How to Check If ChatGPT Recommends Your Business (A 20-Minute Test)
Short answer: Write down the questions real customers ask, ask them in a clean session on each AI tool, and record who gets named and which sources are cited. Repeat the same questions every month. One search tells you little; the trend tells you a lot.
Step 1: Write your question list
Pick 10 to 20 questions in your customers' words, for example "best plumber near Round Rock" or "who installs garage floor coatings in Austin?" Mix in service, location and "best" or "affordable" style questions.
Step 2: Use a clean session
Log out, or use a private window, so past chats and personalization don't skew results. Note the date, tool and location you tested from.
Step 3: Ask each tool
Run the same questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google (watch for an AI Overview at the top). Copy the answer text.
Step 4: Record results
For each question, write down: Was your business named? Which competitors were named? Which websites were cited as sources? A simple spreadsheet works.
Step 5: Look at the sources
The cited sites are clues. If a directory or review site keeps showing up for competitors and you're not on it, that's a gap to close.
Step 6: Re-test monthly
AI answers vary from run to run. Use the same questions each month and watch whether you appear more often.
FAQ
Why do I get different answers each time?
AI tools generate answers fresh and may search the web differently each time. That's why a fixed list tracked over time is more reliable than one check.
What if I'm not mentioned at all?
Start with the basics in why ChatGPT recommends your competitor.