Will AI Recommend Your Business? A 15-Minute Self-Check
When someone asks an AI assistant "Who's a good physio in Utrecht?" or "Welke loodgieter in Haarlem kan deze week komen?", the answer usually names only a handful of businesses.
You can find out in about 15 minutes whether yours is one of them. You don't need any tools beyond a browser.
Step 1: Write 5 Questions Your Customers Would Ask (3 minutes)
Write them the way a customer would say them, in your customers' language, and include your town.
- Two "who should I hire" questions: "Which bathroom renovator in Haarlem is reliable?"
- Two problem questions: "My central heating makes a banging noise. Who can fix it in Leiden?"
- One comparison question: "Is it better to hire a local accountant or use an online service for a ZZP?"
Step 2: Ask Three Places (6 minutes)
Ask each question in:
- Google: note whether an AI-generated answer appears at the top, and who it names.
- ChatGPT
- Gemini, Copilot or Perplexity: pick one.
Use a private browser window where possible, and write down the date. AI answers vary between sessions, locations and people, so ask your most important question twice.
Step 3: Record What You See (3 minutes)
For each answer, note:
- Is your business named? (yes / no)
- Which businesses are named instead?
- Which sources are linked or cited? Your website, a competitor's website, a review site, a directory?
Step 4: Look at Your Own Website Like a Stranger (3 minutes)
Open your homepage on your phone and ask:
- Can I tell what you do and where within 10 seconds?
- Is there a clear list of services, with a sentence or two on each?
- Is the service area written in text, not only in a map or image?
- Are the questions customers ask before buying answered somewhere?
- Are your name, address, phone and hours the same as on your Google Business Profile?
What Your Results Usually Mean
Competitors are named and cite their own websites. Their sites probably explain services and areas more clearly. This is usually the most fixable situation.
Directories and review sites are cited, but not your site. Search systems are relying on third-party information. Make sure your profiles are complete and consistent, and give your own website the details those directories have.
Nobody local is named, only generic advice. The question may be too broad, or no local business explains the topic well. That can be an opportunity for a clear service page or article.
You are named. Good. Check that the details quoted about you are correct, and repeat the check every few months.
A Few Honest Caveats
- No one can guarantee a recommendation. Anyone who promises that is overselling.
- Answers change. Treat your notes as a dated snapshot, not a score.
- Your website is only part of it. Reviews, business profiles and independent mentions matter too. Your website is the part you fully control.
Want Us to Do It for You?
We run a version of this check for free: five questions, three platforms, and a one-page summary with three prioritized suggestions, delivered within three working days. Request your free AI visibility check.