The Complete AI Search Checklist: 27 Things to Fix Today

Your Complete AI Search Optimization Checklist

Last updated: January 2026

This checklist covers everything needed to optimize your website for AI search engines like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Work through each section systematically, and track your progress as you go.

Pro tip: Focus on Critical items first—these have the biggest impact on your GEO score.

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Section 1: Technical Accessibility (Critical)

These issues can completely block AI from seeing your content.

1. ✓ Allow AI Crawlers in robots.txt

Priority: CRITICAL

Check your robots.txt file for AI bot permissions:

User-agent: GPTBot
Allow: /


User-agent: Claude-Web
Allow: /

User-agent: PerplexityBot
Allow: /

User-agent: Google-Extended
Allow: /

If any are blocked with "Disallow: /", fix immediately.

2. ✓ Ensure Content Renders Without JavaScript

Priority: High

Disable JavaScript in your browser and check if your main content is still visible. AI crawlers often can't execute JavaScript.

3. ✓ Verify HTTPS is Enabled

Priority: High

All pages should load over HTTPS. Check for mixed content warnings.

4. ✓ Check Page Load Speed

Priority: Medium

Pages should load in under 3 seconds. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test.

5. ✓ Confirm Mobile Responsiveness

Priority: Medium

Test your site on mobile devices. AI systems favor mobile-friendly content.

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Section 2: Schema Markup (Critical)

Schema helps AI systems understand your content's meaning and context.

6. ✓ Add Organization Schema (Every Page)

Priority: CRITICAL

Include your company name, URL, logo, description, and contact info.

7. ✓ Add FAQ Schema (Where Applicable)

Priority: CRITICAL

Any page with Q&A content should have FAQPage schema.

8. ✓ Add Article Schema (Blog Posts)

Priority: High

Include headline, author, datePublished, dateModified, and publisher.

9. ✓ Add Breadcrumb Schema (All Pages)

Priority: Medium

Helps AI understand your site structure and page context.

10. ✓ Add Product/Service Schema (Offerings)

Priority: Medium

Include name, description, price, and availability for products/services.

11. ✓ Validate All Schema

Priority: High

Use Google Rich Results Test to ensure schema is error-free.

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Section 3: Content Structure (High Priority)

How your content is organized affects AI extraction accuracy.

12. ✓ Use Question-Based H2 Headings

Priority: High

Format: "How does [topic] work?" not just "[Topic]"

13. ✓ Start Sections With Direct Answers

Priority: High

The first sentence after each heading should directly answer the question.

14. ✓ Add FAQ Sections to Key Pages

Priority: High

Include 3-5 relevant questions with comprehensive answers on each major page.

15. ✓ Use Clear Heading Hierarchy

Priority: Medium

H1 → H2 → H3 in logical order. Don't skip levels.

16. ✓ Keep Paragraphs Focused

Priority: Medium

Each paragraph should make one main point. Keep under 100 words.

17. ✓ Include Bullet Points and Lists

Priority: Medium

Lists are easier for AI to extract and cite.

18. ✓ Add Summary/Key Takeaways Sections

Priority: Medium

End articles with clear, bulleted key points.

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Section 4: Authority Signals (High Priority)

AI systems prioritize trustworthy, authoritative sources.

19. ✓ Add Author Names to All Content

Priority: High

Every article and page should have a visible author.

20. ✓ Include Author Credentials

Priority: High

Brief bio with expertise, experience, and credentials.

21. ✓ Display Publish and Update Dates

Priority: High

Visible dates on all articles and key pages.

22. ✓ Add Company Information

Priority: Medium

Clear About page with company history, team, and credentials.

23. ✓ Include Testimonials and Reviews

Priority: Medium

Social proof on relevant pages.

24. ✓ Add Contact Information

Priority: Medium

Email, phone, and physical address where applicable.

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Section 5: Content Quality (Medium Priority)

The substance of your content affects citation likelihood.

25. ✓ Include Specific Data and Statistics

Priority: High

Replace vague claims with concrete numbers.

Before: "We help many businesses" After: "We've helped 500+ businesses improve their GEO scores by an average of 47 points"

26. ✓ Cite Sources for Claims

Priority: Medium

Link to sources for statistics and factual claims.

27. ✓ Update Outdated Content

Priority: Medium

Review content quarterly. Update statistics, remove outdated references.

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Checklist Summary

How to Use This Checklist

Phase 1: Critical Items (Do First)

1. Fix robots.txt
2. Add Organization schema
3. Add FAQ schema
4. Validate schema

Phase 2: High Priority (Week 1-2)

1. Remaining technical items
2. Article and Breadcrumb schema
3. Content restructuring
4. Author information

Phase 3: Medium Priority (Week 3-4)

1. Additional schema types
2. Authority signals
3. Content quality improvements

Track Your Progress

→ Run a Free GEO Audit to see your current score before starting, then re-run after completing each phase to measure improvement.

The audit will also identify which specific items from this checklist are affecting your score most, helping you prioritize effectively.

Get Step-by-Step Instructions

This checklist tells you WHAT to fix. The Full GEO Report ($99) tells you HOW:

• Detailed instructions for each item
• Code snippets you can copy-paste
• Screenshots showing exactly where to make changes
• Priority ranking based on your specific site

→ Get Your Personalized Fix Plan