How to see why your competitors are visible in AI searches and what to do about it

Typing important keyword phrases into AI search systems shows you competitors that appear in results.  Then the AI can help you fight back.

This article in brief

You ideally want to appear in ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or other AI tools when people search for your type of service or product.

This article shows how to:

  • Use AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to simulate a typical customer search
  • See which businesses are already showing and why they are preferred
  • Ask AI directly why your business is not being recommended
  • Get detailed answers about what is missing on your website or online presence
  • Understand the actions you can take to become more visible in future AI-generated answers

The ideal scenario

Someone goes into ChatGPT, Gemini, or another AI search tool and types a phrase that matches what you sell.

And your business name appears in the results.

That is the goal. Your company is one of the first names mentioned. You are visible, trusted, and likely to be contacted.

Now for the reality: type in those same keywords and you often see competitors appear – but your business is missing entirely.

If that frustrates you, this guide will show you exactly how to test AI search behaviour and discover what is missing from your side.

Step 1 - Use AI like your customers do

The aim here is simply to behave like a potential customer would.

Think of a keyword phrase that you want to be visible for into ChatGPT, Gemini, or another AI search tool. For example:

  • A product or service phrase
  • A question someone would ask before buying
  • A comparison query (for example, “best X for Y”)
  • A problem-based query (for example, “how to fix X”)
  • A B2B query (for example, “software to help with X”)
  • A local query (e.g. “service name location”)
  • A national or global query (no location required)

Use this prompt, inserting your own search phrase where highlighted:

I am testing keyword phrases that I want my business to be visible for when people use AI tools to search for answers, services, or recommendations.

Let us start with this keyword or phrase: [insert your keyword phrase].

Please run a search as if you were a buyer or user asking that question in a real-world context.

Then tell me:

Which businesses or websites are currently being shown or recommended by you (or that you would naturally include)?

What kind of content, expertise or signals do they seem to have that makes them relevant?

Then hit enter and review the response carefully.

You will normally see a small group of businesses, brands, or websites being referenced. These are the ones the AI currently trusts most for that query.

Make a note of:

  • Who appears
  • What type of sites they are (specialists, directories, marketplaces, publishers)
  • Any patterns you can see in what the AI references (guides, comparisons, detailed service pages, reviews, case studies).

 

Step 2 - Ask AI why your business is not being shown

If your business did not appear, you now want to understand why.

Paste in this follow-up prompt:

My business is [insert your business name and a short description of what you do, who you serve, and your typical location or target audience], but I am not being included.

Why not? What might be missing from my website or online presence that means you are not mentioning me?

What specific actions should I take (content, structure, authority, reviews etc.) to make my business more likely to be recommended in results for that keyword?

Think like both a buyer and an AI system. Be specific. Give me examples I can work with.

Let AI do the heavy lifting. It will typically come back with a mix of explanations such as:

  • Your website content is too vague or shallow
  • You are missing location signals in key places
  • Competitors have more reviews, better structured pages, or backlinks
  • Your business lacks visibility in local directories
  • There are no blog posts or service breakdowns that match the search intent

This is not guesswork. It is direct feedback based on what the AI sees and interprets.

 

Step 3 - Act on the feedback

You now know:

  • Who appears in the results
  • Why they are there
  • Why you are not

Here’s the starting point for what to do next (there’s more than this that you can do):

  • Improve your core service page to include stronger local signals
  • Add examples of work, testimonials, and FAQs for each core service
  • List your business in trusted directories (e.g. Yell, Checkatrade, Google Business Profile)
  • If locally focused, start gathering more Google reviews with town/city names mentioned
  • Add a blog post or guide related to your desired keywords.

Repeat the AI test every 1-2 months. As your visibility improves, you will see your business starting to show up.

 

An example

In this video I pretend to be a local business who wants more AI search visibility, showing you the output (ChatGPT & AI Mode in this case) from using the prompts further up.

Try this for yourself

Pick 3-5 keyword phrases you care about.

Run the test for each phrase in at least two places, for example:

  • ChatGPT
  • Gemini
  • Perplexity
  • Google AI Mode

Keep a simple log (even a spreadsheet is fine) and record:

  • The keyword phrase
  • Who AI mentions
  • What AI says they have that makes them relevant
  • What AI says you are missing
  • The actions you plan to take

If you do that consistently, you will stop guessing and will have a practical set of actions you can apply to your website and online presence, based on what AI tools are already rewarding today.