Our method
How we check if AI names your business
The audit is only useful if you can trust it. Here is exactly what we do, so you can see where every result in your report comes from, and repeat the checks yourself if you want to.
Last updated · Draft Method to be confirmed before launch.
Where we ask
We check the places homeowners actually ask for a contractor. Each report lists which of these we checked and on what date, because these tools change often.
| Where we ask | What it is |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT | OpenAI's assistant, including answers where it searches the web |
| Gemini | Google's assistant app |
| Claude | Anthropic's assistant |
| Perplexity | An answer engine that lists the sources it used |
| Google AI Overviews | The AI summary at the top of some Google results |
| Google AI Mode | Google's chat-style search |
| Google Maps | The local map results many homeowners still tap on |
What we ask
Before we start, we agree the list of questions with you: your main services, the towns you serve and the competitors you care about. The questions fall into three groups.
Finding questions
Asked the way a homeowner would, to see who gets named.
- “Who's a good roofer in Whitby?”
- “My furnace stopped working. Who can come today in Ajax?”
- “Best company to replace a flat roof in Etobicoke?”
Accuracy questions
Asked about your business by name, to see what the tools believe about you.
- “What's the phone number for [your business]?”
- “Does [your business] serve Oakville?”
- “What services does [your business] offer?”
Comparison questions
Asked to see how you're described next to the competition.
- “Which HVAC companies in Markham have the best reviews?”
- “Is [your business] or [competitor] better for a new roof?”
How we ask
- A fresh start every time. A new chat with no history, signed out where the tool allows it, so past searches don't skew the answer.
- The town is in the question, and the location is set to that town where the tool allows it.
- The same wording every time, so this month's answer can be compared fairly with last month's.
- Each question more than once. AI answers vary from one ask to the next, so we record how often you're named, not one lucky or unlucky answer.
What we record
For every answer, the report shows:
- The date, the tool and the exact question
- The full answer, saved as a screenshot
- Whether you were named, and where in the answer
- Every detail about you, marked right or wrong
- The sources the answer links to, when it shows them
- The competitors named instead of you
How we trace where answers come from
Some tools list their sources, such as Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode and ChatGPT when it searches the web. We follow those links.
For the rest, we compare what the answer says with the places these tools usually learn about local businesses:
- Your website
- Your Google Business Profile, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect listings
- Review sites such as Google reviews, HomeStars and Yelp
- Local and trade directories
A wrong phone number or service area usually traces back to one old or inconsistent listing. That's what goes at the top of your fix list.
What we won't do
- Write fake reviews or run paid review schemes
- Publish hidden text or spam pages aimed at AI tools
- Pay for mentions or placements
- Promise you a guaranteed spot. Nobody controls what an AI assistant says.
Checking again
After Fix-It Setup, we re-run the same questions and show a dated before and after. With Monthly Visibility, we repeat them every month and send a short report of what changed.
Want to know what AI says about your business?
The Visibility Audit is $199 CAD + HST, credited toward Fix-It Setup if you go ahead within 30 days.
Get my $199 auditPrefer to talk? 647-648-8033 · thuva@namedfirst.boroughwebworks.ca