# Ready Scan guides > Ready Scan asks buyer-style questions across scanned AI systems and shows whether your brand was mentioned, cited, or recommended. Full text of the published Ready Scan guides. Company profiles and individual scorecards are available through the linked catalogues. [Brief and discovery links](https://readyscan.ai/llms.txt) · [Company directory](https://readyscan.ai/directory) · [Public reports](https://readyscan.ai/public-reports) ## AI citation visibility starts with the actual answers. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) Published: 2026-07-12. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/ai-citation-visibility.json) Buyers ask AI systems which products to shortlist, compare, and trust. Ready Scan measures the observable answer: whether the scanned AI systems mention the brand, cite it, recommend it, or choose competitors instead. ### What is AI citation visibility? AI citation visibility is the observed answer evidence showing whether AI systems mention a brand, cite an owned or third-party source, recommend the product, omit it, or recommend competitors for buyer-intent questions. Ready Scan measures that evidence from completed AI answers and presents the result as a transparent scorecard with an evidence-linked market read, not as a hidden readiness score or invented advisory plan. Sources: [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology); [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) ### What the scorecard counts A useful scorecard separates answer outcomes instead of collapsing everything into a vague presence score. Sources: [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology); [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) #### Mention The answer names the brand or product in a substantive way. #### Citation The answer cites an owned or relevant source connected to the brand. #### Recommendation The answer actively suggests the product as a choice for the buyer’s need. #### Competitor presence Other products appear when the target is absent, weaker, or displaced. ### What the scorecard does not claim A completed scan reports the retained answer set and practical next steps from that evidence. It does not silently create a recovery plan, task list, causal diagnosis, or implementation program. Missing or failed answers stay explicit and never become absence. Sources: [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology); [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) ### Check whether AI includes your brand. Ask the buyer questions that matter and preserve the exact answers before making a plan. ### Sources - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [Methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) - [Report](https://readyscan.ai/reports) - [ChatGPT AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/chatgpt-ai-visibility) ## How Ready Scan builds an AI visibility scorecard. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) Published: 2026-07-12. Updated: 2026-09-20. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/methodology.json) Ready Scan is built for marketers who need the practical answer first: did scanned AI systems mention or recommend the brand when asked buyer-like questions? ### How does Ready Scan measure AI visibility? Prepare -> Ask -> Score -> Report is the customer journey. Under the hood, Prepare and confirm -> Plan questions -> Collect answers -> Classify outcomes -> Score fairly -> Explain evidence is the measurement workflow. Ready Scan starts with one public product page or homepage, proposes a distinct brand, product, customer job, and a ranked pool of natural unbranded buyer questions, and lets the marketer correct that meaning. Only explicit confirmation releases one to four selected questions across the selected AI systems. Sources: [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan); [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) ### Prepare -> Ask -> Score -> Report The customer journey stays small enough for a marketer to understand while the full workflow remains visible: Prepare and confirm -> Plan questions -> Collect answers -> Classify outcomes -> Score fairly -> Explain evidence. Sources: [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan); [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) #### Prepare Ready Scan reads the submitted public page and proposes distinct brand, product, customer job, and a pool of relevant buyer questions. #### Confirm The marketer can correct the proposed meaning. No AI-answer acquisition begins until explicit confirmation. #### Collect answers Every completed AI answer is kept with model, source, and limitation context. #### Classify and score The scorecard separates absence, citation, mention, recommendation, stronger recommendation evidence, and excluded cells. ### Provider boundary A provider can supply product context or AI answers, but Ready Scan owns the question planning, answer retention, classification, score arithmetic, and report presentation. Sources: [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan); [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) ### Start with one scorecard. Ready Scan carries the product profile into buyer questions, retained answers, scoring, and evidence. ### Sources - [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Report](https://readyscan.ai/reports) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) - [AI engines](https://readyscan.ai/engines) ## Each selected AI system gets its own answer cell. