Short answer: write 5 questions a real customer would ask, run each one 3 times in a private window in ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and Grok, and record whether your business is named. Your AI visibility is the share of answers that name you.
What you need
- 30 to 60 minutes
- A spreadsheet (a template is below)
- A private or incognito browser window
The 7 steps
- Write 5 buyer questions. Use the words your customers use, and include your city or area. Mix the types: "best [service] in [area]", "[service] near [landmark] with good reviews", "[your category] for [specific need]", "[your business] vs [competitor]" and "is [your business] good for [need]".
- Open a private window and log out. Personal history and memory change what assistants say. Use a private or incognito window, logged out where the assistant allows it. In ChatGPT, turn on search or add "search the web" so it uses current information.
- Ask each question 3 times in each assistant. Start a new chat every time. Cover ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and Grok. That is 5 questions × 6 assistants × 3 runs = 90 answers. Short on time? Start with ChatGPT and Google AI Mode.
- Record five things for every answer. Were you named (yes or no)? In what position? How were you described, and was it accurate? Who was named instead? Which sources were cited?
- Work out your score. Divide the answers that name you by the total answers, and multiply by 100. Named in 12 of 90 answers means 13% AI visibility.
- Read the sources. The cited sources show where AI gets its facts. Wrong fees, an old rating or a missing service usually trace back to one page or listing. That is your fix list.
- Repeat every month with the same questions. Changing the questions makes months impossible to compare. Keep the set fixed and add new questions alongside, not instead.
Example questions by industry
| Industry | Questions buyers ask AI |
|---|---|
| Clinics | "best dental implant clinic in Dubai Marina" · "laser hair removal cost in Gurugram" · "female dermatologist near Jumeirah with good reviews" |
| Schools | "best CBSE schools in Al Qusais" · "[school] KHDA rating and fees" · "good schools near Dwarka with low fees" |
| B2B companies | "best warehouse management software in India" · "[tool] alternatives" · "[tool A] vs [tool B] for a mid-size company" |
| Professional services | "best property lawyer in Dubai" · "top SEO agency in Bangalore for startups" · "is [firm] good for company formation" |
Tracking template
One row per answer. Copy these columns into a spreadsheet:
| Date | Assistant | Question | Run | Named? | Position | Described accurately? | Named instead | Sources cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov 2026 | ChatGPT | best dental implant clinic in Dubai Marina | 1 | No | – | – | Clinic A, Clinic B, Clinic C | directory site, review site |
Common mistakes
- Asking once. One answer is an anecdote. Answers change between runs, so repeat each question.
- Checking while logged in. Your own history can make an assistant mention you more than it would for a stranger.
- Vague questions. "Best clinic" tells you little. Real buyers name the treatment and the area.
- Counting a citation as a recommendation. A link to your site at the bottom is not the same as being on the shortlist.
- Changing the questions every month. Keep a fixed set so the trend means something.
What to do with the results
- Never named: start with the basics. Is your Google Business Profile correct? Does your website state what you do, where, and for whom, in plain text?
- Named, but described wrongly: find the source of the wrong fact in the citations and correct it there.
- Named sometimes: you need more third-party evidence, such as reviews, directory profiles and mentions on sites the assistants already cite.
The GEO guide explains each fix in more detail, and the methodology page shows how a full check is scored.
Want this done for you? The free one-page check shows what six AI assistants say about your business, who they name instead, and the three fixes that matter most. Sent within 48 hours.