The exact checklist we run during a paid audit, written so you can do it yourself in a weekend. Twelve items across four layers.
The questions a customer who wants to hire you would type. Best [your service] near me, in [your city], with [qualifier], etc.
Record whether you appeared, which competitors appeared, how confident the answer was, and what directories were cited.
(Appearances) ÷ (10 prompts × 4 platforms). This is your baseline.
Categories, services, photos, Q&A, posts, hours, attributes — all complete and precise.
Name, address, phone identical across Google, Apple Maps, Yelp, Bing, Facebook, industry directories.
Healthgrades, Avvo, Justia, BBB, Foursquare — wherever AI cites competitors in your space.
Read your hero out loud. Friend describes your business correctly? Pass. Otherwise rewrite.
Each major service: dedicated page, 600–1,200 words, what it is + who it's for + process + cost + qualifying out + common questions.
10–20 real buyer questions wrapped in FAQPage schema.
Validate with Google's Rich Results Test.
Of your last 30 reviews, count how many mention a specific service by name. Aim for 30%+. Build a workflow that asks reviewers to describe what they had done.
Compare to top competitors. Set monthly target with a real review request workflow.
Wait 30–45 days for AI to re-crawl, then run your prompt test again. Compare to baseline.
Continue reading: How to help AI find your business · Why ChatGPT doesn't recommend your business