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/engines) Different AI systems can answer the same buyer question differently. Ready Scan keeps those differences visible instead of hiding them behind one vague blended result. ### Why does engine-by-engine scorecard evidence matter? Engine-by-engine scorecard evidence matters because a brand may be recommended by one AI system, cited by another, and absent from a third. Ready Scan preserves the selected engine, observed model, answer text, source context, market, language, timestamp, classification, and limitation for each completed cell so marketers can inspect the actual answer instead of trusting a black-box score. ### Engine profile notes ChatGPT-facing: Separates retrieval/search bots from training-oriented crawlers. Claude-facing: Measures static accessibility and crawler policy separately. Google/Gemini-facing: Rendered accessibility matters more because Googlebot can execute JavaScript. Perplexity-facing: Prioritizes freshness, static extraction, and cited source overlap. Grok-facing: Observed through visibility sampling until a stable public retrieval crawler profile exists. DeepSeek-facing: Observed through visibility sampling and generic crawler accessibility signals. ### How engine coverage affects the report The report shows per-engine answer outcomes and a transparent overall score. Missing credentials, provider failure, unsupported routes, and unavailable observations stay outside the scored denominator. ### Check the AI systems your buyers use. Choose Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, or Perplexity and retain each selected answer surface. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) - [Report](https://readyscan.ai/reports) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) - [ChatGPT AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/chatgpt-ai-visibility) - [Claude AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/claude-ai-visibility) - [Gemini AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/gemini-ai-visibility) - [Perplexity AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/perplexity-ai-visibility) - [Grok AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/grok-ai-visibility) - [DeepSeek AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/deepseek-ai-visibility) ## A ChatGPT crawler hit is the start of the evidence, not the result. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/chatgpt-ai-visibility) Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/chatgpt-ai-visibility.json) OpenAI documents different agents for search discovery, possible training collection, and user-requested page visits. Ready Scan keeps those fetches separate from the commercial outcome: whether a completed ChatGPT answer actually mentions, cites, or recommends the brand. ### If OAI-SearchBot crawls my site, will ChatGPT recommend my brand? No. A request verified as OAI-SearchBot through OpenAI’s published identity controls proves that its search crawler reached a page, and allowing that crawler preserves eligibility for ChatGPT search. A matching user-agent string alone is not sufficient identity proof. Even a verified request does not prove that ChatGPT selected the page, cited the domain, mentioned the brand, or recommended the product. Measure those stages separately: verified crawler access, brand appearances across a repeated buyer-question panel, citations to the owned domain, recommendation strength, and visits carrying OpenAI’s documented ChatGPT referral tag. Ready Scan keeps the exact answer and source evidence for every completed observation so crawler volume cannot silently stand in for market visibility. Sources: [Overview of OpenAI Crawlers](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots); [Publishers and Developers FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12627856); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### What each OpenAI agent request proves OpenAI publishes separate controls and IP ranges for search, potential training collection, and user-initiated retrieval. Classify a request only after verifying the claimed agent against the published identity evidence; a user-agent string by itself is spoofable. Even a verified agent request proves only its narrow fetch event, not answer selection. Sources: [Overview of OpenAI Crawlers](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots); [Publishers and Developers FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12627856) #### OAI-SearchBot Supports ChatGPT search discovery. A successfully verified request establishes access and eligibility, not ranking, citation, or recommendation. #### GPTBot Collects content that may be used to improve models. Its visit is not evidence that the content entered training or appears in ChatGPT search. #### ChatGPT-User Handles certain user-requested page visits. It is a retrieval event, not a general crawl or proof that the answer endorsed the page. ### Measure the ChatGPT visibility funnel Keep the stages inspectable: fetched pages and HTTP success; buyer-question mention rate; owned-domain citation rate; recommendation position against observed competitors; and analytics sessions tagged `utm_source=chatgpt.com`. OpenAI’s web-search API can expose cited URL annotations for controlled tests, but API observations and consumer ChatGPT observations must retain separate surface labels. Sources: [ChatGPT Search](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9237897-chatgpt-search); [Web search](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/tools-web-search); [Publishers and Developers FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12627856); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Check whether ChatGPT chooses your brand. Measure the answer, citations, recommendation strength, and attributable visits separately from OpenAI crawler access. ### Sources - [Overview of OpenAI Crawlers](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) — OpenAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [ChatGPT Search](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9237897-chatgpt-search) — OpenAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Publishers and Developers FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12627856) — OpenAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Web search](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/tools-web-search) — OpenAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Claude AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/claude-ai-visibility) - [Perplexity AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/perplexity-ai-visibility) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) ## ClaudeBot traffic and Claude Search visibility are different signals. