{"id":30358,"date":"2026-08-21T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/?p=30358"},"modified":"2026-08-20T14:39:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:39:40","slug":"ranq-ch-raises-the-profile-of-swiss-companies-in-the-ai-chatbot-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/ranq-ch-raises-the-profile-of-swiss-companies-in-the-ai-chatbot-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranq.ch Raises the Profile of Swiss Companies in the AI Chatbot Space"},"content":{"rendered":"
Seit dem 31. Juli 2026 ist ranq.ch mit Profilen von 631'000 Unternehmen der Schweiz live.<\/span><\/div>\n\n

Anyone searching for a broker or insurer in St. Gallen on ChatGPT or another AI-powered chatbot today will receive a recommendation. But the companies that are mentioned are not chosen at random\u2014it\u2019s a matter of visibility in the new digital age. Fabio M\u00e4tzler, founder and mastermind behind cohaga, has developed ranq.ch\u2014a product that addresses precisely this need: a business directory designed not for humans, but for artificial intelligence. Starting July 31, 2026, the platform will go live with profiles of all 744,814 companies in Switzerland.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Fabio M\u00e4tzler, founder of cohaga AG<\/a>, explains why the new business directory ranq.ch<\/a> wasn’t built for people, but for AI chatbots.<\/p>\n\n

Mr. M\u00e4tzler, cohaga is known for LeadHub, an outbound address database for active, outbound customer acquisition. Why is a second product needed now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Thank you very much for this interesting question and the opportunity to introduce myself in this interview. We developed our new product, ranQ<\/em>, because we ourselves had a strong need to appear at the top of the results from ChatGPT and similar services\u2014for example, when someone searches for the best company addresses in Switzerland. As early as the beginning of 2023, we were convinced that a large portion of traffic would shift to AI chatbots. Incidentally, according to a McKinsey study, by 2028 over 50 percent of all search traffic will no longer take place on traditional search engines like Google or Bing, but rather on AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Claude. Furthermore, this product expansion was a logical next step, as we use Leadhub to handle outbound leads and ranQ to generate as many high-quality inbound leads as possible for our clients. <\/p>\n\n

You mention a shift from SEO<\/em> (search engine optimization) to GEO<\/em> (generative engine optimization). What exactly do you mean by that?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

GEO is the next evolution of traditional search engine optimization. The goal is to optimize web content so that it is understood by AI search engines and cited as a source. Leading experts estimate that SEO and GEO<\/a> overlap by approximately 70 percent. However, there are some important differences, such as the strong focus on regionality and the high effectiveness of comparisons in GEO, as well as the generally higher level of specificity of GEO leads compared to SEO leads.<\/p>\n\n

How exactly does ranQ work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We create a digital profile for our clients, analyze their areas of activity, and develop targeted content and signals that increase the likelihood that AI systems will recommend this company when relevant questions arise.<\/p>\n\n

Here\u2019s a simplified overview of the process:<\/p>\n\n

A company is registered in the ranQ app; data and positioning are analyzed based on the website; relevant topics and high-volume search queries are identified; AI-optimized content is created and edited by ghostwriters; the content is suggested to the client; content can be customized, deleted, approved, and scheduled; authority signals such as external mentions and backlinks are implemented; and progress is quantified in the audit section and consistently optimized.<\/p>\n\n

The goal: When someone asks an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, \u201cWho is the best painter specializing in historic preservation in St. Gallen?\u201d, the company must not be overlooked.<\/p>\n\n

Where does the data for these 774,000 profiles come from?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The data is based on publicly available company information from our COHAGA Leadhub. We\u2019ve worked diligently to build this database over the past six years. During that time, nearly 20 people have been working simultaneously to ensure our data\u2019s exceptional address quality (operational decision-makers with direct contact information) and timeliness.<\/p>\n\n

Our data is updated through a monthly update cycle via our website and through changes to the commercial register, which are fed into our Leadhub on a daily basis via APIs from the 26 cantonal commercial registers.<\/p>\n\n

Important: A profile does not automatically mean that a company is actively working with RanQ; initially, it is simply a \u201cbare profile.\u201d This means: We\u2019ve laid the groundwork for companies to become visible in this new AI-powered search landscape, but no content is available yet. That only happens once a RanQ plan is signed.<\/p>\n\n

What\u2019s the difference between a \u201cbasic\u201d profile and a paid Ranq profile?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

A basic profile is a digital business card and includes the physical location, industry, VAT ID, and company size.<\/p>\n\n

A paid profile goes much further: it includes strategic positioning, optimization for AI searches, the creation of relevant content, better semantic classification, building authority, ongoing monitoring, and contact information.<\/p>\n\n

The difference is similar to Google: A listing in the phone book doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll be found. Visibility only comes through optimization.<\/p>\n\n

How do you decide which topics to create content for?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We don\u2019t just look at which keywords have high search volume, as is often done in the SEO field\u2014for example, with SEMRUSH. We analyze in detail: What questions are people asking AI systems today? Which companies are currently being recommended? Where are the gaps? Which topics align with the company\u2019s expertise? And: Where is there a realistic opportunity to establish authority?<\/p>\n\n

The focus is on so-called “intent-based” topics\u2014that is, queries that indicate a genuine intent to purchase. In addition, customers can specify the target audiences and product features they want to be found for.<\/p>\n\n

Can you give a specific example?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Let\u2019s take a plumbing company in St. Gallen as an example. In SEO, someone searches for: \u201cPlumbing St. Gallen.\u201d In GEO, someone searches for: \u201cWhich plumbing company in St. Gallen West is reliable, as sustainable as possible, and specializes in bathroom renovations?\u201d<\/p>\n\n

