A concrete checklist of every signal AI engines check before recommending your business. Walk through it once a quarter.
By Heather Laskin · Published April 29, 2026 · Updated June 7, 2026
This is the checklist version of our audit methodology. You can run the whole thing yourself in a weekend if you set aside the time. It covers the same four layers we work through during a paid audit: prompt testing, listings, website, and reputation. We don't include the lead-attribution layer here because it's an ongoing measurement system, not a one-time fix.
Print this, work through it, and check off what you complete.
The goal: figure out where AI currently puts you. You'll test how the AI engines your customers use respond to buyer-intent questions about your space.
These are the questions a customer who wants to hire you would actually type. Examples:
ChatGPT, Claude (claude.ai), Gemini (gemini.google.com), and Perplexity (perplexity.ai). All have free tiers. For each prompt, record:
Mention rate = (prompts where you appeared) ÷ (total prompts) × 4 platforms. If you ran 10 prompts on 4 platforms = 40 tests, and you appeared in 12, that's a 30% mention rate. Set this as your baseline.
Sign into business.google.com. Check every field:
Your business name, address, phone must be identical across:
Note every inconsistency and fix the highest-trafficked listing first.
If you're not listed on the directories AI cites for your industry, claim them. Find them by running prompts and seeing which directories AI references for competitors (Healthgrades, Avvo, Justia, Super Lawyers, FindLaw, BBB, Yelp, Foursquare, MapQuest, Manta, Chamber of Commerce listings).
Read your homepage hero out loud to a friend who doesn't know your business. Ask them to describe what you do in their own words.
If they get it wrong, your hero copy is too vague. Rewrite it with business type + location + key differentiated service. Aim for one sentence a stranger could repeat back.
Each major service should have its own dedicated page covering:
A two-paragraph service page won't get cited. A 600–1,200 word service page with these sections will.
Aim for 10–20 questions. The questions should be the questions a prospective customer would actually ask before hiring you, not marketing fluff. Include questions about pricing, insurance/payment, process, what to expect, qualifying out.
Wrap the page in FAQPage schema. If you're on WordPress, the Yoast or Rank Math plugins handle this. On Squarespace/Wix, paste the JSON-LD into the page-specific code injection setting.
Use schema.org's LocalBusiness type or its closest subtype (Dentist, Attorney, Restaurant, etc.). Include name, address, phone, hours, services, area served, and a link to your Google Business Profile. Validate with Google's Rich Results Test before shipping.
Look at your most recent 30 reviews on Google. Count how many mention a specific service by name. If it's fewer than 30%, your review program is leaving AI signal on the table.
Build a review request workflow that asks reviewers to describe what they had done. Send the request within 24 hours of a positive interaction. Use a QR code or short link that goes directly to your Google review form.
Compare your review count and recency to the two competitors AI cites most often. If you're behind, set a monthly review target. Most practices can sustain 5–15 new reviews per month with a real workflow in place.
Once you've worked through the checklist, wait 30–45 days for AI systems to re-crawl and re-index, then run your prompt test again. Compare your mention rate to the baseline. You should see movement.
We deliberately kept this DIY-friendly. The full audit we run commercially adds:
If your time is worth more than the audit price, the math is clear. If you have time and want to learn, this checklist is genuinely complete.