25 Prompts to Test If ChatGPT and Gemini Recommend Your Business
To find out whether AI assistants recommend your business, ask them the questions your buyers ask, in a clean session, several times, and count how often you are named. Below are 25 prompts in five groups, the rules for running them, and a simple way to score the result.
How to run the test so the results mean something
- Use a clean session. ChatGPT Temporary Chat, Gemini while signed out, Perplexity in a private window. Logged-in memory skews results toward businesses you have asked about before.
- Run each prompt three to five times. Answers vary between runs. The measure is how often you are named, not whether you were named once.
- Fill in the brackets precisely. Use your real service, city and competitors. "Dentist in Duluth, GA" and "dentist near 30096" can return different lists.
- Record the sources. When the assistant shows citations, note which websites it used. Those are the pages and directories you need to appear on.
The 25 prompts
Best-of questions (the ones that decide who gets called)
- Who is the best [service] in [city], GA?
- Recommend three [service] companies near [neighborhood or zip code].
- Which [service] in [county] has the best reviews?
- I need [service] in [city] this week. Who should I call?
- What is the most trusted [service] for [specific need] in [city]?
Attribute questions (the easiest to win)
- Which [service] companies in [city] offer [specific feature, for example same-day appointments]?
- Which [service] in [city] publishes its prices?
- Who offers [specific service] for under [price] in [city]?
- Which [service] near [city] offers financing?
- Which [service] in [city] speaks [language]?
Comparison questions
- Compare [your business] and [competitor] for [service].
- Is [your business] better than [competitor]?
- What are the pros and cons of [your business]?
- What do reviews say about [your business]?
- What are alternatives to [competitor] in [city]?
Brand questions (what the assistant knows about you)
- What is [your business] and what do they do?
- Where is [your business] located and what are its hours?
- How much does [your business] charge for [service]?
- Who owns [your business]?
- Is [your business] legitimate?
Problem questions (where buyers start)
- How much does [service] cost in [city]?
- How do I choose a good [service provider]?
- What questions should I ask a [service provider] before hiring?
- What are warning signs of a bad [service provider]?
- Do I need [service] or can I [do it myself / use an alternative]?
How to score it
| Score | What it means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Named in 0 runs | The assistant does not know you or does not trust you for this question | Reviews, directory listings, and a page that answers the question directly |
| Named in 1 to 2 of 5 | You are a candidate but not a default | More reviews, consistent business details everywhere, fresh content on the topic |
| Named in 3 or more of 5 | You are one of the default answers | Protect it: keep reviews coming and details current |
| Named with wrong facts | The assistant has old or conflicting information | Fix your Google Business Profile, directories and website so they all match |
Attribute questions are usually the fastest to win, because assistants answer them from each business's own website. If you offer financing, publish prices or answer the phone in Spanish, say so plainly on your site and the assistant can cite you for it.
What decides who gets named
Across our own tests, three inputs mattered most: Google reviews and ratings for local best-of questions, third-party directories and published comparison lists for Perplexity and Gemini, and a clear page on the business's own site for attribute questions. More detail in how AI decides the best company near me and how to get recommended by AI.
Common questions
Why do I get different answers each time I run a prompt?
AI assistants are not deterministic. The same prompt can name different businesses on different runs, so run each prompt at least three times and record how often you appear, not whether you appeared once.
Should I run the test while logged in?
Use a logged-out or temporary chat. Logged-in assistants remember what you asked before and can mention your business because you did, which makes the result look better than it is.
What score is good?
Being named in 3 of 5 runs for a best-of question in your city is strong. Most local businesses start at zero for best-of questions and do better on brand questions.
Want us to run it for you? Our growth audit includes an AI visibility check across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google, at no cost.
