Short answer: The most useful free checks are: Google Search Console for indexing, a robots.txt check for AI crawler access, a raw HTML check for content AI crawlers can read, a single page check for structure and answer readiness, Google's Rich Results Test for structured data, PageSpeed Insights for speed, a consistency check of your business details, and asking the engines your customers' questions yourself.
We build ProvenVisible and two of the tools below are ours. They are free and need no account; the others are from Google.
Which free checks should you run, and in what order?
Work from access to content. A problem early in the list makes everything after it pointless.
| # | Check | Tool | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Are my pages indexed? | Google Search Console | 15 min |
| 2 | Can AI crawlers get in? | robots.txt and llms.txt checker | 1 min |
| 3 | Is my content in the raw HTML? | curl or view-source |
5 min |
| 4 | Is the page structured to answer? | Single page check | 2 min per page |
| 5 | Is my structured data valid? | Rich Results Test | 5 min |
| 6 | Is the site fast enough? | PageSpeed Insights | 5 min |
| 7 | Are my business details consistent? | Your own profiles | 20 min |
| 8 | Do engines mention me? | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google | 30 min |
1. Are my pages indexed?
Google Search Console shows which pages Google has indexed and why others were excluded. Google AI Overviews are part of Search, so a page that is not indexed cannot appear there. Look at the Pages report for "Crawled, currently not indexed" and "Excluded by noindex". Verify ownership once and the tool is free forever. Bing Webmaster Tools does the same for Bing, which powers Microsoft Copilot.
2. Can AI crawlers get in?
Your robots.txt decides which crawlers may fetch your pages. The trap is that AI crawlers come in two kinds: answer-engine crawlers such as OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT search) and PerplexityBot, and training-only crawlers such as GPTBot and CCBot. Blocking the first kind removes you from AI answers; blocking the second does not. Our free checker reads your file and splits the results the same way. The full list is on our crawler page.
3. Is my content in the raw HTML?
Many AI crawlers do not run JavaScript. Open your page, choose "View page source" and search for your main heading and first paragraph. If they are missing, AI crawlers probably do not see them either. Website builders that render everything with scripts are the usual cause.
4. Is the page structured to answer questions?
Answer engines quote clear, self-contained passages. Our free page check fetches one URL and runs the 88 page-level checks from our check registry: headings, structured data, answer-first content and citability. Each finding shows the evidence, so you can see exactly what to change. Run it on your homepage, your main service page and your most visited article.
5. Is my structured data valid?
Google's Rich Results Test and the Schema Markup Validator check your Organization, LocalBusiness, Product or Article markup for errors. Valid, accurate structured data helps engines understand what you are and what you sell. Do not add markup for things the page does not show.
6. Is the site fast enough?
PageSpeed Insights measures loading speed and Core Web Vitals on mobile and desktop. Slow pages hurt rankings and can be crawled less. Focus on the biggest items it lists, usually oversized images and heavy scripts.
7. Are my business details consistent?
Engines trust facts that agree across sources. Check that your business name, address, phone number, opening hours and a one-line description match on your website, Google Business Profile and main directories. Contradictions make an engine less sure which version is right.
8. Do engines mention me?
Write down ten questions your customers ask, such as "best accountant for freelancers in Leeds". Ask each in ChatGPT with search on, in Perplexity and in Google. Record whether you are mentioned, whether you are linked, and who is cited instead. Repeat monthly with the same questions.
What is the classic SEO counterpart?
Checks 1, 3, 5 and 6 are classic technical SEO and help you in Google whether or not AI search exists. Checks 2, 4 and 8 add the AI layer. Doing both is what we mean by SEO, AEO and GEO together.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay for any of these?
No. All eight checks are free. Paid tools save time when you have many pages or want answers tracked automatically.
How often should I repeat them?
Checks 1 to 6 after any website change. Check 8 once a month.
What if I find a problem I cannot fix myself?
Most fixes are small edits to robots.txt, page text or structured data. If your website builder prevents them, that is worth knowing before you invest in content.