Most Malaysian businesses have no idea how they appear — or don’t appear — when someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity for a recommendation in their industry.
This checklist fixes that.
It covers the 10 areas that matter most for GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — the practice of making your business visible to AI-powered search tools. At SeenBy Digital, these are the same areas we audit when we run a GEO score for a Malaysian business.
Work through each one. The more boxes you can tick, the better your AI search visibility.
1. Your Google Business Profile is complete and accurate
Why it matters: Google Business Profile is one of the most-referenced sources when AI tools answer local business queries. An incomplete or outdated profile is a missed signal.
Check:
- Business name, address, and phone number are correct
- Website URL is listed and working
- Business category is accurate and specific
- Opening hours are up to date
- At least 5 photos uploaded (exterior, interior, team, products/services)
- Business description is filled in with clear, specific language
2. Your business information is consistent everywhere
Why it matters: AI tools cross-reference your business details across multiple sources. If your name, address, or phone number differs between your website, Google, Facebook, and directories — AI loses confidence in your listing.
Check:
- Business name is identical across all platforms
- Address format is consistent (including whether you write “Jalan” or “Jln”)
- Phone number format matches everywhere
- Website URL is the same across all listings (with or without www)
3. Your website clearly answers “who, what, and where”
Why it matters: AI tools summarise your business based on what your website says. If your homepage is vague or filled with generic marketing copy, AI either skips you or describes you incorrectly.
Check:
- Homepage states exactly what your business does in the first two sentences
- You name the specific locations or areas you serve
- Your target customer is clearly described
- You list your main services or products explicitly — not just in a nav menu
4. You have an FAQ section on your website
Why it matters: AI tools are built to answer questions. They actively look for content that directly answers common queries. An FAQ page is one of the most citable formats that exists.
Check:
- FAQ page or section exists on your website
- Questions are phrased the way a customer would actually ask them
- Each answer is direct, specific, and at least 2–3 sentences long
- FAQ covers pricing, location, process, and common objections
5. You have recent Google reviews
Why it matters: Reviews are one of the strongest trust signals AI uses when deciding which businesses to recommend. Recency matters — a business with active, recent reviews looks alive and credible.
Check:
- You have at least 10 Google reviews
- Your most recent review is within the last 3 months
- You have responded to your reviews (both positive and negative)
- Reviews mention specific services, locations, or outcomes
6. Your website is listed in relevant Malaysian directories
Why it matters: AI models treat third-party mentions as credibility signals. The more places your business appears accurately, the more confident AI is in recommending you.
Check:
- Listed on Google Business Profile
- Listed on Yelp Malaysia or Foursquare
- Listed in your industry association’s directory
- Listed on at least one local Malaysian business directory
- LinkedIn company page exists and is complete
7. AI crawlers can access your website
Why it matters: AI tools use bots to read your website. If your robots.txt file blocks them — even accidentally — AI simply cannot learn about you from your own site. OpenAI publishes the user agent details for GPTBot and Google Search Central documents how to configure crawler access correctly.
Check:
- Visit
yourdomain.com/robots.txtand check it doesn’t block major AI crawlers (GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, GoogleBot) - Your website loads without requiring a login or captcha
- Key pages (homepage, services, about) are not set to
noindex
8. Your website has basic schema markup
Why it matters: Schema markup is structured code that tells AI exactly who your business is, what you do, and where you’re located. Without it, AI has to guess from your text. With it, AI knows for certain.
Check:
-
LocalBusinessorOrganizationschema is implemented - Schema includes your business name, address, phone, and website
- Schema includes your business category and opening hours
- You can validate your schema at schema.org/docs/gs.html or with Google’s Rich Results Test
9. You have content that answers industry-specific questions
Why it matters: When someone asks AI “who is the best [service] in [city]?”, AI looks for businesses that have demonstrated expertise on the topic — not just businesses that exist. Blog posts, guides, and case studies are how you demonstrate that.
Check:
- You have at least 3 blog posts or articles on your website
- At least one piece of content answers a question your customers commonly ask
- Content mentions your service area and target customer explicitly
- Content is original — not copied from another source
10. Your business is mentioned outside your own website
Why it matters: AI trusts third-party mentions more than self-promotion. A business featured in a news article, mentioned in a forum, or cited in an industry roundup carries more weight than one that only talks about itself.
Check:
- Your business has been mentioned in at least one Malaysian news outlet or blog
- You are active on LinkedIn with posts that mention your business name
- You have been featured in, or linked from, an industry association or partner website
- Customers have mentioned your business by name in public reviews or social posts
How Did You Score?
Count up your ticks:
- 0–3: Your business is largely invisible to AI search. Start with items 1, 3, and 5 — they’ll give you the fastest wins.
- 4–6: You have a foundation but significant gaps. Focus on the technical areas (7, 8) and content (9, 10).
- 7–9: You’re ahead of most Malaysian businesses. A few targeted fixes will get you to full visibility.
- 10/10: Your GEO foundation is solid. The next step is active optimization — content strategy, brand mentions, and structured data fine-tuning.
Not sure how to interpret your results — or want an expert to go through all 10 areas with you? Get your free GEO score from SeenBy Digital →
We’ll audit your business across all five GEO dimensions, give you a score out of 100, and walk you through exactly what to fix first.