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AI Visibility Audit / AI SEO Audit / GEO Audit
AI Visibility Audit: find out if AI search can access, understand, cite, and recommend your brand
Most teams do not need more AI content first. They need to know whether AI systems can access their site, understand the brand, cite the right pages, and describe the offer accurately. An AI Visibility Audit checks how your brand appears across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Google AI Overviews, and Google AI Mode, then turns the gaps into a prioritized SEO and AI visibility roadmap.
Quick answer
What is an AI Visibility Audit?
An AI Visibility Audit is a structured review of how your brand, website, pages, and proof appear in AI-assisted search systems. It checks whether AI tools mention your brand, cite your website, describe your offer accurately, use reliable sources, and recommend competitors instead of you.
A traditional SEO audit asks whether search engines can crawl, index, rank, and convert your pages. An AI Visibility Audit adds another layer: prompt visibility, AI mentions, cited URLs, source mix, entity consistency, crawler access, brand sentiment, and competitor displacement.
The output is not a pile of AI-generated content. The output is a prioritized fix list: what to unblock technically, which pages to rebuild, which sources to strengthen, which prompts to monitor, and which proof assets are missing.
AI Visibility Audit
- AI mentions
- AI citations
- Prompt visibility
- Cited URLs
- Source gaps
- Entity consistency
- Competitor recommendations
- AI answer accuracy
Why this page exists
Why AI visibility needs its own audit layer
Traditional SEO data does not show the full discovery path anymore. A page can still rank, while AI systems summarize the market without mentioning the brand. A brand can be mentioned without being cited. A page can be cited while the answer still recommends a competitor. And a crawler can be allowed in robots.txt while a CDN or Web Application Firewall blocks the request.
Technical access
Prompt visibility
Source and citation readiness
Competitor displacement
Do not start AI SEO by publishing more pages. Start by finding the weak layer.
Checklist
AI Visibility Audit Checklist
The checklist should make the diagnostic repeatable. Each group gives a different kind of evidence.
Technical access
- Check robots.txt for Googlebot, OAI-SearchBot, GPTBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, Perplexity-User, and other relevant crawlers.
- Check whether CDN, WAF, bot protection, or rate limits block legitimate AI/search crawlers.
- Confirm priority pages are indexable and canonicalized correctly.
- Confirm important content is visible in textual HTML.
- Confirm internal links make source pages discoverable.
- Confirm structured data matches visible content.
- Confirm no noindex, nosnippet, data-nosnippet, or max-snippet rules accidentally limit visibility.
- Check server logs for AI crawler activity where available.
Prompt visibility
- Build a prompt basket for branded, non-branded, comparison, vendor-selection, problem, pricing, and technical prompts.
- Test the same prompt classes across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Grok, and Google AI surfaces where possible.
- Record whether the brand is mentioned.
- Record whether the brand is cited.
- Record which URL is cited.
- Record whether the answer describes the brand accurately.
- Record which competitors appear instead.
- Retest monthly or quarterly because AI answer sets change.
Source and citation readiness
- Identify the pages AI systems already cite.
- Identify important pages that are never cited.
- Check whether service pages, case studies, pricing pages, author pages, and methodology pages are extractable.
- Add self-contained definitions and answer blocks.
- Add proof sections with specific metrics.
- Add internal links from general pages to evidence pages.
- Clean up stale or inconsistent third-party profiles.
- Add source links only where they support real claims.
Entity consistency
- Check company name consistency.
- Check founder and team profile consistency.
- Check service names across website and third-party profiles.
- Check locations, industries, pricing language, and positioning.
- Check case-study language and claim consistency.
- Check if AI tools confuse the brand with another company.
- Check whether external directories, LinkedIn, partner pages, and review platforms match the current offer.
Competitor displacement
- Identify competitors AI systems recommend for your target prompts.
- Record the sources cited when competitors are recommended.
- Compare your proof assets against competitor proof assets.
- Compare your third-party mentions against competitor third-party mentions.
- Compare your case studies, reviews, author profiles, and pricing clarity.
- Build a source-gap roadmap.
Measurement and reporting
- AI mentions
- AI citations
- Cited URLs
- AI Share of Voice
- Source mix
- Sentiment
- Competitor inclusion
- Brand accuracy
- AI referrals where visible
- GSC and GA4 trend comparison
- Assisted conversions and lead quality
Platforms
What to check by AI search platform
Google AI Overviews and AI Mode
Google AI visibility starts with normal Search eligibility. Priority pages must be crawlable, indexed, snippet-eligible, internally linked, and available as readable textual content. Google says there are no additional technical requirements for appearing as supporting links in AI Overviews or AI Mode, but the page must be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet. Source
- Confirm indexation in GSC.
- Confirm snippet eligibility.
- Confirm no accidental preview controls.
- Confirm important content is textual.
