Most AEO audit tools test AI with web search enabled. This is a fundamental mistake. Why? Because you're then measuring the AI's ability to find your content on the web in real-time, not your true visibility in the model.
AI Labs Audit offers a unique feature: the ability to test AI with or without web search. This distinction completely changes how you measure and optimize your presence on AI answer engines.
The problem: confusing web search with true AI visibility
When you ask ChatGPT a question with web search enabled, the AI does two things:
- It searches the Internet for recent information
- It synthesizes these results to answer you
In this case, being cited doesn't mean your brand is part of the AI's knowledge. It simply means your site is well-ranked on Bing or Google, and the AI found it in real-time.
Without web search, AI responds only with what it has "learned" during training. If your brand appears in this context, it's part of the model's permanent memory. This is true AEO visibility.
With vs Without web search: two completely different tests
Understanding this distinction is crucial for correctly interpreting your audit results.
| Criterion | With web search | Without web search |
|---|---|---|
| Response source | Real-time Internet | Model knowledge (training data) |
| What it measures | Your SEO + AI's ability to find you | Your true notoriety with AI |
| Stability | Variable (depends on current SERPs) | Stable (until the next model update) |
| SEO dependency | High | Low |
| Type of visibility | Ephemeral, transactional | Durable, reputational |
Why testing without web search is essential
Testing without web search reveals information you cannot obtain otherwise.
1. Measure your true brand notoriety
If the AI mentions your company without consulting the web, it means your brand was present enough in the training data to be "memorized". This is a much stronger indicator of notoriety than a simple presence in search results.
Concrete example
Ask ChatGPT (without web): "What are the best e-commerce platforms?" If Shopify appears but not your competing solution, Shopify has a head start in AI notoriety - regardless of SEO.
2. Identify gaps between SEO and AEO
Some companies are very visible with web search (good SEO) but absent without web (low AI notoriety). Others have a strong presence in the AI's knowledge despite modest SEO.
These gaps reveal where to focus your efforts:
- Strong in web, weak without web: Work on your notoriety, media citations, Wikipedia, academic publications
- Weak in web, strong without web: Your brand is established but your current SEO is weak - optimize your recent content
- Strong everywhere: Ideal position, maintain both fronts
- Weak everywhere: Priority to building notoriety on all channels
3. Anticipate market evolutions
More and more users interact with AI in contexts where web search is not enabled: mobile apps, voice integrations, enterprise chatbots. Testing without web simulates these growing uses.
The stakes of "from memory" visibility
How AI Labs Audit handles this distinction
AI Labs Audit was designed from the start to offer both types of tests. Here's how it works.
Configuration by AI
When creating an audit, you can choose for each AI whether you want to enable or disable web search:
- ChatGPT: Web search option can be enabled/disabled (GPT-4 Search vs standard GPT-4)
- Claude: By default without web search (native mode)
- Gemini: Configurable web search option
- Perplexity: Always with web search (that's its purpose)
Comparative reports
AI Labs Audit generates reports that clearly distinguish results by search mode. You can thus present to your clients:
- Their immediate visibility (with web) - useful for transactional queries
- Their underlying notoriety (without web) - indicator of brand equity with AI
- The gaps between the two and priority actions
Practical cases: when to use each mode
Use the WITH web search mode for:
- Testing transactional queries ("buy [product]", "price of [service]")
- Evaluating your visibility on current topics
- Measuring the impact of your recent content
- Simulating the Perplexity and Copilot experience
Use the WITHOUT web search mode for:
- Measuring your brand notoriety with AI
- Testing generic informational queries ("what is [your sector]")
- Evaluating if you are in the AI's base knowledge
- Simulating Claude uses (mostly without web)
- Preparing for market evolutions (offline assistants)
Recommended strategy
For a complete audit, test your 20-30 strategic queries in both modes. Focus your AEO optimizations (citations, authority, evergreen content) on queries where you are weak WITHOUT web search. That's where you build lasting visibility.
What this changes for your AEO strategy
Understanding the with/without web search distinction transforms your optimization approach.
To improve your visibility WITH web search:
This is essentially traditional SEO optimized for excerpts:
- Being well-positioned on Google and Bing
- Having fresh and regularly updated content
- Structuring your pages for featured snippets
- Optimizing for conversational queries
To improve your visibility WITHOUT web search:
This is a long-term notoriety and authority strategy:
- Being cited in reference sources - Wikipedia, academic articles, major media
- Producing "evergreen" content - definitive guides, reference definitions
- Building quality backlinks - AI learn relationships between entities
- Being mentioned in books and publications - privileged training sources
- Maintaining consistent presence - same name, same information everywhere
Why AI Labs Audit is ideal for this approach
AI Labs Audit was designed for professionals who understand this technical nuance.
Intuitive interface
No need to be a technical expert. In a few clicks, you configure your audits with or without web search, on the 4 major AI.
Professional client reports
Reports automatically generate clear visualizations of the difference between "real-time" and "from memory" visibility. Ideal for explaining the stakes to your clients.
Tracking over time
Compare your results from one month to the next, in both modes. Identify if your AEO efforts are improving your underlying notoriety (without web) or only your ephemeral visibility (with web).
Accessible pricing
Unlike enterprise tools, AI Labs Audit is accessible from 29 EUR/month, allowing independent consultants and small agencies to offer this service to their clients.
Test the difference yourself
Launch a free audit and compare your results with and without web search. You'll be surprised by the differences.
Create a free accountFAQ: Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an AI test with and without web search?
With web search, the AI consults the Internet in real-time to respond. Without web search, the AI uses only its internal knowledge (training data). Testing without web search reveals if your brand is part of the AI's permanent memory.
Why is testing without web search important for AEO?
Testing without web search measures your true notoriety with AI. If you appear without web, your brand is truly anchored in the model. This is the most durable form of AI visibility, independent of web result fluctuations.
Does AI Labs Audit allow comparing results with and without web search?
Yes, AI Labs Audit allows launching audits with or without web search on ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. You can thus compare both types of results to understand where your visibility comes from.
Which AI support the without web search mode?
ChatGPT (default mode without GPT-4 Search), Claude (by default without web), and Gemini can be tested without web search. Perplexity always uses web search by design - it's an AI search engine.
