Free AI SEO Checklist

Crawler access 5 checks

Most AI companies run separate crawlers for search answers and for model training. Decide crawler by crawler.

1. AI search crawlers are allowed in robots.txtAllow OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT search), Claude-SearchBot and PerplexityBot. OpenAI says sites that block OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers. OpenAI: crawlers
2. Training crawlers are a separate decisionGPTBot and ClaudeBot collect content that may be used to train future models. Blocking them is a choice about your content, and does not remove you from those companies' search answers. Anthropic: crawlers
3. Google-Extended is set on purposeIt controls whether Google may use your content for Gemini training and grounding. Google says it does not affect inclusion or ranking in Google Search, where AI Overviews come from. Google: common crawlers
4. Your firewall or CDN does not block themSome security tools block unfamiliar bots by default and override a permissive robots.txt. Check your CDN's bot settings and your server logs.
5. Key pages are indexed by GoogleGoogle's AI features draw on pages in its search index, so a page Google cannot index cannot appear as a link in an AI Overview. Check the Pages report in Search Console. Google: AI features and your website

Pages AI tools can quote 7 checks

1. Each heading is answered in its first two sentencesLead with the answer, then the detail. Answer-first sections are easier for AI tools to lift and quote.
2. One question per section, in the words buyers useTurn the questions from your sales calls and search data into headings, such as "How much does a new roof cost in Denver?"
3. Comparisons and prices are in tablesPlans, prices, what is included and who each option suits, in rows and columns rather than paragraphs.
4. Facts carry sources, figures and datesResearch on generative engines found that adding citations, quotations and statistics made content more likely to be shown in AI answers. GEO study (Aggarwal et al.)
5. Pages show who wrote them and when they were updatedAuthor or reviewer names, business details and a visible date help people and machines trust a page.
6. Your key facts match on every pagePrices, service areas, years in business and team details say the same thing everywhere, so an AI tool never finds two answers.
7. The answers are in the HTML, not loaded later by JavaScriptMany AI crawlers do not run JavaScript. View the page source: if your answer is not there, they may not see it.

Structured data 3 checks

1. Organization data names your business, logo, contact details and profilesJSON-LD with sameAs links to your official profiles ties your business together for machines.
2. Service, LocalBusiness or Product data describes what you sell and whereMarkup that matches what the page says, on the pages that sell each service.
3. FAQ markup appears only where the questions are visibleMarkup that does not match the page is ignored at best.

Your business as an entity 4 checks

An entity is a thing a machine can identify without doubt: your business, with one name, one address and one clear set of services.

1. Your name, address and services are the same everywhereWebsite, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, directories and review sites: the same name, address, phone and list of services.
2. An About page states the facts plainlyWho you are, where you work, who you serve, how long you have been in business and what you are known for, in short sentences an AI tool can repeat.
3. Your Google Business Profile is completeCategories, hours, services, photos and reviews filled in and current. Our free local SEO checklist covers the profile in full.
4. Your official profiles link to your site and backLinkedIn, YouTube and industry profiles, linked from your footer or About page, each linking back to your site.

Mentions on trusted sources 4 checks

1. You appear on the lists AI tools cite for your serviceAsk ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity who the best providers are and open the sources they link: "best of" lists, directories and review sites. Get onto those.
2. You have reviews on the platforms your buyers useGoogle, plus the review sites for your field, such as Clutch, G2, Trustpilot or Healthgrades. Reply to them.
3. Press and partner mentions say what you do and whereA mention such as "a Denver roofing company" tells engines what you are known for, not just that you exist.
4. Buyers can find an honest comparisonIf buyers compare you with competitors, publish a fair comparison yourself, so the answer they find is accurate.

Measuring 4 checks

1. You test a fixed set of buyer questions20 to 40 questions your buyers really ask, from the prompt pack. Keep the same set so one month compares with the next.
2. You test the same four engines each monthChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews, in a fresh session where you can, on the same day each month.
3. Every answer is scored the same wayNamed or not, position in the answer, whether it links to you, and which competitors are named. Use the scoring sheet.
4. AI referrals are tracked in Google AnalyticsVisits from chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, gemini.google.com and copilot.microsoft.com show up as referrals. Watch them next to your leads.