How the AI Visibility Readiness Score Works
SearchScore analyses any website using a 3-layer model, 7 scoring categories and 32 individual levers, returning a single score from 0 to 100. This page explains exactly what we check and why each signal matters for AI search visibility.
The 3-Layer Model
AI engines go through three stages when deciding whether to cite your site. Our scoring model mirrors this process, grouping 32 levers into three layers.
Technical basics, schema markup, crawl efficiency, llms.txt, AI crawler access and knowledge graph signals. If this layer is weak, AI may not even see your site.
Original data and stats, query matching, topic depth, FAQs, direct answers, comparison pages, use-case coverage, author bios and content freshness. If this layer is weak, AI won't use your content in answers.
Press and reviews, community presence, Wikipedia, YouTube, backlinks, partner links, NAP consistency and social proof. If this layer is weak, AI won't recommend you to users.
Layer scores are explanatory rollups that help you understand where to focus. Your overall score (0-100) is what matters most.
The 7 Scoring Categories
Each category is weighted by its impact on whether AI engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews will discover, trust and cite your content. The 7-category view is available as a power-user diagnostic.
Can AI crawlers access your site and extract answers? Blends AI Citability (60%) with AI Platform Readiness (40%). Checks crawler access, llms.txt, original data, FAQ sections, direct answers and content freshness.
Does your content answer questions directly? Checks query matching, comparison pages, buyer's decision tree, product pages, use-case coverage, term definitions, expert endorsements and author bios.
HTTPS, crawlability, page rendering, mobile performance and technical fundamentals. AI engines favour technically sound sites.
JSON-LD schema markup (Organisation, Article, Person, FAQ, HowTo, Speakable), brand entity definition, knowledge graph signals and structured data consistency.
Does your brand exist as a recognised entity online? Press coverage, Wikipedia, Wikidata, YouTube, podcasts, backlinks, community presence and partner links.
Does your site demonstrate depth on its subject? Topic depth, content hub structure and semantic breadth signal genuine topical authority to AI engines.
Name and address consistency for local businesses, reviews and testimonials. Practical signals that reinforce AI trust.
Want to understand how AI search rankings compare across industries? See the complete AI search rankings guide or browse the AI Visibility Leaderboard to see how top brands score.
The 32 Levers
Every category is built from individual levers - specific, checkable signals that affect your AI visibility. Here are all 32, grouped by layer.
Foundation Levers
| ID | Lever | What It Checks |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | AI Crawler Access | Are GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot and GeminiBot allowed in robots.txt? |
| F2 | Page Rendering | Can AI crawlers render your pages correctly? |
| F3 | Schema Markup | Is JSON-LD structured data present and valid? |
| F4 | Brand Entity | Is your brand clearly defined as an entity in markup? |
| F5 | Crawl Efficiency | Sitemap, canonical tags, indexability and crawl budget signals. |
| F6 | llms.txt File | Does your site provide a llms.txt file for AI crawlers? |
| F7 | Knowledge Graph | Are knowledge graph signals (sameAs, identifiers) present? |
| F8 | Technical Basics | HTTPS, mobile-friendliness, page speed fundamentals. |
Extraction Levers
| ID | Lever | What It Checks |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | Original Data & Stats | Are there quotable statistics or original data points? |
| E2 | Query Matching | Does content align with how users phrase questions to AI? |
| E3 | Topic Depth | Do you cover the topic thoroughly with supporting content? |
| E4 | Comparison Pages | Are there head-to-head comparison pages for decision queries? |
| E5 | Buyer's Decision Tree | Does content guide users through a purchase decision path? |
| E6 | Topic Authority | Does your site demonstrate recognised authority on the topic? |
| E7 | Product Pages | Are product pages rich with detail AI can reference? |
| E8 | Use-Case Coverage | Does content cover the ways users ask AI for solutions? |
| E9 | Term Definitions | Are key terms and concepts clearly defined? |
| E10 | Expert Endorsements | Are there expert quotes or endorsements in your content? |
| E11 | FAQ Sections | Are there FAQ sections that directly feed AI answer extraction? |
| E12 | Direct Answers | Does content use answer-first formatting AI prefers to cite? |
| E13 | Content Freshness | Is content recent and regularly updated? |
| E14 | Author Bios & Bylines | Are articles attributed to named authors with credentials? |
Reinforcement Levers
| ID | Lever | What It Checks |
|---|---|---|
| R1 | Press & Reviews | Is there third-party press coverage validating the brand? |
| R2 | Community Presence | Is the brand active in relevant communities? |
| R3 | Wikipedia & Wikidata | Does the brand have Wikipedia or Wikidata entries? |
| R4 | YouTube & Video | Is there video content that diversifies trust signals? |
| R5 | Podcast Appearances | Has the brand been featured on podcasts? |
| R6 | News & Press Section | Does the site have a newsroom or press section? |
| R7 | Backlink Strength | Do strong backlinks reinforce domain authority? |
| R8 | Name & Address Consistency | Is NAP consistent across directories for local businesses? |
| R9 | Reviews & Testimonials | Are there customer reviews and testimonials? |
| R11 | Partner Links | Are there co-marketing links from partner organisations? |
Score Tiers
Your overall score places you in one of five tiers. The average across 775,000+ sites we have audited is 34/100.
| Tier | Score Range | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Ready | 85 - 100 | Strong AI search presence. Likely being cited in AI responses for relevant queries. |
| Strong | 70 - 84 | Good fundamentals. Some gaps that are preventing consistent AI citations. |
| Emerging | 50 - 69 | Visible for some queries. Significant opportunity with targeted improvements. |
| Low Visibility | 31 - 50 | Rarely visible to AI search. Multiple foundational issues to address. |
| Invisible | 0 - 30 | Not visible to AI search engines. Immediate action required on basic signals. |
How We Collect the Data
Live page fetch
We fetch your page in real time using a neutral user agent and analyse the HTML - headings, schema markup, meta tags, content structure, links, images and more.
robots.txt and sitemap
We check your robots.txt to see whether AI crawlers (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Geminibot) are allowed. We also verify your XML sitemap exists and is accessible.
External signals
We check for your brand's presence on Wikipedia, Wikidata, social platforms, Reddit, Product Hunt, Crunchbase and GitHub. We also verify llms.txt, robots.txt AI bot rules, IndexNow-compatible sitemaps and per-platform AI crawler access.
Conservative scoring
If a signal cannot be verified, we score it conservatively. We never assume a feature is present unless we can confirm it. This keeps scores honest and actionable.
Free vs Paid Results
The free tier shows your overall score, tier, and the score for each of the 3 layers and 7 categories - enough to understand where you stand.
The paid tier unlocks all 32 individual levers with pass/fail status, specific issues identified, quick wins ranked by impact, and step-by-step implementation guidance for each lever.
How Often Scores Update
Results are cached for 24 hours. If you have made significant changes to your site, you can request a fresh audit. Paid users can force a rescan at any time.
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