Insights / How-to
How to check if ChatGPT recommends your business (free, 15 minutes)
A simple method to test whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI name your business. Ten prompts, three runs each, one spreadsheet.
You do not need a tool to get a first picture of how AI assistants treat your business. You need fifteen minutes and a spreadsheet.
Before you start
Open a private or logged-out browser window so your own history does not shape the answers. If you can, use ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google (with AI Overviews or AI Mode).
Step 1: write ten prompts
Write the questions a customer would type, not your brand name. Include your city or area where it matters.
- "Best [your service] in [your city]"
- "Who should I call for [problem] near [area]?"
- "How much does [your service] cost in [city]?"
- "[Your service] for [type of customer]"
Use plain wording. Longer, conversational questions are the ones that most often get AI answers.
Step 2: run each prompt on each engine
For every answer, write down:
- Whether your business is named.
- Which competitors are named.
- Which sources or links the answer shows.
Step 3: repeat three times
Run each prompt three times on different days or in fresh chats. AI answers vary. BrightLocal's 2026 local study found only 20 to 33% average overlap between repeat runs of the same prompt. A single run can show you or hide you by luck.
Step 4: score it
For each prompt and engine, count how many of the three runs named you. A simple table works:
| Prompt | ChatGPT | Gemini | Perplexity | Google AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best dentist in [city] | 1 of 3 | 0 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 3 |
Your overall score is the number of times you appeared divided by the number of runs.
Step 5: read the sources
The sources an answer cites tell you where to work. If competitors appear because of a directory listing or a review site, that is where you need a strong profile.
Step 6: repeat monthly
One test is a baseline. The trend is what matters. Run the same prompts each month so you can see whether changes you made have any effect.
Want it done for you?
This is exactly what our monthly report does, with 20 to 40 prompts across four engines and repeat runs. Ask for the free AI visibility audit and we will send you the results.
Source for the variance figure: BrightLocal Local AI Visibility Study.