- Confirm structured data matches visible content.
- Track performance in GSC Web search type.
ChatGPT Search
OpenAI documents OAI-SearchBot as the crawler for ChatGPT search visibility. GPTBot is documented separately for model-training crawling. Do not treat them as the same switch. Source
- Allow OAI-SearchBot if search visibility is desired.
- Decide separately whether GPTBot should be allowed.
- Check published IP ranges.
- Check server logs where possible.
- Check whether ChatGPT cites the correct Etavrian pages for target prompts.
Perplexity
Perplexity documents PerplexityBot for surfacing and linking websites in Perplexity search results. Perplexity-User supports user-triggered actions. If a WAF blocks legitimate traffic, Perplexity recommends allowlisting using current official IP ranges. Source
- Allow PerplexityBot if visibility is desired.
- Check WAF and CDN rules.
- Check whether Perplexity cites owned pages or third-party pages.
- Record the URL and source context.
Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Grok
For these platforms, focus on repeatable prompt testing, source mix, citation behavior, answer accuracy, and whether the platform uses owned pages, third-party sources, or competitor pages to describe the category.
- Test the same prompt classes.
- Record mentions and citations.
- Check accuracy and sentiment.
- Record competitor displacement.
- Compare changes monthly or quarterly.
Prompt benchmark
Prompt benchmark matrix for an AI Visibility Audit
A useful AI visibility audit does not test random prompts. It tests the questions buyers actually ask before they choose a vendor, product, agency, or solution.
Ahrefs and Semrush both frame AI visibility work around measurable signals such as mentions, citations, cited pages, share of voice, source mix, sentiment, and competitor comparison. Ahrefs source Semrush source
| Prompt class | Example | What to record | Audit decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand prompt | What does Etavrian do? | Mention, accuracy, cited URLs, stale facts, wrong positioning | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Category prompt | Best AI SEO agency for B2B SaaS | Whether Etavrian appears, which competitors appear, source mix | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Comparison prompt | Etavrian vs [competitor] | Whether the comparison is accurate, which sources are used, missing proof | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Problem prompt | How do I know if my website is ready for AI search? | Whether Etavrian pages are cited, which checklist sections are extracted | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Technical prompt | Should I allow OAI-SearchBot or GPTBot? | Whether answer uses official crawler guidance, whether Etavrian's crawler section is cited | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Pricing prompt | How much does an AI SEO audit cost? | Whether pricing page, audit page, or service page is cited | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Proof prompt | SEO agency with case studies for BOFU SaaS leads | Whether case studies are cited and whether metrics are summarized correctly | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
| Local or industry prompt | SEO agency for ecommerce or industrial B2B SEO | Whether industry pages and proof assets are cited | Fix the source, proof, prompt, or technical layer behind the answer. |
Crawler access
AI crawler access: what to check before changing robots.txt
Crawler access is not one binary decision. Google Search, ChatGPT search, model-training crawlers, user-triggered agents, and Perplexity search bots use different controls.
Google controls AI features through normal Search crawling and content controls. OpenAI separates OAI-SearchBot, GPTBot, and ChatGPT-User. Perplexity separates PerplexityBot from Perplexity-User and documents official IP endpoints for WAF allowlisting. Google source OpenAI source Perplexity source
| Crawler or control | Used for | Audit question | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Googlebot | Google Search, including Search systems that support AI features | Can Google crawl, index, and show the page with a snippet? | Google AI features |
| OAI-SearchBot | ChatGPT search features | Is it allowed in robots.txt and not blocked by WAF/CDN? | OpenAI crawlers |
| GPTBot | OpenAI foundation model training crawling | Should training crawling be allowed or disallowed separately from search visibility? | OpenAI crawlers |
| ChatGPT-User | User-triggered actions in ChatGPT | Can user-triggered retrieval reach key pages when needed? | OpenAI crawlers |
| PerplexityBot | Surfacing and linking websites in Perplexity search results | Is PerplexityBot allowed and are current IP ranges allowed through WAF? | Perplexity crawlers |
| Perplexity-User | User-triggered Perplexity actions | Can user-triggered retrieval access the right pages? | Perplexity crawlers |
Sources
What makes a page citation-ready for AI search?
A citation-ready page is not just optimized for a keyword. It gives AI systems clear, extractable, verifiable source material.
The page should define the topic directly, explain tradeoffs, support claims with proof, link to deeper evidence, and avoid vague marketing language. Google also recommends making important content available in textual form and keeping structured data aligned with visible content. Google source
Definition clarity
The page gives a short, self-contained answer to the main question.
Entity clarity
The company, service, audience, industries, founder, and offer are stated consistently.
Proof clarity
Claims are supported by case studies, metrics, reviews, examples, or official sources.
Structure
The page uses headings, tables, FAQs, summaries, and internal links.
