The short answer: open three AI engines, ask each one the same five questions about your business, and write down what comes back. In 15 minutes you will know whether AI knows you exist, whether it has its facts right, and who it recommends instead of you.
What you need
- 15 minutes
- A notepad or a blank document
- Three AI engines open in your browser. We suggest ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Perplexity. All three have free versions.
One tip before you start: if you are logged in, the AI may remember things about you. Use a private or incognito browser window if you can, so you see what a stranger would see.
The five questions
Swap in your own details where you see the brackets. Ask each question in all three engines.
1. Does it know you exist?
Type: What do you know about [your business name] in [your city]?
You are looking for a real answer with correct facts. “I don’t have information about that business” is also useful to know.
2. Does it recommend you?
Type: Who are the best [your type of business] in [your city]?
This is the big one. It is what your customers actually ask. Write down every business it names, whether or not you are on the list.
3. Does it recommend you for your specialty?
Type: I need [a specific service you offer] in [your city]. Who should I call?
Small businesses often win here, because the question is more specific.
4. Does it have its facts right?
Type: What are the opening hours, address and phone number for [your business name]?
Wrong facts are common. They usually come from an old listing somewhere on the web.
5. Where does it get its information?
Type: What sources did you use for that?
Perplexity and Gemini usually show links. These are the websites the AI trusts for your kind of business. Those are the places you want to be listed or mentioned.
Score yourself
- Green: at least two engines know you, the facts are right, and you show up in question 2 or 3.
- Yellow: the engines know you, but some facts are wrong or you are never recommended.
- Red: the engines do not know you at all.
Do not worry if the answers change a little each time you ask. AI answers are never exactly the same twice. Look at the pattern across all three engines.
What to do with your results
If the facts are wrong: fix your listings first. Start with Google Business Profile, then Yelp, Facebook and Bing Places. Make your name, address and phone number match exactly everywhere.
If it knows you but does not recommend you: look at the sources from question 5 and at the businesses it did name. What do they have that you don’t? It is often more reviews, a listing on a local “best of” page, or clearer service pages.
If it does not know you at all: check that nothing is blocking AI from reading your site. Work through 7 things that quietly stop AI from finding you.
Save your notes and repeat the check in three months. It is the simplest way to see whether your work is paying off.
