Use this checklist to audit your current AI visibility and identify the highest-priority improvements. Work through each section systematically — the businesses with the highest AI recommendation rates have covered most of these bases.
Section 1: Google Business Profile (GBP)
GBP is the single most important source for AI local business recommendations.
Claim and Verification
- [ ] GBP listing is claimed by your business
- [ ] Listing is verified (not pending)
- [ ] Listing is not suspended or flagged
Business Information
- [ ] Business name exactly matches your official business name (no keyword stuffing)
- [ ] Address is accurate and matches your website exactly
- [ ] Phone number is current and correct
- [ ] Website URL points to your live, correct website
- [ ] Business category (primary) is the most specific applicable category
- [ ] At least 2-3 secondary categories are selected
Description
- [ ] Description is filled out (750 characters max)
- [ ] Description mentions your key services
- [ ] Description mentions your primary service area or city
- [ ] Description mentions 1-2 key differentiators (years in business, key credential, specialization)
- [ ] No links or calls-to-action in the description (GBP doesn't allow them and they hurt)
Services
- [ ] At least 5 services are listed
- [ ] Each service has a description (not just a name)
- [ ] Prices or price ranges are included where applicable
Hours
- [ ] Regular business hours are set accurately
- [ ] Holiday hours are updated for upcoming holidays
- [ ] If you offer emergency/24-7 service, this is reflected in hours or description
Photos
- [ ] At least 25 photos uploaded (businesses with fewer see significantly lower AI mention rates)
- [ ] Exterior photo included
- [ ] Interior photo included
- [ ] Team photo included
- [ ] Photos of your work, products, or services included
- [ ] Photos added within the last 3 months
Q&A
- [ ] At least 5 Q&A pairs pre-populated by you
- [ ] Q&A covers common questions (availability, credentials, service area, pricing)
- [ ] Any customer-submitted questions answered
Reviews
- [ ] At least 25 reviews on GBP
- [ ] Average rating above 4.0
- [ ] Reviews responded to within 7 days
- [ ] Negative reviews responded to professionally
Posts
- [ ] At least 1 post in the last 30 days
- [ ] Posts are relevant to your business and services
Section 2: Website Content
Your website is the primary content source for AI descriptions.
Core Pages
- [ ] Homepage clearly states what you do, where, and for whom
- [ ] About page includes specific years in business, credentials, and team info
- [ ] Services page lists all major services
- [ ] Contact page includes phone, address, and service area
- [ ] FAQ page exists with at least 10 questions answered
Service Coverage
- [ ] Dedicated page exists for each of your top 3-5 services
- [ ] Each service page includes service description, process, pricing (or price range), and service area
- [ ] Service pages are internally linked from homepage and services hub
Location Signals
- [ ] Primary city/location appears in page titles, headings, and body copy
- [ ] Service area (cities, neighborhoods, zip codes) is listed explicitly
- [ ] Physical address appears in footer on every page
Credentials
- [ ] All relevant certifications listed on website
- [ ] License numbers included (with link to licensing authority if possible)
- [ ] Awards and recognitions documented
- [ ] Team credentials listed on About or Team page
Content Quality
- [ ] No major typos or grammatical errors
- [ ] Content is accurate and current (check date references)
- [ ] Content reads as genuine and expert, not keyword-stuffed
- [ ] Content was updated within the last 12 months
Section 3: Schema Markup
Schema is the most direct communication channel between your website and AI.
LocalBusiness Schema
- [ ] LocalBusiness (or specific subtype) schema exists on homepage
- [ ] Name matches GBP exactly
- [ ] Address matches GBP exactly
- [ ] Phone number matches GBP exactly
- [ ] Hours match GBP
- [ ] Business type is a specific subtype (not generic LocalBusiness)
Service Schema
- [ ] Service schema exists for at least your top 3 services
- [ ] Each service schema includes description and area served
FAQPage Schema
- [ ] FAQPage schema exists on at least your primary service pages
- [ ] FAQs match what users actually ask about your business
Validation
- [ ] Schema passes Google Rich Results Test with no errors
- [ ] Schema has no warnings about missing recommended fields
Section 4: Directory and Citation Presence
AI cross-references your information across multiple independent sources.
