MET Signal

Free AI visibility check: does AI recommend your business?

In about 15 minutes you can see whether AI assistants recommend you, who they recommend instead, and why. Here's exactly how.

MET Signal · September 27, 2026 · 6 min read

What you'll find out

  • Whether ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude mention your business for the questions customers ask
  • Which competitors they recommend instead
  • Which websites the AI relies on (the sources it cites), so you know where you need to show up
  • Whether the AI describes your business accurately

Step 1: Write down the questions your customers ask

Think about how a customer would ask a friend for a recommendation, then write five to ten versions. Mix urgent questions, research questions and specific services. For example:

  • “Who's the best HVAC company in Springfield?”
  • “I need an emergency plumber near downtown Springfield tonight. Who should I call?”
  • “Which dentist in Springfield is good with nervous patients?”
  • “What's a reliable roofing company for storm damage repair in Springfield?”
  • “Who does kitchen remodels near Springfield and has good reviews?”

Step 2: Ask each AI assistant, the right way

  1. Use a private or logged-out window

    Your own chat history and location can shape the answer. A fresh session is closer to what a new customer sees.

  2. Include your city or area

    If you ask without a location, the AI may guess or give a generic answer. Customers usually include one, or the app knows where they are.

  3. Ask the same questions in each assistant

    Try ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude. Their answers often differ, because each searches the web differently.

  4. Turn on web search where it's optional

    For local recommendations you want the assistant searching the live web, not answering from memory.

Step 3: Record what you see

A simple spreadsheet works. For each question and assistant, note:

  • Were you mentioned? (yes / no, and in what position)
  • Which competitors were named
  • Which sources or links the assistant cited
  • Anything wrong or out of date about your business (hours, services, location)

Step 4: Read the results

If you're mentioned often: great. Keep your listings and reviews fresh, and check again monthly, because answers change.

If competitors are named and you aren't: look at the sources the AI cited. Those are the sites where your competitors have a presence and you don't. Common gaps are directories, review sites, local "best of" lists and missing service pages on your own website.

If the AI gets your details wrong: fix them at the source. Update your Google Business Profile, Bing Places and main directories, and make sure your website states them clearly in text.

If nobody local is mentioned: that's an opening. The first business in your area with clear, citable information often becomes the default answer.

Check your website's AI readiness for free

The questions above show what AI says today. Our free audit shows why, from your website's side. It runs 16 checks in about a minute, including whether AI search crawlers are allowed to read your site, whether you have local business schema, whether your pages have enough content to cite, and the technical basics like speed, mobile setup and indexing.

If you'd rather not repeat the manual check every month, MET Signal plans do it automatically: every week we ask your customers' questions across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude and track mentions, competitors and cited sources over time.

Questions

Is this check really free?+

Yes. Asking the assistants yourself costs nothing, and our website audit is free with no credit card. Ongoing weekly tracking is part of our paid plans.

Why do I get different answers each time?+

AI answers vary with wording, location, and the sources found at that moment. That's normal. Look for patterns across several questions and assistants rather than one answer.

How often should I check?+

Monthly is enough for most businesses. Check more often after you make changes, like adding service pages or claiming new listings, to see their effect.

What if an AI assistant says something wrong about my business?+

Correct the information at its source: your website, Google Business Profile, Bing Places and major directories. AI assistants pick up corrections as they re-read those sources.