An AI uses a variety of signals to make a decision, such as: Is the company relevant to this topic? Is there enough information available? Is it mentioned by other sources? Is there expert content on the subject?<\/p>\n\n

RanQ helps build exactly these signals.<\/p>\n\n

How does this work? How does the AI \u201clearn\u201d which companies are good?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The AI chatbot doesn\u2019t learn like a human, nor does it receive a direct list of recommendations. Instead, large language models (LLMs) analyze patterns: Which companies are frequently mentioned? Which sources are considered trustworthy? What content demonstrates expertise? What connections exist between companies and topics?<\/p>\n\n

You can compare it to a digital reputation. If many independent signals indicate, \u201cThis company is relevant to this topic,\u201d then the likelihood that an AI will take it into account increases.<\/p>\n\n

What is the difference between AI-generated responses and Google Ads or traditional advertising?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Google Ads (SEA) buys visibility\u2014the top three search results on Google. When the budget runs out, that visibility disappears. RanQ, on the other hand, builds long-term digital authority. With advertising: \u201cI pay to be shown.\u201d With AI visibility: \u201cThe system recognizes me as a relevant answer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

For AI-generated answers, there is currently no traditional advertising model like Google Ads. Trust, context, and relevance are key\u2014in other words, organic visibility.<\/p>\n\n

You mention backlinks as an important factor. How do you plan to build 100,000 backlinks?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We’ve created a unique concept for this, but unfortunately I can’t reveal too much about it yet. All I can say is this: Part of it will be based on various badges, similar to those used by Kununu or for ISO certifications.<\/p>\n\n

In addition, various business directories, partner networks, regional platforms, industry articles, media mentions, thematic content, and company profiles are, of course, incorporated.<\/p>\n\n

100,000 backlinks are not a one-time effort, but rather a long-term building process spanning many companies and industries.<\/p>\n\n

What subscription plans do you offer?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The model is based on different needs: The Control<\/em> model is primarily an analysis of the current situation and does not include content. The goal is to assess where you stand and to implement only on-page optimizations on your own website. The price is CHF 950 per year.<\/p>\n\n

The Climb<\/em> model includes a basic audit and reporting, as well as content in the form of 6 blog posts, 5 FAQ entries, and a comparison page. This model is a good fit if you want a more detailed understanding of where you currently stand and would like to improve your AI score through external content creation and publication on www.ranq.ch<\/a>. The price for this model is CHF 3,350 per year.<\/p>\n\n

With the Command<\/em> model, you can expect a professional audit and reporting; the content includes 12 blog posts, 9 FAQ entries, 3 comparison pages, and 3 checklists. The goal here is to gain a very detailed understanding of your current position and to significantly improve your AI score through extensive and high-quality external content creation and publication on www.ranq.ch<\/a>. The goal is to dominate your own market in terms of AI visibility. This costs CHF 6,710 per year.<\/p>\n\n

Who is ranq.ch primarily intended for?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Primarily for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across a wide range of industries throughout Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n

In particular, companies that currently rely heavily on referrals, Google, or regional recognition. These include: tradespeople, software and IT companies, various service providers, consulting firms and agencies, local businesses, and specialized providers.<\/p>\n\n

Many SMEs offer outstanding services, but digital systems do not yet recognize this expertise.<\/p>\n\n

When ranq.ch goes live on July 31, 2026, what\u2019s the next step for interested companies?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The first step is to check your current AI score here<\/a>. Are you satisfied with how visible your company is in AI chatbots? After that, your company can decide whether it wants to actively work on its AI presence.<\/p>\n\n

The big change is that companies today no longer optimize just for search engines, but for the answers of the future. Don\u2019t miss out on this historic shift\u2014use the momentum of the current changes to your advantage. Let\u2019s get ranQed!<\/p>\n\n

The questions were asked by Binci Heeb.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Fabio M\u00e4tzler<\/strong>, CEO & Co-Founder, B.A. in Business & Economics, University of Basel. When Fabio M\u00e4tzler began studying economics at the University of Basel in November 2015, he came across a job posting in which a client wanted someone to create an Excel list of all retirement homes in Switzerland. He applied immediately and was hired. Creating this database marked the birth of his own company. The response to his first databases was so positive that he continuously expanded his services. What began as a student job is now Switzerland\u2019s leading address broker, with addresses from nearly 300 industries, over 2,000 satisfied customers, and just over 30 dedicated employees. Since 2026, Leadhub has not only offered a solution for outbound leads, but with ranQ, the company has also created the opportunity for customers to generate more inbound leads by directing them to the responses of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and others.<\/p>\n\n

See also: Risk Is Not the Enemy\u2014It’s the Raw Material<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anyone searching for a broker or insurer in St. Gallen on ChatGPT or another AI-powered chatbot today will receive a recommendation. But the companies that are mentioned are not chosen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5100,5134,5138],"tags":[5860,14454,14451,14457,14455,14450,14456,14453,6047,14449,14458,14452,5288,6522],"class_list":["post-30358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current","category-general","category-interviews-en","tag-chatbots-en","tag-cohaga","tag-contents","tag-intent-topics","tag-leadhub","tag-mechanism","tag-profiles","tag-ranq-ch","tag-relevance","tag-seo","tag-subscription-models","tag-swiss-companies","tag-switzerland-en","tag-visibility","ownarticle"],"acf":[],"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":"Seit dem 31. Juli 2026 ist ranq.ch mit Profilen von 631'000 Unternehmen der Schweiz live.","source_text":"","source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30358"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30359,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30358\/revisions\/30359"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebrokernews.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}