Measurement · Operating decision guide
Is AI search sending qualified buyers or just mentioning your company?
Otomat editorial · Revised
Separate being named, being cited and winning a qualified conversation. A buyer can see a correct citation without visiting; a sales inquiry can arrive without a recorded referral.
Test the question your buyer actually asks
For a manufacturer considering a distributor, a useful question might be whether the distributor supports a specific service territory and replacement policy. A broad “best supplier” prompt tests something else. Ask sales which comparison came up on a real call, remove identifying details and freeze the prompt before testing.
Read the answer as a buyer
Write down the system, date, locale and exact wording. Is your company named? Is the linked page yours? Does that page actually support the answer? A wrong-company citation needs an identity fix; an accurate mention without a link is a different finding. A single answer is a sample, not share of market.
| Decision | Evidence to bring | What would change the decision |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Exact company name, URL and independently verified profile | Correct the source if the answer confuses two companies. |
| Answer support | Saved prompt, response date and quoted source passage | A citation that does not support the claim is a miss. |
| Commercial fit | Qualified inquiry, buyer role and stated operating need | Missing referral data stays unknown; avoid assigning credit by guess. |
Connect the sample to a business decision
Give the buyer a useful comparison, decision sheet or specification on the source page. Track aggregate referrals and qualified inquiries separately. Ask new prospects how they found you, without forcing a single source. If traffic grows but wrong-fit inquiries grow with it, rewrite the page for the decision maker before producing more pages.
Use the working tools
Blank templates are ungated. Adapt them to the workflow; inputs are not submitted.
Sources and limits
These are Otomat’s proposed operating methods and original decision artifacts. External references inform risk management; they do not certify this method or establish client results. Linked sources were selected for this review; their live revision dates may change.
For anonymous documentation and proposal patterns, see delivery evidence and its boundaries.
Related decisions
Bring a workflow to the discussion
Share the business goal and constraints through the mandate process. Do not send sensitive production data in the initial brief.
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