Noisy Signals

How to Read Noisy Signals

AI responses often contain noise — variations in phrasing, partial mentions, or incidental references. Surfgeo applies filters, but you should understand how to interpret these.

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Types of Noise

• Weak Mentions: Brand appears as part of a list without context.

• Partial Mentions: Abbreviations or product nicknames detected.

• Contextual Noise: Mention occurs but with irrelevant or negative framing.

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Thresholds & What They Mean

• Visibility % < 1%

  • Usually indistinguishable from noise.

  • Treat as not meaningful unless trend is upward for multiple weeks.

• 1% – 5% Visibility

  • Indicates early traction.

  • Worth monitoring, especially in niche or rising topics.

• 5% – 15% Visibility

  • Considered healthy performance in most industries.

  • Benchmark against competitors in the same range.

• >15% Visibility

  • Strong brand authority.

  • Maintain consistency and monitor for saturation risks.