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/claude-ai-visibility) Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/claude-ai-visibility.json) Anthropic documents separate agents for potential training collection, search indexing, and user-directed retrieval. A useful Claude scorecard identifies the agent or answer surface first, then reports what the retained answer actually did with the brand. ### Does a ClaudeBot request mean Claude Search can see or cite us? No. Anthropic identifies ClaudeBot as its potential-training crawler, not its search-indexing agent. Search exposure should be evaluated with verified Claude-SearchBot activity, Claude-User retrieval where applicable, and completed Claude answers in which web search was actually enabled or invoked. Even those crawler events establish only access or retrieval; they do not guarantee that Claude will mention, cite, or recommend the brand. Ready Scan therefore records the exact buyer question, model and surface, search state, answer, citations, recommendation status, competitors, locale, timestamp, and limitations for each Claude observation. Sources: [Does Anthropic crawl data from the web, and how can site owners block the crawler?](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-data-from-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler); [Enable and use web search](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/10684626-enable-and-use-web-search); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Claude’s three-agent decision map The three documented Anthropic agents belong in different telemetry buckets. Keeping those purposes separate prevents a large training-crawler number from being marketed as Claude Search visibility. Sources: [Does Anthropic crawl data from the web, and how can site owners block the crawler?](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-data-from-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler) #### ClaudeBot Collects public-web content that could potentially contribute to model training. A fetch does not prove training inclusion or search selection. #### Claude-SearchBot Supports search indexing and result quality. Anthropic says blocking it may reduce search visibility, which is an eligibility statement rather than a placement guarantee. #### Claude-User Retrieves pages in response to user-directed activity. Its request is evidence of that retrieval path, not a general index or endorsement. ### Run a reproducible Claude visibility panel Use stable category, comparison, use-case, and trust questions with web search explicitly enabled. Preserve whether search ran, any generated query, the cited URL and title, the cited answer text, brand treatment, recommendation strength, competing domains, model, locale, and time. Anthropic’s API exposes structured web-search results and citations, but controlled API results must remain labeled separately from consumer Claude observations. Sources: [Enable and use web search](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/10684626-enable-and-use-web-search); [Web search tool](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agents-and-tools/tool-use/web-search-tool); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Check your brand in web-search-enabled Claude answers. Keep Claude Search citations and recommendations separate from training-crawler and user-retrieval traffic. ### Sources - [Does Anthropic crawl data from the web, and how can site owners block the crawler?](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-data-from-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler) — Anthropic; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Enable and use web search](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/10684626-enable-and-use-web-search) — Anthropic; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Web search tool](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/agents-and-tools/tool-use/web-search-tool) — Anthropic; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [ChatGPT AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/chatgpt-ai-visibility) - [Gemini AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/gemini-ai-visibility) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) ## Gemini visibility is observable only when the surface is named. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/gemini-ai-visibility) Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/gemini-ai-visibility.json) A consumer Gemini answer, a Gemini API response grounded with Google Search, and a Google Search AI-feature impression are different observations. Ready Scan keeps their provenance separate before combining completed answer outcomes in a marketer-facing scorecard. ### Can you tell whether Gemini knows or recommends my brand? You can measure what Gemini observably does with a brand, but not inspect hidden knowledge or training inclusion. Use a repeatable buyer-question panel to record whether the selected Gemini surface mentions, describes, recommends, or links to the brand. Label consumer Gemini observations separately from Gemini API responses grounded with Google Search and from Google Search AI-feature impressions. A displayed source link, an API citation, and a Search Console impression each prove a different event; none is a universal Gemini visibility total. Ready Scan preserves the exact answer, surface, model, source evidence, market, language, time, and limitations behind the score. Sources: [View related sources from Gemini Apps](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/14143489?hl=en); [Grounding with Google Search](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/google-search); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Four evidence lanes for Gemini visibility Marketers can observe brand treatment in the consumer app, related source links shown with an answer, citations from controlled Google Search grounding, and eligible Google