AI answers create a smaller consideration set
A search page offers many links. An AI answer usually names only a few options. If a brand is absent from that short list, a shopper may never see it.
What to measure
Track mention rate, share of voice, answer position, cited sources and movement over repeated checks. One screenshot is not a measurement because answers vary.
What D2C teams can improve
Keep product facts consistent across your site, marketplaces, reviews and press. Make key product pages crawlable and state the buyer, use case, ingredient or specification, and price band plainly.