We bring you an interview with Vojtech Oravec, founder of Ranketta, who announces the appointment of Jan Vavřička as Ranketta’s ambassador in the Czech Republic.

Vojtech Oravec is the founder of Ranketta, a Czech AI startup focused on monitoring and improving how brands and products are recommended by large language models such as ChatGPT, AI Overviews, and other AI-powered search systems.

My dream came true. We’ve just secured €1M in funding from investors to scale Ranketta globally.

We are the first company in Europe that can measure the visibility of your products in AI search, and we are already helping forward-thinking e-commerce and B2B brands stay ahead.

Big thanks to our investors Lighthouse Ventures and Gi21, and to everyone who believes in us! This is a major milestone for us, and we’re just getting started.

Vojtech Oravec

Ranketta was founded in response to a fundamental shift in online discovery: users are no longer just searching — they are asking AI tools what to buy, which company to choose, or which solution fits their needs best. Ranketta helps brands understand where, how, and why they appear (or don’t appear) in AI-generated answers and turns AI visibility into a measurable acquisition channel. The startup has attracted investor interest and secured funding to accelerate product development and international expansion.

According to Vojtech Oravec, the collaboration with Jan Vavřička, who has become Ranketta’s ambassador in the Czech Republic, is a natural and strategic step:

“Working with Jan Vavřička makes perfect sense for us for several reasons. Jan brings twenty years of experience in e-commerce, SEO, and online marketing and has a deep understanding of how companies think about performance, visibility, and return on investment. He is an SEO expert and a practitioner who very quickly recognized that the rise of artificial intelligence fundamentally changes how customers discover brands, products, and services.”

Oravec emphasizes that one of Ranketta’s key strengths is its ability to analyze competitor websites directly within AI search environments:

“From our very first discussions, we agreed that one of Ranketta’s core benefits is detailed competitive analysis in AI search. It’s not just about whether a brand appears in AI answers, but why competitors are being recommended and which signals AI systems rely on. This is where our data platform aligns perfectly with Jan’s strategic and creative approach.”

I experienced something I will probably never forget.

Thanks to JIC, I had the opportunity to present my startup, Ranketta, directly to Petr Pavel – the President of the Czech Republic. Using Ranketta, we analyzed the president’s reputation within AI models and compared it with that of his predecessors.

At the same time, we demonstrated that AI can unfortunately also become a powerful tool for manipulating people — something that may have a significant impact in the future.

Thank you to everyone who creates opportunities for young people. It truly matters.

Vojtech Oravec

The partnership combines advanced AI technology with hands-on experience from real e-commerce projects:

“Ranketta can precisely identify where a brand has the highest potential for growth in AI recommendations, but real value emerges when this data is correctly interpreted and transformed into concrete actions. Jan brings not only deep expertise, but also creative ideas on how to use data in practice and gain a competitive advantage.”

For the Czech market, Oravec sees the ambassador role as essential:

“It is crucial for us to have an ambassador who can clearly explain to companies that AI recommendations are not a distant vision, but a reality of today’s online marketing. Thanks to this collaboration, Czech companies gain access not only to the Ranketta platform, but also to an experienced marketing consultant who helps them unlock its full potential.”

Interview: The Founder of Ranketta on AI Search, Visibility, and the Future of SEO

How has user behavior changed with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT?

People increasingly prefer conversation over traditional search. Instead of browsing through multiple links, they want a specific, contextual answer. Many users now treat AI as a personal advisor — whether they’re choosing a product, a service provider, or making a business decision. This shift fundamentally changes how brands are discovered online.

Why is focusing only on Google rankings no longer sufficient?

Because AI is already part of Google itself. Users often see an AI Overview instead of a list of links, and that answer is “good enough” for them. In many cases, they don’t need to click through to a website at all. That’s why relying solely on classic SEO metrics no longer reflects real visibility.

What needs to happen for a brand or product to appear directly in AI-generated answers?

A brand needs to be mentioned in the right sources — places AI models actually use and cite when generating answers. From a technical perspective, structured data such as schema.org is essential. For e-commerce, integrations like Google Merchant Center or platforms with native AI connections play a major role. AI visibility is not accidental; it’s the result of very specific signals.

