---
language: en
title: "First-mention rate"
description: "First-mention rate counts responses in which the brand is named before others, with a valid denominator and explicit reading rules for interpreting the percentage."
canonical: "https://tropk.ai/en/resources/glossary/first-mention-rate"
last_modified: "2026-10-12T16:12:11.368Z"
---

# First-mention rate

Reviewed on 2026-10-06.

## What it means

First-mention rate measures the share of valid responses in which a brand is the first brand identified in the text. The numerator counts these responses; the denominator is the declared valid set. The reading rules should specify which names are included, how variations are recognized, and whether titles, quotations, or repetitions of the question are considered.

## Why it matters for marketing

The metric helps marketing teams distinguish between appearing in a response and receiving the first [brand mention](/en/resources/glossary/ai-mention). This difference guides how collected texts are interpreted and which questions are selected for investigation. A team may appear frequently but come after other brands, without this revealing user preference or offer quality.

## Practical example

In a hypothetical example, an agency evaluates 80 valid responses about reservation systems for inns. It defines the first brand by its order in the main text, excluding reference links. The tracked brand appears first in 12 responses: 15% of the set. The agency reviews these responses to compare contexts, including cases where the first mention includes a qualification.

## How to apply or verify

Before calculating, record the questions, platform, language, and period. Manually check responses containing brands with the same name, tables, and lists. Preserve the original order and separate out collection failures. If the set includes only responses that mention the brand, identify this filter: it produces a different conditional rate from one calculated across all valid responses in the set.

## Important distinctions

The first brand named may be criticized or simply used for comparison. Therefore, first mention is not equivalent to a recommendation. It also differs from position in a list and visual prominence. Valid responses with no brands remain in the denominator under the stated protocol; they are not failures. The rate describes the monitored sample, not human attention or the entire market.

## Sources and references

- [The AI Search Glossary: A definition of 300+ terms](<https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/ai-search-glossary>) — Profound

## Continue a leitura

- [Brand position in the answer](</en/resources/glossary/brand-position-in-the-answer>)
- [Brand prominence](</en/resources/glossary/brand-prominence>)
- [AI presence rate](</en/resources/glossary/ai-presence-rate>)

## About the author

[Luiz Gardelin](</en/team/luiz-gardelin>)

Luiz Gardelin is the founder of Tropk.ai and works in GEO/AEO, product vision, strategy, and growth, helping brands understand and improve their presence in AI responses.

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