Search AI-feature performance. These lanes can support one commercial score while retaining their distinct evidence underneath. Sources: [View related sources from Gemini Apps](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/14143489?hl=en); [Grounding with Google Search](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/google-search); [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features); [Introducing Search Generative AI performance reports in Search Console](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/06/gen-ai-performance-reports) #### Consumer answer Records the exact Gemini response, whether the brand appears, and how strongly it is recommended for the buyer question. #### Related source link Gemini Apps may show sources or related links, but not every response includes them and a link must not be overstated as support for every claim. #### Grounded API citation Google Search grounding can expose executed queries and citations mapped to answer spans in a controlled developer observation. #### Google Search AI-feature impression Search Console can report eligible Search and Discover AI-feature performance; it is not a consumer Gemini Apps visibility report. ### Build a repeatable Gemini evidence panel Hold the buyer intent, locale, language, and surface stable; retain the question, timestamp, observed model, brand wording, recommendation stance, displayed link, cited page, and competing products. Repeat the same panel because one answer can vary. Google states that technical eligibility does not guarantee crawling, indexing, or serving in Search AI features, so accessibility and actual answer selection stay separate. Sources: [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features); [Grounding with Google Search](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/google-search); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Check the Gemini surface your buyers actually use. Retain consumer answers, grounded citations, and Google Search AI-feature evidence under their correct labels. ### Sources - [View related sources from Gemini Apps](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/14143489?hl=en) — Google; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Grounding with Google Search](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/google-search) — Google; accessed 2026-07-27. - [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) — Google; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Introducing Search Generative AI performance reports in Search Console](https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2026/06/gen-ai-performance-reports) — Google; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Claude AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/claude-ai-visibility) - [Grok AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/grok-ai-visibility) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) ## Perplexity access, retrieval, and citation are three separate events. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/perplexity-ai-visibility) Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/perplexity-ai-visibility.json) Perplexity describes a search-first answer product with citations and original-source links. Ready Scan follows the evidence from verified crawler access to ranked retrieval and then to the answer that cites, mentions, recommends, or omits the brand. ### If I allow PerplexityBot, will Perplexity start citing my brand? No. Allowing PerplexityBot and its published IP ranges removes an access barrier and preserves discovery eligibility; it does not guarantee retrieval or citation. Perplexity documents PerplexityBot for surfacing and linking websites, and Perplexity-User for certain user-triggered fetches. Prove visibility only when the owned domain appears in a current ranked result or the completed answer cites, mentions, or recommends the brand for a tracked buyer question. Ready Scan records bot acquisition separately from answer inclusion, and it keeps UI observations separate from API observations because Perplexity says configuration or model differences can produce different outputs. Sources: [Perplexity Crawlers](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/perplexity-crawlers); [What is Perplexity?](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352155-what-is-perplexity); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Follow the evidence from eligibility to citation A clean Perplexity measurement does not skip stages. Verified crawler access shows that a page was reachable; ranked retrieval shows that the search system selected a result; an answer citation shows that a displayed response linked the page; recommendation evidence shows how the brand was treated against alternatives. Sources: [Perplexity Crawlers](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/perplexity-crawlers); [What is Perplexity?](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352155-what-is-perplexity) #### Eligibility PerplexityBot can access the page under the documented crawler policy. This is an acquisition signal, not answer proof. #### Retrieval The domain or page appears in current ranked search results for the tracked query. #### Citation The completed Perplexity answer links the owned page as a source for the buyer question. #### Recommendation The answer substantively proposes the brand, conditionally recommends it, or places a competitor ahead of it. ### Build a Perplexity visibility baseline Test branded, category, use-case, and competitor-comparison questions. Retain the mention status, recommendation stance, cited domain and page, citation position, competing products, locale, surface, model, and timestamp. The Search API provides controlled ranked-result evidence, while an LLM answer with citations is a different surface; neither may silently replace the consumer answer being scored. Sources: [Perplexity Search API](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/search/quickstart); [Frequently Asked Questions — Perplexity