Source support
External links are used where they support factual claims.
Conversion path
The page gives a clear next diagnostic step.
Competitors
How to compare your AI visibility against competitors
Competitor analysis in AI search is not only about who ranks. It is about who gets recommended, cited, summarized, or used as a source when buyers ask AI tools for options.
Audit steps
- Select 3-5 competitors.
- Build prompt classes around categories, use cases, pricing, alternatives, and best provider prompts.
- Record whether each competitor is mentioned.
- Record which URLs are cited.
- Record which third-party sources influence the answer.
- Compare proof assets, reviews, profiles, case studies, and pricing clarity.
- Build a source-gap roadmap.
Source review
Ahrefs recommends comparing visibility metrics such as mentions, impressions, citations, and AI Share of Voice against competitors. Semrush adds cited pages, topic gaps, sentiment, and off-site sources to the audit view. Ahrefs source Semrush source
| Dimension | Question |
|---|---|
| Brand mention | Who appears in the answer? |
| Citation | Whose URL is cited? |
| Source mix | Does the answer use owned pages, directories, reviews, media, or competitor pages? |
| Sentiment | Is the brand described positively, neutrally, or with caveats? |
| Proof | Which company has clearer evidence? |
| Conversion path | Which company gives the buyer a clearer next step? |
Measurement
How to measure AI visibility after the audit
Measure AI inclusion next to search performance and commercial demand. Do not treat AI referrals as the whole picture.
| Metric | How to use it |
|---|---|
| AI mentions | Shows whether the brand appears in AI answers at all. |
| AI citations and cited URLs | Shows whether AI systems use owned or third-party pages as sources. |
| AI Share of Voice | Shows brand visibility against competitors across prompt sets and platforms. |
| Source mix | Shows whether answers rely on owned pages, directories, reviews, media, community sources, or competitor pages. |
| Sentiment and brand accuracy | Shows whether the answer is useful, stale, distorted, neutral, or commercially damaging. |
| AI referrals and assisted conversions | Shows only the visible click layer, so compare it with GSC, GA4, branded demand, and lead quality. |
Score
AI Visibility Audit scoring model
Technical access20 points
Prompt visibility20 points
Citation readiness20 points
Entity consistency15 points
Competitor position15 points
Measurement setup10 points
0-30
High risk. AI systems likely cannot access, understand, or trust enough source material.
31-55
Weak foundation. Some pages may rank or be mentioned, but visibility is inconsistent.
56-75
Moderate readiness. The brand has useful source material, but gaps remain in citations, proof, or competitor displacement.
76-90
Strong readiness. The brand is visible, citable, and technically accessible across key prompts.
91-100
Advanced readiness. The brand has strong owned sources, external corroboration, consistent entity signals, and ongoing monitoring.
Want this scored against your site and competitors?Get AI Visibility Snapshot
Approach
Etavrian's approach: diagnose before publishing more content
We do not start AI SEO with a content calendar. We start with visibility evidence.
The first question is whether AI systems can access the site, understand the offer, cite the right source material, and compare the brand correctly against competitors.
Then we decide whether the next move is SEO cleanup, AI visibility setup, proof architecture, or a combined 90-day pilot.
We look for the weak layer first
- Technical access
- Prompt visibility
- Source clarity
- Entity consistency
- Competitor displacement
- Measurement gaps
- Conversion path
Proof
Proof from SEO work: visibility does not matter if the page cannot convert
In one B2B SaaS SEO engagement, the goal was not generic traffic volume. The goal was qualified demo requests from BOFU pages. Etavrian prioritized indexation, canonical cleanup, robots and sitemap cleanup, de-cannibalization, BOFU landing pages, internal links, schema, CRO, and link quality. Etavrian BOFU SEO case study
The result: impressions grew from 132,000 to 378,000, Top-ten keyword share increased from 9.29 percent to 18.12 percent, healthy pages grew from 167 to 580, pages with issues dropped from 384 to 139, and lead-driving GA4 events increased even as CTR fell from 4.5 percent to 1.2 percent.
This is the same principle behind an AI Visibility Audit. More mentions are not enough. The cited pages need to be technically accessible, clear, trustworthy, and commercially useful.
GSC impressions132k to 378k
Top-ten keyword share9.29% to 18.12%
Healthy pages167 to 580
Pages with issues384 to 139
CTR4.5% to 1.2%
Deliverables
What you should get from an AI Visibility Audit
AI visibility baseline
Includes: Mentions, citations, cited URLs, platforms tested, prompt classes, competitor comparison
Prompt benchmark matrix
Includes: Branded, non-branded, comparison, vendor-selection, technical, pricing, and proof prompts
Crawler and access review
Includes: Robots.txt, WAF/CDN risks, indexation, snippet eligibility, textual HTML, server-log signals where available
Source-gap map
Includes: Owned pages, third-party sources, missing proof, stale profiles, competitor sources
Priority roadmap
Includes: Technical fixes, page rebuilds, proof assets, external source cleanup, measurement plan
Executive summary
Includes: What to fix first, what not to do yet, expected implementation path, and scope recommendation
Starting point
Start with the smallest useful diagnostic
AI Visibility Snapshot
Best for: Brands that want to know whether AI systems mention, cite, or misrepresent them.
