Sited Visibility Index: Which Streaming Platform “Owns” Halloween in AI Search?

Halloween movie nights are practically synonymous with October, but navigating the overwhelming number of streaming platforms can end up being scarier than the horror film you eventually land on. So, rather than spending the evening scrolling through streaming libraries, viewers are increasingly turning to AI search to narrow their options and find the perfect Halloween watch.

In this edition of The Pollack Group’s Sited Visibility Index, we examine how AI responded to unbranded questions about streaming Halloween content. Using our Sited GEO solution powered by Brandi AI, we ran prompts about horror movie recommendations, family-friendly favorites and classic Halloween films, alongside queries about streaming affordability and Halloween watch-party options.

TL;DR

• Netflix leads in overall visibility, appearing in 59% of analyzed AI answers and capturing the largest GEO Share of Voice at 14%. Disney+ and Hulu follow closely.
• Disney+ earns earlier placement for recommendations, with an average Mention Position of 1.7 compared with Netflix’s 2.5.
• Disney+ also leads in sentiment with a score of 8.2, driven by positive associations with family-friendly entertainment and nostalgic Halloween favorites. Netflix’s associations span a wider range of genres, from psychological thrillers to horror-comedies.
• Netflix leads domain citations (38%), while Shudder’s homepage is the most-cited individual URL (29%). AI references pages across Netflix’s website more frequently overall, but no single page is cited more often than Shudder’s homepage.
• Being mentioned doesn’t guarantee being cited. Prime Video appears in 43% of answers, but its website is cited in just 3.1%. Meanwhile, Halloween-specific guides from Netflix, Disney+ and Peacock rank among the most cited pages, highlighting opportunities for brands to make their own content more discoverable.

Methodology

We analyzed 254 AI-generated search results produced by 20 prompts across a seven-day period in October 2026. These answers were produced in response to unbranded questions about streaming Halloween movies, spanning horror movie recommendations, family-friendly favorites, classic films and platform affordability.  

The competitive analysis was framed around Netflix but focused on six major streaming platforms including Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max and Paramount+. Below are examples of prompts we used:

• What streaming service has the best Halloween movie collection right now?
• What streaming service has the best scary movies for a Halloween watch party?
• What is the cheapest streaming service for Halloween movies and shows?
• Which streaming service has the best Halloween collection for kids?
• What is the best streaming service for classic horror movies?

GEO Awareness

GEO Awareness measures how frequently a brand appears in AI answers. Netflix appears in 59% of analyzed answers, taking the lead against competitors. Disney+ and Hulu come in a close second at 46% each. Prime Video isn’t far behind at 43%, while HBO Max (33%) and Paramount+ (10%) appear considerably less often.

Netflix appears most frequently, but the findings indicate close competition. No single platform is monopolizing visibility when it comes to queries about Halloween content streaming.  

GEO Share of Voice (SOV)

GEO Share of Voice measures mentions of a brand divided by total mentions of all brands. Netflix finds first place again, capturing 14% of the conversation, followed by Disney+ and Hulu with 11% each. Prime Video accounts for 10% of the conversation, with HBO Max at 7.7% and Paramount+ at just 2.4%.

Mention Position

As is true of traditional SEO, it’s important to analyze where a brand ranks when GEO yields a list of recommendations. Whether it’s listed first or last (i.e., the “Mention Position”) can tell us a lot about brand positioning.

Disney+ leads with an average Mention Position of 1.7, meaning it generally appears first or second. Netflix follows at 2.5, while Hulu and Max tie at 3.4. Paramount+ (3.8) and Prime Video (3.9) tend to appear later in responses.

As indicated by its Awareness and SOV standings, Netflix has broad general visibility. But Disney+ still earns stronger recommendation placement, likely due to its ability to meet specific viewing preferences like family-friendly and nostalgic Halloween content. Its tailored media and original programming make it particularly relevant in targeted, narrower search queries – though it’s worth noting the data does not establish a direct link between these associations and its higher ranking.

Sentiment

The Sentiment score is measured on a scale of 1-10, with lower scores representing negative sentiment. Disney+ leads this competitive set with an overall score of 8.2, followed by Netflix (7.7), Max (7.6), Hulu (7.1), Paramount+ (7.0) and Prime Video (6.9).  

