Category AI Visibility Report
Primer AI Visibility Report 2026: Top Brands & Buyer Topics in AI Search
Data updated 2026-08-27 · 30-day window · ChatGPT · Google AI Mode · Google AI Overviews
≈42,098
Est. AI queries / month
31
Buyer topics monitored
10
Brands on the AI shelf
Key insights
- Over the last 30 days, GEOly monitored 31 buyer topics in Primer across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews — an estimated 42,098 AI queries per month.
- Zinsser leads the AI shelf with 14.5% of brand mentions, followed by KILZ (7.7%) and Rust-Oleum (5.5%). The top three hold 27.7% combined — a shelf that has not consolidated yet, leaving a clear window for challengers.
- The highest-demand topic is “Self-etching primer” (top keyword “self etching primer”, ~6,600 searches/mo).
- AI answers lean on reddit.com most (20.5% of citations) — earning presence on these sources is the shortest path to being recommended.
Brands AI recommends most
Share of brand mentions across AI answers in the last 30 days (Share of Model).
| # | Brand | AI mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zinsser | 1,294 | 14.5% |
| 2 | KILZ | 691 | 7.7% |
| 3 | Rust-Oleum | 492 | 5.5% |
| 4 | Smashbox | 386 | 4.3% |
| 5 | Milk Makeup | 364 | 4.1% |
| 6 | NARS | 312 | 3.5% |
| 7 | SEM | 272 | 3% |
| 8 | NYX | 196 | 2.2% |
| 9 | ROMAN | 181 | 2% |
| 10 | Behr | 172 | 1.9% |
What shoppers ask AI
Buyer topics monitored in this category, with estimated monthly AI queries and the top Google keyword behind each topic.
| Topic | Est. AI queries / mo | Top keyword | Search volume / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-etching primer | ≈9,519 | self etching primer | 6,600 |
| primer for metal | ≈8,824 | primer for metal | 6,600 |
| Shellac primer | ≈8,664 | bins primer | 8,100 |
| Hydrating primer | ≈7,746 | hydrating primer | 6,600 |
| Primer for mature skin | ≈7,345 | best makeup primer for mature skin | 8,100 |
| Plastic Primer | — | plastic primer paint | 8,100 |
| Oil-based primer | — | oil based primer and paint | 9,900 |
| PVA primer | — | drywall primer pva | 8,100 |
| ELF Primer | — | elf primer | 33,100 |
| Concrete Primer | — | bonding paint primer | 5,400 |
| Water-Based Primer | — | water base primer | 18,100 |
| Epoxy primer | — | epoxy primer | 9,900 |
| primer for painting | — | primer for painting | 33,100 |
| Stain-Blocking Primer | — | stain blocking paint and primer | 5,400 |
| primer for wallpaper | — | primer for wallpaper | 8,100 |
| Wall primer | — | primer paint on wall | 6,600 |
Sources AI cites in this category
Root domains AI engines cited most when answering category queries in the last 30 days.
| Domain | Citations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| reddit.com | 439 | 20.5% |
| rustoleum.com | 234 | 10.9% |
| allure.com | 192 | 9% |
| zendesk.com | 191 | 8.9% |
| bobvila.com | 99 | 4.6% |
| eastwood.com | 77 | 3.6% |
| lowes.com | 52 | 2.4% |
| kilz.com | 47 | 2.2% |
FAQ
Which brands do AI assistants recommend most for primer?
Over the last 30 days the top brands by AI mention share are: Zinsser (14.5%), KILZ (7.7%), Rust-Oleum (5.5%), Smashbox (4.3%), Milk Makeup (4.1%). Data from GEOly's continuous monitoring across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews.
How many people ask AI about primer?
GEOly estimates ~42,098 AI queries per month in this category across 31 buyer topics, led by “Self-etching primer”.
Which sources do AI engines cite for primer?
The most-cited domains are: reddit.com, rustoleum.com, allure.com, zendesk.com, bobvila.com. Building brand presence on these sources is the most direct way to win AI recommendations.
Methodology
GEOly continuously runs category buyer prompts across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews and records which brands are mentioned and which sources are cited. Figures aggregate a 30-day window; AI query volumes are modeled estimates from keyword demand and AI-adoption share. Data: GEOly MCP Server, updated 2026-08-27.
See your brand inside this category
GEOly tracks how ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews mention, rank and cite your brand against every competitor above — and what to fix to win the AI shelf.