Primary Directories
- [ ] Yelp profile complete and accurate
- [ ] BBB listing (if applicable to your business type)
- [ ] Facebook Business Page with complete information
- [ ] Bing Places profile
Industry-Specific Directories
- [ ] Listed in 3+ industry-specific directories (Healthgrades, Avvo, Angi, Houzz, etc.)
- [ ] Each directory profile has consistent business name, address, phone
- [ ] Each directory profile has complete service descriptions
NAP Consistency
- [ ] Business name is exactly identical across all listings
- [ ] Address format is consistent (St. vs Street, abbreviated vs. spelled out)
- [ ] Phone number format is consistent
Section 5: Content Authority
Authority content signals expertise and gets AI citations.
Educational Content
- [ ] At least 3 educational guides or blog posts on your website
- [ ] Content covers topics your clients actually ask about
- [ ] Content is comprehensive (not just 200-word stub posts)
Social Proof
- [ ] Case studies or specific client outcomes documented (if applicable)
- [ ] Testimonials with specific details (not just generic praise)
- [ ] Before/after documentation (for visual services like landscaping, HVAC, cosmetic work)
Third-Party Coverage
- [ ] Business mentioned in at least 1 local news article or business publication
- [ ] Listed in local chamber of commerce or business association directory
- [ ] Listed on any professional association member directories
Section 6: AI Testing
Test your actual AI visibility to benchmark where you are.
Direct Business Queries
- [ ] Test "[your business name]" in ChatGPT — is the description accurate?
- [ ] Test "[your business name]" in Gemini — is the description accurate?
- [ ] Test "[your business name]" in Perplexity — what sources does it cite?
Category Queries
- [ ] Test "best [your service type] in [your city]" in ChatGPT — do you appear?
- [ ] Test "best [your service type] in [your city]" in Gemini — do you appear?
- [ ] Test "best [your service type] in [your city]" in Perplexity — do you appear?
Specialty Queries (adapt to your business)
- [ ] Test "[your specialty] in [your city]" — do you appear for your specific expertise?
- [ ] Test "emergency [your service type] in [your city]" (if applicable)
- [ ] Test "[your service type] accepting new patients/clients in [your city]" (if applicable)
Prioritization Guide
After completing the audit, prioritize fixes in this order:
Immediate priority (fix this week):
- GBP not claimed or verified
- Inaccurate information (wrong phone, address, hours)
- No schema markup at all
- Significantly low review count (under 10)
High priority (fix this month):
- GBP description empty or vague
- Services section empty or incomplete
- No dedicated service pages
- NAP inconsistencies across major directories
- No FAQ content or schema
Medium priority (fix next quarter):
- Schema missing recommended fields
- Missing from major industry directories
- No third-party press or mentions
- No educational content
Ongoing:
- Review velocity (continuously)
- GBP posts (weekly)
- Photo freshness (monthly)
- Content updates (quarterly)
- AI monitoring (monthly)
Use Scope to continuously monitor your AI visibility score and track which improvements are making the biggest impact on your recommendation rates across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is an AI visibility audit?
A: An AI visibility audit reviews every factor that influences whether AI platforms recommend your business — including structured data completeness, citation source coverage, review quality, NAP consistency, and content authority. Scope automates this audit and gives you a prioritized action plan.
Q: How often should I run an AI visibility audit?
A: Monthly is ideal for most businesses. AI training data and ranking factors evolve, and competitor actions can shift your relative visibility. Scope runs automated daily monitoring so you can catch changes between quarterly manual audits.
Q: What are the most common AI visibility audit failures?
A: The most common failures are: missing or incomplete LocalBusiness schema, inconsistent NAP data across directories, insufficient review volume, no presence in authoritative sources AI trusts (Yelp, BBB, industry directories), and content that doesn't directly answer customer questions.