Why there is no AI “ranking”
On Google you can see where a page ranks. An AI assistant does not work that way: the answer is written on the spot, depends on how the question is phrased and can include different sources each time. OpenAI warns that results and citations may be incomplete or inaccurate.
In addition, ChatGPT may use your approximate location, inferred from your IP address, when it searches. Two people asking the same question in different cities may see different answers. The practical conclusion: measure trends, not positions.
Method 1: tests with real questions
List the questions a customer would ask before hiring you: “best [service] in [city]”, “how much does [service] cost”, “how to choose [service]”.
Include queries with your brand name too, to see whether the assistant describes you correctly.
Ask each question in ChatGPT (with search on), in Gemini, in Perplexity and in Google’s AI answers.
Note in a spreadsheet whether you appear, how you are described and which sources are cited, including your competitors'.
Repeat the test on different days and, if you can, from another device, to see what stays the same.
What to look at besides whether you appear
Check that what they say about you is correct: opening hours, area, services. A wrong detail usually comes from an out-of-date source that you can correct.
How to interpret what you see
When you repeat the tests, your case will almost always fit one of three scenarios, and each calls for a different action.
- You are cited with a link: a good starting point. See which page they use and strengthen that page with up-to-date facts.
- You are mentioned without a link or with wrong details: the assistant probably has information about you, but from unclear sources. Review your website and listings so they say the same thing.
- You do not appear, but your competitors do: compare which sources they cite and what their pages answer that yours do not.
Do not draw conclusions from a single test. Note the date and the exact question, and compare over several weeks.
Method 2: look at your analytics
OpenAI says ChatGPT includes the parameter utm_source=chatgpt.com in referral links. If you have an analytics tool, look for that source to see how many visits arrive from ChatGPT and on which pages.
Other assistants do not always leave such a clear mark, so treat it as a partial signal. If you do not have analytics set up, that is the first thing to sort out.
Method 3: Search Console’s generative AI report
For Google, Search Console has a generative AI performance report. It shows your site’s impressions in AI Overviews and AI Mode, and you can break them down by pages, countries, dates and devices. Google says it is available for all websites from 31 August 2026, although it may not appear if you have received few impressions.
It is an impressions report (how many times links to your site were shown), not a report of position or clicks. If your website is not registered yet, see how to set up your website in Search Console.
Method 4: see whether AI crawlers visit you
If you have access to your server logs, you can look for the user agents documented by each company: OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT search), GPTBot (training), PerplexityBot (Perplexity search) and Googlebot. A visit does not mean you will be cited, but no visits may indicate that you are blocking them by mistake.
- Check your robots.txt and the rules in your firewall or CDN.
- Remember that ChatGPT-User and Perplexity-User act when a person asks them to and may not follow robots.txt.
- Changes to robots.txt take time to apply: OpenAI and Perplexity say about 24 hours.
What about third-party tracking tools?
Some services automatically fire questions at the assistants and give you a “visibility score”. They can work as a sample, but Google points out that no third-party tool has access to its internal ranking or AI systems. Treat that data as an approximation.
If you want someone to review it with you and suggest improvements without promising results, that is part of our GEO and AI visibility service.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I check?
A monthly review with the same questions is usually enough to see trends. Changes to your website can take time to show and answers vary from day to day, so checking daily produces more noise than useful information.
If I do not appear, what do I do?
First rule out blocks: robots.txt, firewall and whether your site is indexed. Then check whether your pages answer those questions clearly and whether your details are consistent across your website and listings. Improving eligibility is possible; guaranteeing a mention is not.
Can I pay to be recommended?
OpenAI’s and Google’s documentation describe no payment mechanism for being cited in organic AI answers. Google also says it does not accept payment to rank a site higher in Search. Be suspicious of anyone who offers it as a guaranteed service.
Why does an AI make up details about my business?
OpenAI warns that ChatGPT can make mistakes and that important information should be checked. If the details on your website and listings are clear and consistent, contradictory sources are less likely to get mixed up, although the risk cannot be removed entirely.
Sources6
- OpenAI Help — Publishers and developers FAQhelp.openai.com (opens in a new tab)
- OpenAI Help — Searching the web with ChatGPThelp.openai.com (opens in a new tab)
- OpenAI — Overview of OpenAI crawlersdevelopers.openai.com (opens in a new tab)
- Search Console Help — Generative AI performance reportsupport.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- Perplexity — Perplexity crawlersdocs.perplexity.ai (opens in a new tab)
- Google Search Central — Optimizing for generative AI featuresdevelopers.google.com (opens in a new tab)