API](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/faq); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Check whether Perplexity retrieves and cites your brand. Follow the evidence from crawler eligibility to ranked retrieval, answer citation, and recommendation. ### Sources - [What is Perplexity?](https://www.perplexity.ai/help-center/en/articles/10352155-what-is-perplexity) — Perplexity; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Perplexity Crawlers](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/perplexity-crawlers) — Perplexity; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Perplexity Search API](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/search/quickstart) — Perplexity; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Frequently Asked Questions — Perplexity API](https://docs.perplexity.ai/docs/resources/faq) — Perplexity; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [ChatGPT AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/chatgpt-ai-visibility) - [DeepSeek AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/deepseek-ai-visibility) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) ## Grok has two live-retrieval doors: the web and public X content. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/grok-ai-visibility) Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/grok-ai-visibility.json) xAI documents separate Web Search and X Search tools, while consumer Grok may decide whether to search. Ready Scan measures website selection and public-X selection as distinct evidence before evaluating what the answer says about the brand. ### Is our website enough for Grok visibility, or do we also need X? Grok officially has two distinct live-retrieval surfaces: the web and public X content. A website can be selected through Web Search, while public profiles, posts, and threads can be selected through X Search. A brand may appear through either lane, both, or neither, and presence does not guarantee recommendation. Measure the lanes separately, then retain whether Grok searched, which website or X material appeared, whether the answer mentioned or recommended the brand, which competitors appeared, and which sources were cited. Ready Scan can summarize those outcomes in one scorecard while preserving the separate source evidence underneath. Sources: [About Grok](https://help.x.com/en/using-x/about-grok); [Web Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/web-search); [X Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/x-search); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Two doors into Grok The website and the public X footprint are independently controllable evidence surfaces. xAI’s tools can search and browse web pages or search public X content by query, user, thread, and date. Private X posts are not part of the public retrieval surface described by X. Sources: [About Grok](https://help.x.com/en/using-x/about-grok); [Web Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/web-search); [X Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/x-search) #### Web Search Can search the internet, browse pages, and extract information from web sources. Domain-forced diagnostics are controlled tests, not organic selection evidence. #### X Search Can retrieve relevant public X posts, users, and threads. Selection from X is different from selection of the brand’s website. ### Measure whether Grok chooses the brand Run neutral buyer questions on the selected consumer surface and use controlled API diagnostics only as separately labeled evidence. Record whether search occurred, the model and surface, brand mention, recommendation position, web-versus-X source type, inline citations, all encountered URLs, competitors, and repeat frequency. xAI distinguishes encountered URLs from inline citations, so a browsed page must not be counted automatically as an answer source. Sources: [Web Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/web-search); [X Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/x-search); [Citations](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/citations); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Check your brand across Grok’s web and X retrieval lanes. Measure website and public X selection separately before reading the answer’s recommendation evidence. ### Sources - [About Grok](https://help.x.com/en/using-x/about-grok) — X; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Web Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/web-search) — xAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [X Search](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/x-search) — xAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Citations](https://docs.x.ai/developers/tools/citations) — xAI; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Gemini AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/gemini-ai-visibility) - [DeepSeek AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/deepseek-ai-visibility) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) ## A DeepSeek API test is useful evidence only when its retrieval path is named. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/deepseek-ai-visibility) Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/deepseek-ai-visibility.json) DeepSeek documents generic API tool calling and a DeepSeek API-provided Web Search operation that a third-party Claude Code client can use. Ready Scan treats the consumer product, generic API tools, and API-provided search in that third-party integration as distinct surfaces instead of presenting one controlled result as universal DeepSeek visibility. ### Can an API test prove customers will see us in DeepSeek? No. A DeepSeek API test can provide controlled diagnostic evidence, but a generic tool-calling integration relies on the client to execute the selected function and return its result. That retrieval path may be supplied or constrained by the tester. DeepSeek also documents an API-provided Web Search operation usable through a third-party Claude Code integration, while the consumer product is another observation surface. Measure public visibility with retained