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How to check if AI tools mention your brand (a simple 30-minute audit)

· 4 min read

More people now ask an AI tool what to buy instead of searching Google. So it’s worth knowing what those tools say about you. Do they mention your business? Do they get it right? Do they recommend your competitors instead?

You can find out in about half an hour. You don’t need special software.

What you’ll need

  • A spreadsheet.
  • Access to two or three AI tools. Free versions are fine.
  • A list of questions your buyers might ask.
  • A private browser window, so your past searches don’t affect the answers as much.

Step 1: Write your questions

Aim for 15 to 20. Mix up the types.

  • Best-of questions: “What’s the best [product] for [type of person]?”
  • Alternatives: “What are good alternatives to [competitor]?”
  • Comparisons: “[Your brand] vs [competitor], which is better?”
  • How-to questions with a purchase attached: “How do I [task] without hiring someone?”
  • Direct questions about you: “What is [your brand]?” and “Is [your brand] any good?”
  • Local or niche questions, if they apply.

Write them like a real person would type them. Not like a marketer.

Step 2: Ask each question in each tool

Copy each question into each tool and paste the answer into your sheet. Set up columns like this:

Question Tool Are we mentioned? Competitors mentioned Is it accurate? Sources shown Notes

For “sources shown”, note which websites the tool cites. Some tools show them, others don’t.

Ask each question twice, on different days if you can. Answers can change, so a single result isn’t a fact.

Step 3: Read the results honestly

You’ll probably see some of these.

You’re not mentioned at all. Common for small businesses. It doesn’t mean something’s wrong, just that the tool doesn’t know enough about you yet.

You’re mentioned, but wrongly. The tool says you do something you don’t, or gets your price or location wrong.

Competitors are mentioned a lot. Look at why. What do their pages say? Where else are they discussed?

You’re mentioned well. Note which questions and what the answer said. That’s what’s working.

Step 4: Look at the sources

This is the most useful part. If the tool shows where it got its information, check those pages.

  • Are they your own pages?
  • Are they review sites, comparison articles or forums?
  • Are any of them Reddit threads?
  • Are the sources up to date?

The pattern tells you where your category’s answers come from. If most are from comparison articles, you need to be in those. If many are from Reddit, the conversation on Reddit matters for you.

Step 5: Decide what to do

Match what you found to an action.

What you found What to do
Wrong facts about you Fix your own pages first. State what you do, price and location plainly. Make sure they match everywhere
Not mentioned for key questions Create clear pages that answer those questions directly, and look for places where people discuss them
Competitors cited from forums Find those threads and see if you can add an honest answer, within the rules
Cited from out-of-date pages Update your own information, and reach out to the site owner if appropriate
Mentioned well Keep doing it, and keep your facts current

Step 6: Make your own pages easy to read

AI tools often read your site. Help them.

  • Say in one plain sentence what you do, near the top of the home page.
  • Keep pricing, features and contact details clear and consistent.
  • Add pages that answer common questions directly.
  • Use clear headings.
  • Make sure your sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console.

None of this is a trick. It’s the same as making your site clear for a human.

Step 7: Repeat every month

Run the same questions each month. You’ll see how things change.

Track a few simple numbers:

  • How many questions mention you, out of 20.
  • How many get your facts right.
  • Which sources appear most.

Keep the sheet. After a few months you’ll see if your work is paying off.

What not to expect

  • Guaranteed results. No one controls what an AI tool says.
  • Quick changes. It can take months.
  • Identical answers. The same question can give different results.

If anyone promises to get you into AI answers for a fee, be careful.

A small extra: check your analytics

Look in Google Analytics for visits from AI tools. They show up as referrals from sites like chatgpt.com or perplexity.ai, depending on how the tool links out. It’s a small number for most sites, but it’s growing, and it’s one of the few direct signs you have.

If you want help running an audit like this, get in touch. Or read more about how Reddit feeds AI answers.

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