Can AI Search Find Your Business? 10 Things to Check on Your Website
Your website is online. You can open it, customers can visit it, and the contact form works. So why does your business keep getting missed in AI search?
Start with what the website actually says and whether search tools can reach it. These ten checks will help you spot problems worth fixing.
1 Say what you actually do
“Complete solutions” leaves visitors guessing. If you install commercial kitchens, say that. Mention the equipment you handle and the businesses you serve. Read the first screen and ask: would a stranger understand the offer?
2 Give different services enough space
Repairs and new installations bring different questions. Give each a useful page if there is enough to explain. Someone booking a repair needs details about callouts, not a company brochure.
3 Take important details out of images
Is your service information only available as a brochure screenshot? Add the wording to the page too. Customers should be able to read specifications without zooming into a photograph.
4 Check what your security settings block
Ask your developer whether legitimate search crawlers can access the site. For ChatGPT search, check OpenAI’s OAI-SearchBot guidance. Opening access makes crawling possible; it doesn’t promise a recommendation.
5 Look beyond “the page is live”
A published page may still be missing from Google’s index. Ask your website team to inspect important URLs in Search Console. Google’s AI search links require indexed pages eligible for snippets, although meeting that requirement doesn’t guarantee inclusion.
6 Find the pages a visitor might miss
Can you reach your main service pages through the menu? Does an article about maintenance link to the maintenance service? Fix dead ends where a reader would naturally want more information.
7 Answer the questions you hear on calls
“Do you accept small orders?” “Is installation included?”
If customers ask every week, put the answer on the relevant page. Where prices vary, explain what you need to prepare a quotation.
8 Check the number people are calling
Compare your contact page with your Google Business Profile and useful directory listings. Correct old details. Business citations give customers other places to verify your information; buying more listings won’t guarantee an AI mention.
9 Show a job you have actually done
A photograph with a short explanation can be more useful than “years of excellence.” Describe the customer’s requirement and your part in the work. Get permission before sharing customer details or feedback.
10 Try making an enquiry yourself
Use your phone. Tap Call, open WhatsApp and submit the form. Then check the receiving inbox. An interested visitor shouldn’t have to find another way to reach you.