AI search readiness checklist
Before you start
To get the best results, follow these three steps before you start.
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Sign out and go incognito. When you’re signed in, AI tools can remember your past conversations and shape their answers around you. Using a private window with no account gives you the same view a new buyer gets.
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Pick two or three AI tools. Choose the ones your buyers are most likely using, like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, or Google’s AI Overviews. Run every prompt in each one.
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Think like your buyer. Fill in the brackets with the words your prospects actually use when they describe what they need, not the terms you use internally.
Pro tip: Track as you go. Keep a simple sheet with a row for each prompt and a column for each AI tool. Run each prompt two or three times, since AI answers can change from one run to the next.
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Your AI search prompts
1. Recommendation
“I’m looking for [core service] for [niche or audience]. Who would you recommend?”
This is the closest thing to a buyer asking a trusted peer for a referral, so it’s the one to watch most closely.
2. Category leader
“Which companies are known for [core service]?”
This is the closest thing to a buyer asking a trusted peer for a referral, so it’s the one to watch most closely.
3. Best-of
“What are the best [type of company or provider] for [niche or use case]?”
Best-of answers often pull from list articles and review sites, so the sources here show you where to earn a spot.
4. Challenge-based
“I need help with [specific challenge]. What companies or solutions should I consider?”
Buyers often start with what’s in their way rather than a category name, and this shows whether AI connects that need back to you.
5. Comparison
“What are the top alternatives to [well-known competitor] for [use case]?”
This tells you whether you make the shortlist when a buyer is already weighing a bigger name.
6. Niche specialist
“Which [service] companies specialize in working with [industry or niche]?”
Specialization is often easier to own than a broad category, which makes this a strong place for smaller brands to show up first.
7. Direct brand check
“What does [your company] do, and what are they known for?”
This is your baseline, since it shows whether AI understands you correctly when someone asks about you by name.
What’s my company’s AI search score?
Score each answer from 0 to 3:
0
You're not mentioned.
1
You're mentioned in passing or in a long list.
2
You're described accurately as a relevant option.
3
You're recommended or named first.
Add up your scores across every prompt and tool. A high total means AI tools already see you as a strong option. A low total, or big swings between tools, shows where to focus first. Run each prompt two or three times, since AI answers can change from one run to the next.
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Next steps
Running the prompts is just the first step. The sources behind each answer hold the real insight because they show what AI trusts in your category. Once you’ve scored your results, follow these steps to understand what’s driving them and improve how often AI recommends you.
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Find the sources. Look for the citations listed with the answer, or simply ask, “What sources did you use for this answer?”
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Spot the repeats. Note which sites keep coming up, like review platforms, industry publications, list articles, or competitor websites.
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Turn them into a to-do list. The places AI already trusts are the places worth showing up next, whether that’s a guest article, a review, or a listing.
Utilize AI chat bot
Maximize the AI assisting capability of your AI chatbot. Creo powered utilization.
Broadcast your ideas
Learn how Marketing in Progress Podcast gets the right people in the show and share their business ideals.
Bonus prompts: Is AI getting your brand right?
Showing up is only half the picture. You also want AI to tell your story the way you would. Run these prompts in the same signed-out, private window and compare each answer against your website.
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Positioning: “What makes [your company] different from other [category] companies?”
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Services: “What services does [your company] offer?” and “Does [your company] offer [specific service]?”
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Ideal customer: “What types of companies does [your company] work with?”
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Reputation: “What do customers say about [your company]?”
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Misconceptions: “Does [your company] offer [a service you don’t offer]?” and “Who should not use [your company]?”
If AI gets something wrong, start with your own website. Ensure your services, audience, and differentiators are stated clearly on the pages AI is most likely to read, like your homepage, service pages, and about page. Then look at the sources AI cited for its answer. Outdated listings, old press, or third-party profiles are often the root cause, and they're usually easy to update.
FAQ