AI VISIBILITY AUDIT — FINANCE
Finance runs on trust, AI decides who gets it.
We scanned 241 London finance firms, wealth managers, asset managers, private equity, fintech, advisers and brokers, to see how they appear when prospective clients and partners search on ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. Most are visible. Nearly half are being described in someone else's words, not their own. Here is what that means for who gets contacted.
By the numbers
55%
STRAT7, 2026
51%
Growth in AI Overviews answering finance-related searches, past 6 months, the largest of any sector tracked
Semrush, 2026
87%
Average cost-per-click on finance search terms that trigger an AI Overview, versus those that don't
Semrush, 2026
Why finance clients and partners are switching from Google to AI search
Most finance firms are already visible to AI. Very few are being described in their own words.
When someone needs an adviser, a fund manager, a lender, or a specialist consultancy, they no longer open a browser and read ten firm websites. They ask ChatGPT. They ask Perplexity. They get an answer, and they act on it.
Most finance firms already publish accurate, well-vetted information about who they are and what they do. The gap isn't compliance or content quality. It's the structural layer that lets AI extract that information confidently enough to use it.
The finance firms in that answer are not always the strongest performers or the most experienced. They are the ones whose credentials, specialism and track record are structured in a way AI can read, verify and cite with confidence. If that information exists on your site but isn't retrievable, AI falls back on whatever third-party source is easiest to parse, a register, a directory, a review platform, and tells your story instead of you.
What the scan found
We scanned 241 London finance firms across five prompt types on ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews, testing whether each was identified, compared and recommended for its specialism. More than half already show strong AI visibility. But even among those firms, AI's description usually comes from a directory or register, not the firm's own site.
46%
Found, but not in their own words
Visible in AI search, but described using the FCA Register, Trustpilot, or a directory, rather than anything the firm itself has published.
45%
Not yet appearing consistently for their specific specialism, before representation even becomes the issue.
Medium or Low Visibility
Scans conducted across close to 100 UK SaaS companies spanning HR tech, fintech, compliance, operations, procurement, data platforms and specialist verticals. Prompt types tested: unbranded category search, decision query, comparison query, use-case query, branded query.
What AI visibility audits reveal in finance firms
These are the patterns we see most often. None of them require a website rebuild.
All of them have a fix.
1
Being visible and being represented accurately are two different problems
Most of the firms we scanned show up in AI search. Nearly half of those are still described using a directory or register's language rather than their own, which means the firm gets found, but doesn't get to say what makes it different.
2
Your specialism gets flattened into a generic category
A private markets adviser, a regulatory consultancy, and a wealth manager can all get described the same vague way if the site doesn't state clearly and specifically what the firm actually does and for whom.
3
Credentials and track record aren't structured for retrieval
FCA registration, named leadership, deal history, client outcomes, these usually exist somewhere on the site, but often in a format (PDFs, footers, generic About pages) AI can't reliably extract and cite with confidence, so it defaults to a third-party source instead.
4
Your highest-intent visitors arrive to a page that doesn't confirm the fit
Someone who reached you through AI has usually already narrowed their search. If the page they land on doesn't immediately confirm the specialism and credibility they were told about, that moment is lost, regardless of how visible the firm was to begin with.
What Makes Xyra Different
An AI Readiness and Buyer Journey Audit
Most GEO tools tell you whether AI can find your website. Xyra assesses and benchmarks whether AI can find you, understand you, recommend you, and convert the buyers it sends your way.
For finance firms, that means testing whether your specialism, credentials and track record are structured well enough for AI to find, verify and recommend you ahead of the FCA Register or a comparison directory.
Three ways to work with us
Start where you need to. Most clinics begin with Diagnose to understand where they stand, then move to Fix once priorities are clear.
All engagements start from £699.
Tier 1 - Diagnose
AI visibility score across 30 items. Top issues identified and ranked. Clear view of where you stand vs competitors. Delivered as a structured report.
Tier 2 - Understand
Full annotated audit across all four pillars. Specific UX and content recommendations. Conversion friction analysis. Prioritised by revenue impact.
Tier 3 - Fix
Everything in Understand. 90-day prioritised roadmap. Backlog ready for your team to action. Optional implementation support.
Exact scope and tier confirmed at point of enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
1
Why isn't my firm appearing in ChatGPT or Perplexity results?
The most common reason is that your specialism and credentials are not structured in a way large language models can extract and use to answer a prospective client's question. AI systems do not read websites the way humans do. They look for content that directly states what your firm does, for whom, and with what evidence, supported by external signals such as your FCA registration and track record. If those elements are missing or poorly structured, AI defaults to a third-party source, or bypasses your firm in favour of one whose content is easier to retrieve.
2
What is the difference between SEO and GEO for finance firms?
SEO optimises your website to rank in traditional search results. Generative engine optimisation, GEO, optimises your content and structure to be retrieved, cited and recommended by AI systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews. For finance firms, the distinction matters because AI-referred prospects behave differently: they arrive already having narrowed their search and formed an initial view of who to trust. Being ranked on Google does not guarantee AI will describe you accurately, or describe you at all.
3
How do I get my firm recommended by AI instead of a directory?
Being described accurately by AI requires three things to work together: your specialism and credentials must be structured so AI can extract clear, specific evidence rather than falling back on a register or directory; your entity, what your firm does, who it serves, and what sets it apart, must be consistent and readable across your site; and the page a prospective client lands on must confirm what AI told them to expect. Most finance firms address none of these consistently. An AI Readiness UX Audit identifies exactly where the gaps are and what to fix first.
4
Does Xyra Foundry only audit finance firms?
No. Finance is one of several high-consideration sectors we audit, alongside law firms, SaaS and B2B software companies, aesthetic clinics and cosmetic surgery, and home care providers. Each sector page reflects the specific prompts, competitors and trust signals buyers use in that category.