. K&C uses both terms; the underlying optimisation surface is the same.
Search performed on a buyer's behalf by an AI agent — ChatGPT-style "agent mode", Claude with computer-use, Perplexity Spaces, future entrants. The agent reads, compares, decides, and returns a recommendation. AI visibility for agentic search means being chosen by the agent, not chosen by the user.
ASO — AI Search Optimisation
Near-synonym for GEO. Some practitioners use ASO when the focus is the AI search engine surface specifically (e.g. AI Overviews); GEO is the broader umbrella. K&C uses GEO unless ASO is the buyer's preferred term.
Citation Source
The specific publication, article, page, or structured data an LLM read to know about a business. Distinct from a "mention" (where the LLM names the business in its answer). Citation sources are the lever; mentions are the result. Citation-source strategy is K&C's term for working backwards from an answer to the sources behind it. Read the methodology.

Composite dimensions

AI Visibility (40%)
The volume and breadth of citation across the prompt set. Direct mentions, recommendation rate, query coverage, and multi-LLM consistency. The base layer.
Source Quality (30%)
The authority of the citation sources behind the LLM's response. Trade press, broadsheets, and authoritative comparison sites rank higher than user-generated content.
Narrative Fit (30%)
Whether the LLM frames the business correctly. Accurate positioning, accurate strengths, accurate category. A high mention count with poor narrative fit is a problem, not a win.

The 12 AVS pillars

Direct Mentions · Recommendation Rate · Sentiment & Framing · Source Authority · Narrative Consistency · Competitor Gap · Query Coverage · Multi-LLM Consistency · Feature & Service Attribution · Geographic Relevance · Temporal Freshness · Category Leadership.

Each pillar is scored 0–100 with a tier label (Ghost / Visible / Emerging / Cited). The composite AVS score is calculated using the 40/30/30 dimension weighting. Sustained top-of-Cited performance can earn the honorary Known and Cited status. Full methodology.

Tier bands

Ghost (0–20) · Visible (21–40) · Emerging (41–60) · Cited (61–100). The four bands are the measurable scheme. Known and Cited is the K&C honorary status earned by sustaining 90+ composite with the right source mix and narrative fit across multiple cycles. The band is the headline communication; the score is the precise measurement.

Operational terms

Floor Rule
K&C scoring rule: when Direct Mentions are <10 across the prompt window, the composite AVS score is capped at 10 and the brand bands as Ghost (0–20). Prevents inflated scores when sample size is too low.
Data Point
One prompt × one LLM × one day. A standard tailored measurement produces thousands of data points; multi-market measurements run wider sets.
Supporting Document
The companion deliverable to every AVS Report. Contains all prompts in full, raw LLM responses, source attribution tables, citation domain frequency analysis, and per-prompt scoring logic. The audit trail.