answers from the actual selected surface, record whether search or another retrieval tool was available, and keep the prompt, model, mode, language, region, timestamp, full answer, citations, brand treatment, competitors, and repeat count. Sources: [Tool Calls](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/guides/tool_calls/); [Integrate with Claude Code](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/agent_integrations/claude_code/); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Name the DeepSeek surface before scoring it Consumer answers, generic API tool calls, and provider-supplied search integrations can use different retrieval paths. A result from one surface cannot silently prove selection on another. The scorecard may summarize completed observations, but every cell must retain the model, surface, and retrieval configuration that produced it. Sources: [Tool Calls](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/guides/tool_calls/); [Integrate with Claude Code](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/agent_integrations/claude_code/); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) #### Consumer observation Shows what the selected public product returned for the buyer question under the recorded session and search state. #### Generic API tool call Shows what the model did with a client-defined tool whose execution and returned data are controlled by the integration. #### DeepSeek API-provided Web Search operation Shows a documented DeepSeek search operation used through a third-party Claude Code integration; it is not automatic evidence about every consumer or API surface. ### Use a retained-answer DeepSeek protocol Preserve the exact prompt, model and mode, search state, language, region, account or session context, timestamp, complete answer, displayed citations, source URLs, brand mention, recommendation strength, competitors, and repeat number. Compare repeated fresh observations instead of treating one response as a durable ranking, and never infer training inclusion from a displayed answer or API result. Sources: [Tool Calls](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/guides/tool_calls/); [Integrate with Claude Code](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/agent_integrations/claude_code/); [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) ### Check DeepSeek with the exact surface and retrieval path retained. Separate consumer answers, generic API tools, and provider search integrations before scoring brand visibility. ### Sources - [Tool Calls](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/guides/tool_calls/) — DeepSeek; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Integrate with Claude Code](https://api-docs.deepseek.com/quick_start/agent_integrations/claude_code/) — DeepSeek; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Grok AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/grok-ai-visibility) - [Perplexity AI visibility](https://readyscan.ai/perplexity-ai-visibility) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) ## One scorecard. Every answer behind it. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) Published: 2026-07-12. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/reports.json) The report is designed for marketers and leadership: the grade is visible, the scoring arithmetic is explainable, and every result can be traced back to the retained AI answer. ### What should an AI visibility report include? An AI visibility report should show the score, grade, coverage, a short analysis summary, selected buyer questions, scanned AI systems, exact answers, target mention and recommendation status, observed competitors, citations, limitations, then a marketer-grade analysis with technical GEO, tactical content, and practical execution next steps. Ready Scan treats the saved answer evidence as the product truth and does not turn a scorecard scan into generated work programs or a second provider-written report after the answers arrive. Sources: [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology); [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan) ### The facts that make the report useful A marketer should understand the answer before opening detailed evidence. Sources: [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology); [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan) #### Market Position Score A shareable grade and score built from completed AI answer outcomes. #### Integrated market read A plain-language summary near the top, with detailed market interpretation and technical/tactical/practical next steps after the buyer-question evidence. #### Buyer-question matrix The four natural questions crossed with every scanned AI system. #### Answer proof The exact answer text, model/surface context, sources, citations, and classification rationale. #### Observed competitors Products or brands that appeared in the retained answers when relevant. #### Limits Missing, failed, excluded, and search-result-only observations are disclosed rather than scored as absence. ### Report boundary The current web report includes evidence-linked next steps, but it does not create an automatic implementation program. Sources: [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology); [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan) ### Report views #### Scorecard For Leadership: Understand the grade, score, coverage, and top-line mention/recommendation outcome. #### Answers For Marketers: Read the exact AI answers behind every scored cell. #### Evidence For Specialists: Inspect citations, sources, competitors, exclusions, and limitations. ### Create the first scorecard. Begin with retained answers so the report can show exactly what happened. ### Sources - [Ready Scan methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan scan intake](https://readyscan.ai/scan) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [Methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) ## The question decides whether the answer matters. