Guide
How to check if ChatGPT recommends your product
Write down the questions your buyers ask, ask each engine every question more than once without your own history, and count how often you're named and which sites are cited. One 
ChatGPT chat is a sample of one: in our data, asking the same question twice gave answers that shared only 46% of their sources.
By Ahmed Gagan, founder of aivisibilityskillPublished 2 min read
Why one chat isn't enough
ChatGPT and other engines search the web each time and sample their answers. In our study of 24,258 citations, ChatGPT never cited exactly the same set of sites twice for the same question, and 71% of the sites cited for a question were cited by only one engine. A single chat in your own logged-in account, shaped by your history, is the least reliable sample you can take.
Step by step
- List your buyers' questions
Write 5 to 10 questions the way buyers type them: “best invoicing app for freelancers”, “freshbooks alternatives”, “invoice software for small agencies”. Leave your brand name out.
- Ask more than one engine
ChatGPT,
Gemini, 
Google AI Overviews and AI Mode cite different sites. Check at least those four. - Ask each question more than once
Answers vary between runs. Ask at least twice, logged out or in a private window, so your own history doesn't shape the answer.
- Record three things
Whether you're named, which competitors are named instead, and which sites the answer cites as sources.
- Read the cited pages
The roundups and comparisons the engines cite usually decide who gets recommended. Note which ones leave you out.
- Fix the biggest gap, then check again
Get onto a cited roundup, publish a comparison page, fix a wrong price or unblock a crawler. Re-run the same questions a week or two later.
What to record
| Question | Engine | Run | You named? | Named instead | Cited sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| best invoicing app for freelancers | ChatGPT | 1 | No | FreshBooks, Wave, Zoho Invoice | nerdwallet.com, wise.com |
| best invoicing app for freelancers | ChatGPT | 2 | No | FreshBooks, Wave, Bonsai | hostinger.com, nerdwallet.com |
| best invoicing app for freelancers | Google AI Overviews | 1 | No | FreshBooks, Zoho Invoice | youtube.com, reddit.com |
Your mention rate is the share of rows where you're named. Track it per engine; one engine can name you while another never does.
Doing it automatically
Doing this by hand for 10 questions, 4 engines and 2 runs is 80 chats. aivisibilityskill runs the same check for you:
- In your browser: type your site at app.aivisibilityskill.com/start. It suggests buyer questions and competitors from your homepage, asks the engines, and shows who's named, which sites are cited and what to fix first. The first check fits in the 500 free signup credits.
- In your coding agent: connect the MCP server and ask “check how ChatGPT and Google's AI talk about my product for these questions”. Your agent can then make the fix in your repo.
- From code: send the questions to
POST /v1/checkson the API and track the results in your own dashboard.
Questions
How do I know if ChatGPT recommends my product?
Ask ChatGPT the questions your buyers ask, without mentioning your brand, at least twice and logged out. Record whether you're named and which sites it cites. Repeat for Gemini and Google's AI, since they cite different sources.
Why does ChatGPT recommend my competitors and not me?
Usually because the pages it cites, such as roundups, comparisons and review sites, name your competitors and not you, or because it can't read your site. Read the cited pages first; they're the fastest way to the cause.
How many times should I ask the same question?
At least twice per engine, and more if you want a stable rate. AI answers vary between runs, so one answer can't tell you how often you're recommended.
Can I check this for free?
Yes. Asking by hand is free but slow. aivisibilityskill's first check runs on the 500 free credits you get at signup, with no card.