Includes: Prompt benchmark, citation review, competitor snapshot, crawler checks, source-gap notes.
Get AI Visibility SnapshotSEO Audit
Best for: Sites with indexation, technical health, content quality, internal linking, or ranking problems.
Includes: Crawl/index review, technical cleanup plan, page quality review, competitor search gaps.
Compare SEO Audit Scope90-Day SEO + AI Visibility Pilot
Best for: Teams that need implementation, not only diagnosis.
Includes: Technical fixes, page rebuilds, proof assets, source cleanup, prompt retesting, reporting.
Get Tailored Growth PlanInternal routes
Where this audit connects to the rest of the site
Use these routes when the audit points toward a narrower decision.
SEO vs AI SEO decision guide
Use this when the first question is whether SEO, AI SEO, or both deserve budget.
AI SEO and GEO services
Use this when the diagnosis already points toward AI visibility implementation.
AI Visibility Snapshot
Use this when the issue is unclear and a compact diagnostic is the next move.
traditional SEO services
Use this when technical SEO, indexation, internal links, or BOFU page quality are the clear blocker.
SEO audit pricing
Use this to compare the current audit range before implementation is scoped.
BOFU SEO case study
Use this proof when conversion quality matters more than traffic volume.
SEO and paid media case studies
Use this to compare the audit logic against public Etavrian proof.
send the site and growth goal
Use this when the problem may span SEO, AI visibility, CRO, paid media, and reporting.
Sources
Research base
The source list supports the inline claims above. Use it with the visible sections, not as a substitute for testing the site.
FAQ
AI Visibility Audit questions
Short answers for the decisions that usually come up before a snapshot, SEO audit, or 90-day pilot.
What is an AI Visibility Audit?
An AI Visibility Audit checks how your brand appears in AI-assisted search systems. It measures whether AI tools mention your brand, cite your website, describe your offer accurately, and recommend you against competitors.
What is the difference between an SEO audit and an AI Visibility Audit?
An SEO audit focuses on crawlability, indexation, technical health, rankings, content quality, internal links, backlinks, and conversions. An AI Visibility Audit adds prompt visibility, AI mentions, citations, cited URLs, source gaps, entity consistency, crawler access, and competitor displacement.
What platforms should an AI Visibility Audit check?
At minimum, check Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode where available, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and any AI system your buyers use to compare providers or research products.
Should I track AI mentions or citations?
Track both. A mention shows that the brand appears in the answer. A citation shows that the AI system used or linked a source. A brand can be mentioned without being cited, and a page can be cited while the answer still recommends a competitor.
Can an AI Visibility Audit guarantee ChatGPT or Perplexity citations?
No. AI answers are dynamic and no serious agency should guarantee a fixed citation. The audit can identify blockers, source gaps, crawler issues, weak proof, and competitor sources that reduce your chances of being cited or recommended.
Is AI visibility the same as AI traffic?
No. AI visibility includes mentions, citations, source use, sentiment, and recommendations. AI traffic is only the measurable referral traffic that reaches analytics. Some AI visibility may influence branded demand or assisted conversions without a direct click.
Do I need llms.txt for AI visibility?
No. Treat llms.txt as an optional readability aid, not a guaranteed ranking or citation mechanism. Google says no new machine-readable files, AI text files, or special schema are required for AI Overviews or AI Mode. Focus first on crawlability, indexation, textual content, internal links, helpful content, and structured data that matches visible content.
Should I allow OAI-SearchBot, GPTBot, and PerplexityBot?
Decide separately. OAI-SearchBot is used for ChatGPT search visibility. GPTBot is used for OpenAI model-training crawling. PerplexityBot is used to surface and link websites in Perplexity search results. Search visibility, training policy, and user-triggered retrieval should not be treated as one setting.
How often should we run an AI Visibility Audit?
Run a baseline audit before implementation, then retest monthly or quarterly. AI answer behavior, source mix, competitor mentions, and crawler documentation can change over time.
What do we need to provide for an audit?
Usually the website, top competitors, priority services or products, Google Search Console, GA4, Bing Webmaster Tools where available, important case studies, target markets, and access to technical context such as robots.txt, CDN/WAF rules, or server logs if crawler access is unclear.
Next step
Find out what AI search sees before you invest in more content
Send the site, competitors, and one growth goal. We will check whether AI systems can access your pages, understand your offer, cite your proof, and compare you accurately against alternatives.
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