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) The scan is only useful when the questions sound like real buyers. Ready Scan keeps the set small and commercial: four natural questions that expose recommendation visibility. ### What buyer questions should an AI visibility scan test? An AI visibility scan should test natural purchase-intent questions: best-product, alternatives, comparison, use-case, pricing, proof, trust, and objection prompts. Ready Scan recommends four questions and lets users select one to four from a source-grounded pool and scores the completed AI answers directly, without turning analyst prompts or branded controls into organic recommendation evidence. ### Good buyer-question patterns The strongest questions sound like the problem a buyer would type into an AI assistant. #### Category discovery Questions like “best tool for…” reveal whether the brand appears in the shortlist. #### Alternatives and comparisons Questions like “X alternatives” or “X vs Y” expose competitor substitution. #### Use-case prompts Questions tied to a workflow show whether AI understands the product for the job buyers need done. #### Proof and trust prompts Questions about accuracy, privacy, integrations, reviews, or evidence reveal whether the answer has enough support to recommend. ### A focused question selection Ready Scan recommends four questions from up to eight relevant candidates. Choose and edit one to four to reflect your customers’ actual problems. Only your selected questions run; the report shows the resulting planned checks. ### Test the buyer question that decides the sale. Use wording your customer might actually ask so the scorecard remains commercially relevant. ### Read next - [Methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology) - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [Report](https://readyscan.ai/reports) - [AI engines](https://readyscan.ai/engines) ## Sources are evidence, not magic authority. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) Published: 2026-07-12. Updated: 2026-07-27. [Guide JSON](https://readyscan.ai/discovery/resources/source-influence.json) When an AI answer cites sources or mentions source domains, marketers need to see them beside the answer outcome. Ready Scan keeps source context attached to the scored answer instead of treating it as a separate hidden ranking factor. ### What is source influence in an AI visibility scorecard? Source influence is the retained source and citation context attached to AI answers. It can include owned pages, third-party pages, communities, publishers, marketplaces, documentation, video, and competitor domains. Ready Scan shows source evidence where it was returned by the selected answer surface, while keeping search-result-only observations separate from narrative recommendation scoring. Sources: [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports); [Ready Scan AI citation visibility guide](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) ### Source classes the report can show The source list helps a marketer understand where the answer drew support. Sources: [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports); [Ready Scan AI citation visibility guide](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) #### Owned pages Product, feature, comparison, pricing, documentation, and proof pages controlled by the brand. #### Third-party sources Review sites, marketplaces, customer stories, directories, publishers, and community discussions. #### Competitor sources Competitor-owned pages that appear in answers or citations. #### Unscored search observations Search-result checks can support context, but they do not become narrative recommendation score cells. ### See which sources appeared. A completed answer keeps citations and source domains next to the scored outcome. ### Sources - [Ready Scan report guide](https://readyscan.ai/reports) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. - [Ready Scan AI citation visibility guide](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) — Ready Scan; accessed 2026-07-27. ### Read next - [Report](https://readyscan.ai/reports) - [AI citation visibility](https://readyscan.ai/ai-citation-visibility) - [AI engines](https://readyscan.ai/engines) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) ## The scorecard tells you what happened and what to consider next. [Read this guide](https://readyscan.ai/marketing-actions) The current scan does not manufacture tasks. It gives marketers a cross-question read and evidence-linked next steps so they can decide whether content, proof, comparisons, sources, or product positioning deserve a separate approved workflow. ### What should marketers do after an AI visibility scan? After an AI visibility scan, marketers should read the market analysis, identify which questions mentioned or recommended the brand, compare repeated competitor/workaround context across questions, inspect citations, and use the technical GEO, tactical content, and practical execution next steps to decide what to fix and publish. Ready Scan’s current scorecard does not automatically generate recovery tasks, implementation assets, or causal diagnosis; those require a separately approved product workflow. ### Practical next readings Use the report’s next steps to decide where human strategy should focus next. #### If the brand is absent Read which competitors or source types appeared and which buyer questions were missed. #### If the brand is cited but not recommended Inspect whether the answer treats the source as proof, background, or incidental context. #### If the brand is recommended Capture the language and source evidence that helped the recommendation happen. #### If cells failed Treat them as missing coverage, not as absence or poor performance. ### Use the scorecard before planning work. Read the retained answers first; any advisory or recovery product is a separate approved workflow. ### Read next - [Report](https://readyscan.ai/reports) - [Source influence](https://readyscan.ai/source-influence) - [Buyer questions](https://readyscan.ai/buyer-questions) - [Methodology](https://readyscan.ai/methodology)