Disney+’s high score is closely associated with family-friendly entertainment and nostalgic value. The “family-friendly” theme tag appeared in 11% of its analyzed answers, with “nostalgic Halloween favorites” (6.2%) and “classic Halloween magic” (5.3%) coming up as well.  

Netflix’s content sentiment was more varied, with positive mentions spanning psychological thrillers (5.7%), horror-comedies (4.1%), friendly monsters (4.1%) and animated adventures (3.3%).  

Cited Sources

AI search engines pull information from a variety of sources. For this audit, they pulled primarily from platform domains, entertainment publications, social media and online communities.  

The Netflix website is cited in 38% of analyzed answers, with Disney+’s domain being cited in 31% and Hulu’s in 26%. And despite not being among the six platforms we compared in our analysis, Shudder, Peacock and Tubi’s domains make the cut several times. Notably, Shudder’s homepage was the single most-cited URL at 29%, meaning no individual page across the analyzed sources was referenced more frequently.  

This shows that a streaming service can appear in search results solely for the purpose of providing useful information or for having niche alignment. Shudder’s homepage is cited frequently in response to questions about where to find classic horror films.  

What the Laggards Are Missing

Leading platforms boast frequent mentions and website citations. And while visible, some competitors like Prime Video are missing the opportunity for their proprietary website content to be linked alongside responses.  

Prime Video appears in 43% of analyzed AI answers, but its domain is only cited in 3.1% of responses. By creating more easily discoverable content, this platform can control the conversation better, strengthen its influence over how AI describes its offerings, position itself more favorably against competitors, and recommend all of it to users.  

In that same vein, Halloween-specific pages also rank among the most cited URLs. Netflix’s family-friendly Halloween article and Disney+’s Halloween family guide are each cited in 11% of answers. Peacock’s family movie guide (8.3%) and Halloween collection (7.9%) also perform well.

These results highlight the value of content that directly addresses seasonal viewing questions, giving AI hyperspecific information to reference. However, dedicated guides aren’t the only route to visibility, as we’ve seen with Shudder’s homepage being the single most-cited URL at 29%, which demonstrates the potential of a clearly defined content offering.

Seeing It In Action

To see how AI actually responded to Halloween streaming questions, see an example below.  

Prompt: What streaming service has the best scary movies for a Halloween watch party?

Answer (excerpt):  

For a Halloween watch party, Shudder is my top pick for serious scares, while Hulu or Max are great alternatives if you want a mix of popular horror movies and crowd-pleasers. If you'd rather not pay for another subscription, Tubi is worth checking out, too.

The best streaming services for Halloween horror

The best streaming services in 2026 for TV, movies, sports and more, tested and reviewed

1. Shudder

• Best for horror fans
• Best for disturbing supernatural movies, slashers, indie horror, cult classics, and films your friends probably haven't seen. Its current lineup includes titles such as Late Night with the Devil, Oddity, and When Evil Lurks.

Plans start at $7.99/month in the US.

2. Hulu

• Best for a mixed crowd
• Its annual Huluween collection is a good place to find modern horror, thrillers, and movies that work for a group with different scare tolerances.  

Check out its current seasonal picks, including Send Help.

3. HBO Max

• Best for cinematic horror, acclaimed modern films, and movies that give everyone something to discuss afterward. Its 2026 Halloween lineup features The Substance, Sinners, and Backrooms.

4. Netflix

• Best for an easy, mainstream movie night with a broad entertainment library and a dedicated horror collection. It's a practical choice if your group already subscribes and wants to browse without adding another service.

5. Tubi

• Best free option
• Great for a no-extra-cost marathon, with horror ranging from slashers and supernatural thrillers to cult favorites. The trade-off is ad breaks, and availability changes.
• Mixed ages, including kids

Put Your Brand to the Test

The analysis is powered by Sited, The Pollack Group’s solution for GEO and online visibility improvement created in partnership with Brandi AI. Curious where your brand ranks in these same AI conversations? We’ll run your category through Sited and show you exactly how and why you show up, or don’t. Let’s talk.