/ CHAPTER 02 — 6 min read
Audit your starting point
A 90-minute honest baseline: branded search, review inventory, response history, website basics, and whether AI assistants know you exist.
"Zero" usually means some mix of: fewer than 10 reviews, no claimed business profiles, a website that doesn't rank for your own brand name, and no process for asking customers for feedback. The fix is sequencing, not heroics: claim your assets, capture your history, then build the habit. But first, measure where you stand.
Spend 60–90 minutes answering these questions honestly. Write the answers down — they become your baseline for the 90-day roadmap.
The seven checks
| Area | Question | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Branded search | What appears when you Google your exact business name in a private window? | Search "[business name]" and "[business name] reviews". |
| Google Business Profile | Does a listing exist? Claimed, accurate, correctly categorized? | Google Maps; look for "Own this business?". |
| Review inventory | How many reviews across Google, Facebook, Trustpilot, directories? Average rating? Newest date? | Visit each profile; note counts and dates. |
| Response history | What percentage of existing reviews have an owner response? | Count on each platform. |
| Website basics | Fast, mobile-friendly, clear about what you do and where, consistent contact details? | Open on a phone; run the free Echorank audit. |
| AI visibility | Do ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini mention you for recommendations in your category and city? | Ask each assistant 3–5 realistic prompts; record answers. |
| Competitors | Who ranks, and who has the reviews you want? What do their customers praise? | Search your top 3 service keywords + city. |
Assets to claim before you start
- Google Business Profile — claimed, verified, correct name/address/phone (NAP), primary category, hours, photos. The single highest-leverage asset for a local business.
- Website — at minimum a homepage that says what you do and for whom, a contact page, one page per core service, consistent NAP in the footer.
- Facebook Page — claimed, reviews enabled if relevant.
- Trustpilot — claim the free listing if you sell online or serve a wide area.
- Industry directories — the 2–3 that matter in your vertical.
- One primary review platform — usually Google. Concentrate requests there for the first 90 days.
- A way to reach past customers — a list, a CRM export, even invoices.
Try it now: enter your URL in the free Echorank audit widget. It returns a score with itemized checks (technical basics, structured data, robots access, AI-visibility signals). Save the PDF — that's your day zero.