AI search · 2 min read
How to measure AI search visibility for your business
Short answer
Use three checks together. Google Search Console's generative AI report shows impressions in features like AI Overviews and AI Mode. Bing Webmaster Tools' AI Performance report shows citations in Microsoft Copilots and partner tools. A fixed set of buyer questions, asked in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity each month, shows whether your business is actually named. Your analytics can also show visits that came from AI tools.
Want this checked for your business? Get a free 30-min audit → or WhatsApp us.
Why does one check not work?
Each tool sees only part of the picture.
| Check | What it tells you | What it doesn't tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Search Console generative AI report | How often your pages appeared in Google's AI features, by page, country, device and day | The questions people asked |
| Bing AI Performance | Citations, cited pages and the queries behind them | Anything about ChatGPT, Gemini or Google |
| Your own question test | Whether AI tools name you, who they name instead, and which sites they cite | How many real people asked |
How to read the Search Console report
Open the Performance report in Search Console and look for the generative AI report. Google introduced these reports to give site owners a dedicated view of impressions in AI features.
Look at which pages appear and whether the trend is rising. Don't expect a list of questions: when we checked our own report, it showed impressions by page, country, device and day, with no query list.
How to read the Bing report
In Bing Webmaster Tools, open AI Performance. It shows total citations and cited pages, and it can list the grounding queries behind them. A new or small site may show zero for a long time, so record the number and check it again each month.
How to check AI visits in your analytics
In Google Analytics, open your traffic sources and look for sites such as chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai and gemini.google.com. The numbers are usually small, and some AI visits show up as direct traffic, so treat them as a minimum.
How to run your own question test
- Write 10 to 20 questions in a buyer's words, such as "Best dentist in Borivali?"
- Ask each one in a fresh chat in ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
- Ask each question at least twice, because answers change from run to run.
- Record whether you were named, who else was named, and which sources were shown.
- Repeat the same questions every month, and compare the trend.
Our baseline AI search audit guide goes through this step by step.
What should you do with the numbers?
- Your site is cited but your business isn't named: make your name, services and area clearer on the page.
- Directories are cited instead of you: complete your listings on those sites.
- Competitors are always named: look at where they're mentioned, and earn genuine mentions in the same places.
- The facts about you are wrong: correct them on your own site and on your main listings.
Read how to get recommended by ChatGPT and other AI tools for the fixes.
Common mistakes
- Asking a question once and treating the answer as final
- Testing while signed in to your own account, where past chats can colour the answer
- Changing the questions every month, so nothing can be compared
- Counting a mention as a win without checking that the facts are right
If you'd rather have someone run this for you, request a free AI visibility audit. AI answers change often, so we report trends and never promise a mention.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google show which questions triggered my AI impressions?
Not in the report we've seen. It shows impressions by page, country, device and day.
Does Search Console show ChatGPT traffic?
No. Search Console covers Google. For ChatGPT, use your own question test and look for referral visits in your analytics.
How often should I measure AI visibility?
Once a month is enough for most businesses. Track the trend over two to four months.
Why does my report show zero?
Your site may be new, or AI features may not be showing it yet. Record the zero as your baseline and keep improving the basics.
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