When users ask AI “what should I buy” or “which company should I choose,” how does AI decide?

AI combines its training data with live web signals running in the background. It evaluates relevance, accessibility of information, and available mentions across the web. Based on this, it generates a recommendation that appears most useful and trustworthy in context.

What are the most common mistakes companies make when trying to be visible in AI search?

The biggest mistake is blocking AI crawlers, which completely prevents AI from accessing the website’s content. Another frequent issue is heavy client-side rendering — often used for visual effects — where the content is invisible to AI crawlers. In both cases, companies unintentionally remove themselves from AI search entirely.

Ranketta focuses on tracking AI recommendations rather than keywords. Why is this so important?

Because recommendations influence decisions directly. Traditional SEO tools measure rankings and keywords, but they don’t tell you whether AI is actually recommending your brand or your competitor. Ranketta tracks real AI outputs — what AI says, who it recommends, and in which context. That’s a fundamental difference.

Can you measure why AI recommends one brand and ignores another?

Yes. In most cases, it comes down to missing or incorrect signals, technical barriers, or a lack of meaningful mentions in key sources. Once you see how AI “thinks,” these patterns become surprisingly clear.

Do you already have data or case studies confirming Ranketta’s impact?

We are currently finalizing case studies, including work with established brands. Early data clearly shows that AI can become a dominant acquisition channel when approached correctly.

What role do website content, structured data, and brand authority play?

Structured data is absolutely critical — for both AI optimization and traditional SEO. Off-page signals are often even more important than on-site content alone. One important clarification: AI does not evaluate “brand authority” the same way Google does. There is no authority score. AI simply works with accessible, relevant signals.

You describe AI search as a new acquisition channel. What does that mean in practice?

It means that AI can generate real leads and customers, just like SEO or paid advertising. For some companies, traffic from AI already represents the majority of new leads. Ignoring this channel today would be a serious strategic mistake.

Is Ranketta suitable only for e-commerce, or also for B2B companies and services?

Ranketta works for both B2C and B2B companies. E-commerce businesses benefit from additional specialized features, but the core value — being recommended by AI — applies to any brand or service.

Can Ranketta help companies that already invest heavily in SEO?

Absolutely. Companies that already care about organic traffic and brand visibility are actually ideal users. AI optimization is not a replacement for SEO — it’s an extension of it.

Why is cooperation with marketing consultants and agencies so important?

Because technology alone is not enough. Ranketta can automate data collection and analysis, but these insights must fit into a broader business strategy. Agencies and consultants understand their clients’ goals, markets, and constraints — and that’s where real impact happens.

Why was it important for Ranketta to appoint an ambassador for the Czech market?

AI recommendations are already shaping customer decisions, but many companies still see them as a future trend. We needed someone who can explain, in a practical and credible way, that this is happening now. Thanks to this collaboration, companies gain not only access to the Ranketta platform, but also strategic guidance on how to use it effectively.

What would you recommend to companies that want to prepare for the future of search?

Start by understanding your current AI visibility. Ask AI tools the same questions your customers ask. See how your brand is described, whether it appears at all, and who is being recommended instead. From there, you can gradually introduce AI-focused optimization steps.

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Ranketta Pricing and Exclusive Discount for new users

Companies interested in Ranketta pricing can benefit from a special offer for new users. As the official ambassador of Ranketta in the Czech Republic, Jan Vavřička guarantees a 10% discount on Ranketta services for all companies in the world.

If you are considering using Ranketta to improve your visibility in AI search and recommendations, simply use this discount code before purchasing:

JANVAVRICKA10

This offer is intended for companies that want to start working with AI visibility data early and gain a competitive advantage while the channel is still underutilized.

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One final piece of advice for business owners and marketers?

Don’t be afraid of change. New technologies are not a threat — they are an opportunity. In industries where nothing changes, growth potential is usually limited. AI search is evolving fast, and those who adapt early will gain a significant advantage.

Thank you for the interview and for your valuable perspective on the future of AI search.