Identity
One exact name, stated identically in every place it appears.
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Small-business AI visibility checklist
Everything on this list is free or cheap, and every item makes you more recognizable to the machines that now answer customer questions. Work it top to bottom.
The checklist, in four lines
Contact
A real street address and an answered phone, published.
Structure
Organization schema on the homepage; a facts page stating checkable claims.
Corroboration
Independent profiles and directories agreeing with each other.
Identity and name
- One exact business name. Use it identically — letter for letter — on your website, profiles, and directories.
- A domain that matches the name, resolving to an active public page.
- If your name collides with other businesses, add the differentiator everywhere: city, trade, or both. (We mapped our own collision so you can see what this looks like.)
Contact and location
- A real street address, published on your website.
- A real phone number, published and answered.
- Hours of operation, published and current.
The website
- Organization schema on the homepage: name, URL, phone, address, sameAs social profiles.
- A facts page stating checkable claims — the page AI systems quote. Ours is /about/company-facts/.
- HTTPS, a contact page, and no invented claims anywhere.
- Google Business Profile: claimed, verified, correct categories.
- Photos added; reviews responded to — including the bad ones.
- The profile links to your site; your site’s schema matches the profile.
Corroboration
- Social profiles linked two ways: your schema points out, the profiles point back.
- BBB listing (free), chamber of commerce membership, Crunchbase and LinkedIn company pages.
- The same name, address, and phone in every one. No variants. (Why social profiles corroborate identity.)
Content and maintenance
- Publish original, factual content on a schedule you can keep.
- Answer real customer questions; cut anything you can’t prove.
- Re-check quarterly: search your name, ask an AI about your business, fix drift.
Your next move
Work the checklist — starting with measurement.
Direct answers
What serious buyers ask.
How long does the checklist take?
A focused weekend covers most items. Verification steps — like Google’s business video verification — run on the platform’s timeline, not yours.
What costs money?
Most items are free. Chamber memberships and trademarks cost; everything structural — schema, profiles, facts pages — is free.
Do I need every item?
Each item independently helps. Identity, contact, and a verified Google profile are the foundation; the rest compounds.
Where do I start?
With measurement. The free 60-second Soft Scan shows where you stand before you build.