Roku — AI Citation Snapshot
Competitive Positioning Across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity & Gemini
Roku dominates AI platform recommendations with 39% featured prominence in unbranded queries (25 of 64 tests)—triple Apple TV's 13% and six times Fire TV's 6%. This leadership is anchored by strong tech media credibility: CNET (33 citations), TechRadar (28), and Tom's Guide (24) provide consistent editorial authority in streaming device comparisons. Platform comparison queries show 50% featured rate, demonstrating clear category ownership. However, content positioning remains limited—zero featured placements in free streaming queries despite The Roku Channel's competitive positioning, representing an opportunity to diversify beyond hardware dominance.
75%
Organic Discovery Rate
48/64 unbranded tests
#1
Competitive Position
Of streaming device brands tracked
39%
Featured Prominence
25/64 unbranded tests (vs Apple TV 13%, Fire TV 6%)
12%
Platform Variation
Highest 81% | Lowest 69% (unbranded)
560
Total Citations
Across all brands and sources
111
Tech Media Citations
CNET, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, The Verge
Competitive Positioning
Primary recommendation frequency when no specific brand was requested (unbranded queries only)
| Rank | Brand | Featured | % of Tests | Gap to Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Roku | 25 | 39% | — |
| #2 | Apple TV | 8 | 13% | -17 featured |
| — | Balanced/Multiple | 7 | 11% | No primary |
| #3 | Tubi | 5 | 8% | -20 featured |
| #4 | Fire TV | 4 | 6% | -21 featured |
| #5 | Chromecast | 3 | 5% | -22 featured |
| #5 | Pluto TV | 3 | 5% | -22 featured |
Methodology Note: This ranking measures "featured prominence"—which brand was the PRIMARY recommendation—not merely mentioned. Fire TV appears in 64% of responses (41/64) but is featured as the top choice in only 6% (4/64). Being mentioned frequently as an "also consider" option is strategically different from being the primary recommendation. Roku dominates featured prominence at 39%, triple Apple TV's 13% and 6× Fire TV's 6%.
Citations by Source Type
Distribution of 560 total citations
Tech media accounts for 24% of all citations (133 of 560), with CNET, TechRadar, and Tom's Guide providing the strongest editorial foundation for Roku's AI visibility. Third-party sources (excluding Roku official) represent 476 citations (85%).
Gemini
81%
13/16 unbranded tests
Highest performance
Highest performance
ChatGPT
75%
12/16 unbranded tests
Solid performance
Solid performance
Claude
75%
12/16 unbranded tests
Solid performance
Solid performance
Perplexity
69%
11/16 unbranded tests
Strong performance
Strong performance
Top Tech Media Citations
Most influential editorial sources citing Roku, by platform
ChatGPT
- CNETTech 8 citations
- TechRadarTech 7 citations
- Tom's GuideTech 6 citations
- The VergeTech 3 citations
- TechCrunchTech 2 citations
Claude
- CNETTech 9 citations
- TechRadarTech 7 citations
- Tom's GuideTech 6 citations
- The VergeTech 3 citations
- TechCrunchTech 2 citations
Perplexity
- CNETTech 8 citations
- TechRadarTech 7 citations
- Tom's GuideTech 6 citations
- The VergeTech 3 citations
- Consumer ReportsConsumer 2 citations
Gemini
- CNETTech 8 citations
- TechRadarTech 7 citations
- Tom's GuideTech 6 citations
- Consumer ReportsConsumer 4 citations
- The VergeTech 2 citations
Key Opportunities
Platform Comparison Strength
Roku was featured as primary in 50% of platform comparison queries (12/24 tests including device comparisons, interface quality, affordability) compared to 39% overall featured rate.
This demonstrates Roku owns the streaming device comparison positioning in AI responses, with 28% higher featured rate in device comparison scenarios versus broader streaming categories.
Content Positioning Gap
Zero featured placements in content/streaming service queries (0/8 tests) despite The Roku Channel's competitive free streaming positioning, while Tubi dominated this category.
Strengthening The Roku Channel's AI visibility through content-focused coverage and optimization could capture growing free-streaming queries and diversify beyond hardware-centric positioning.
Tech Media Authority
CNET (33 citations), TechRadar (28), and Tom's Guide (24) account for 85 of 111 tech media citations, providing consistent editorial credibility across all platforms.
Strong tier-1 tech media presence provides device credibility; expanding into broader lifestyle and consumer electronics media could increase organic discovery in adjacent categories.
Complete Query Appendix
All 80 tests with full transparency
| Query | Type | Platform | Roku | Featured | Category | Top Domains |
|---|
Snapshot Methodology
- 20 queries tested across 4 AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) for 80 total tests
- Conducted November 2024 focusing on US market streaming device and content queries
- Citation sources classified by type (brand official, tech media, retail, consumer media) and tracked by brand mention
- Analysis focused on unbranded query performance for true competitive assessment
- Featured Prominence Methodology: Competitive ranking based on which brand was the PRIMARY recommendation in AI responses, not merely mentioned. A brand can be mentioned (visibility) without being featured (recommendation). For example, Fire TV was mentioned in 64% of unbranded responses but featured as primary in only 6%, while Roku was featured in 39%.
- Snapshot represents one point in time; AI responses vary with query phrasing and platform algorithm evolution