The AI Shortlist Scorecard.

When you ask ChatGPT "what's the best [your category] for [your buyer]?", is your product named?

The single most direct test. Try it in a private window so your history doesn't sway the answer.

Do you have "[you] vs [competitor]" and "alternatives to [competitor]" pages for your top competitors?

Comparison prompts are where deals are decided. If you don't explain the difference, a competitor's page will.

Is your product listed with recent reviews on G2, Capterra, Product Hunt or the review sites your category uses?

AI assistants lean on third-party review platforms to decide which tools are credible.

Is your product included in third-party "best [category] tools" articles and roundups?

Listicles are among the sources AI quotes most for software recommendations.

Is your product described the same way on your site, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, review sites and directories?

Conflicting descriptions make AI unsure what you do, so it names a competitor it understands.

Do real users or your team mention your product in Reddit threads and community forums in your space?

Community discussions are a major source for AI answers about which tools people actually use.

Do your docs and help center answer buyer questions in plain, crawlable text (not only PDFs, videos or behind a login)?

AI can only quote what it can read. Gated or image-only answers don't exist to a model.

Does the first sentence of your homepage plainly say what your product is and who it's for?

Slogans read well to people but give AI nothing to repeat. A plain sentence gets quoted.

Does your site use structured data (Organization, SoftwareApplication, FAQ)?

Structured data spells out the facts about your product in a form machines read reliably.

Do you allow AI crawlers in robots.txt and publish an llms.txt file?

Some sites block AI crawlers by default without knowing it, which keeps them out of answers.

Is your pricing on a public page that AI can read?

Price is one of the first things buyers ask AI. Hidden pricing gets you dropped or misquoted.

Can you see signups and demos that came from AI assistants, in analytics or a "How did you hear about us?" field?

If you can't measure it, you can't defend the budget, or notice when a competitor overtakes you.