The Free AI Readiness Checklist for Home Service Contractors

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews are citing websites — or skipping them. This free checklist shows you exactly what to fix so your site gets found, understood, and quoted by AI systems. 56 tasks across 7 audit categories.

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Schema Markup Audit

Find every page missing structured data. Implement the 6 core schema types AI systems use to cite you.

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Content Structure

Fix blob body fields, heading hierarchy, TL;DRs, and semantic formatting so LLMs can actually parse your pages.

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Entity Linking

Disambiguate your locations and services with sameAs links so AI systems know exactly who you are and where.

↓ Your AI Readiness Audit Starts Here — Check Off Each Task As You Go

Frontburner Marketing

AI Readiness Checklist

Is Your Site Built to Be Cited by AI?

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1

Schema Markup — Crawl & Audit

Find every page missing structured data
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⚡ 30-Day Quick Win
Screaming Frog Full Crawl
  • Download and install Screaming Frog SEO Spider
    Free up to 500 URLs. Paid license needed for larger sites. screaming frog.co.uk
    Tool: Screaming Frog
  • Before crawling: enable structured data extraction
    Configuration → Spider → Extraction → check "Extract structured data"
  • Enter your domain and run the full crawl
    Paste root domain in the URL bar → click Start. Wait for completion.
  • Export the structured data report to CSV
    Reports → Structured Data → Export. Sort by "Schema Types" column — blank rows = zero schema.
  • Cross-reference schema gaps against GA4 top-traffic pages
    Any high-traffic page with no schema = Priority 1. Log these in a spreadsheet.
Single-Page Spot Checks
  • Run Google Rich Results Test on homepage
    search.google.com/test/rich-results — Screenshot the result as your baseline.
    Free Tool
  • Run Rich Results Test on top 5 service/product pages
    Screenshot each one for before/after comparison.
  • Run Rich Results Test on top 5 blog articles
  • Use Schema.org Validator to debug any flagged errors
    validator.schema.org — paste URL or raw JSON-LD. More granular than Rich Results Test.
    Free Tool
Build Your Priority Page List
  • Create a spreadsheet with: URL, page type, monthly sessions, current schema, schema gap, priority tier
    Tier 1 = Homepage + Top 10 traffic pages + author bios + location pages. Fix in 30 days.
  • Set GA4 baseline: AI referral traffic segment
    Filter sessions where source contains: chatgpt, perplexity, bing, copilot, gemini. Record baseline number before any changes.
  • Set GSC baseline: rich results impressions and target keyword positions
    Performance → Search type → Rich results. Record before-state.
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Schema Markup — Implementation

Add the 6 core schema types to priority pages
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⚡ 30-Day Quick Win
Organization / LocalBusiness (Homepage)
  • Add Organization JSON-LD to homepage with @id anchor
    Include: name, url, logo (ImageObject), description, address, contactPoint. Place in <script type="application/ld+json"> in <head>.
  • Add all sameAs links to Organization schema
    Every authoritative profile: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Business Profile, Wikipedia, Crunchbase, BBB. This is how AI disambiguates your brand.
  • Add LocalBusiness schema on all location pages
    Include: address, geo coordinates, openingHoursSpecification, areaServed (with sameAs to Wikipedia/Wikidata for the city), priceRange.
Person / Author Schema
  • Add Person schema to every author bio page with unique @id
    Include: name, jobTitle, description, image, worksFor (reference org @id), sameAs (LinkedIn, etc.), knowsAbout.
  • Update all blog post schemas to reference author @id
    In each Article schema: "author": {"@id": "https://yoursite.com/team/author-name/#person"}
Article / BlogPosting Schema
  • Add BlogPosting schema to top 10 blog articles
    Include: headline, description, image (ImageObject with width/height), author @id, publisher @id, datePublished, dateModified, mainEntityOfPage, keywords.
  • Verify datePublished / dateModified are ISO 8601 format
    Correct format: 2025-01-15 or 2025-01-15T08:00:00-05:00. Common error: wrong date format causes schema to fail.
FAQPage Schema
  • Add FAQPage schema to top 5 service pages
    Each Question must have: "name" (the question) and "acceptedAnswer" with "text" (2–4 sentence answer). Answers must match visible page content exactly.
  • Ensure FAQ questions match visible on-page content
    Google requirement: schema answers must match what's visible on the page. Don't add FAQ schema for hidden accordion items unless the Q&A is visible in the DOM.
Service Schema
  • Add Service schema to all service pages
    Include: name, description, provider (@id reference to org), areaServed (with sameAs to city Wikipedia page), serviceType, url.
Validation
  • Validate every new schema block before publishing
    Step 1: validator.schema.org (catch syntax errors). Step 2: Rich Results Test (confirm no warnings). Fix all errors — do not publish broken schema.
  • Install schema automation plugin (WordPress only)
    Rank Math or Yoast SEO handle Organization, Article, and Breadcrumb schema automatically. Add WP Headers and Footers for custom JSON-LD blocks.
  • Add BreadcrumbList schema site-wide
    Add JSON-LD BreadcrumbList to every page, mapping the full hierarchy (Home → Category → Page). Plugins handle this automatically; otherwise add to page templates.
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Content Structure — Audit & Fix

Fix blob body fields and reformat pages for LLM parsing
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⚡ 30-Day Quick Win🔧 90-Day Structural
Blob Body Field Audit
  • Open top 10 highest-traffic pages in CMS edit view
    Look at the edit screen. One WYSIWYG field containing everything = blob. Multiple labeled fields = structured. Log each as Blob / Partial / Structured.
  • Calculate what % of priority pages are blobs
    This number is your structural debt score. Anything above 50% is a priority for 90-day restructuring.
Heading Hierarchy Fixes (all Tier 1 pages)
  • Confirm exactly one H1 per page containing the primary keyword
    Use Screaming Frog Content → Heading 1 report, or seoptimer.com/heading-checker. Multiple H1s = fix immediately.
  • Ensure all major sections use H2, all subsections use H3 — no skipped levels
    Never jump H1 → H3. Skipped heading levels break LLM hierarchy parsing.
Paragraph & Formatting Fixes
  • Break any paragraph longer than 4 sentences into focused single-idea paragraphs
    Paste content into hemingwayapp.com — aim for grade 8 or below. Long paragraphs cause AI models to extract the wrong part or skip your content.
  • Convert inline lists (3+ items in a sentence) to bulleted or numbered lists
  • Convert any comparison content to a table
    Two options, pros/cons, side-by-side comparisons — all should be HTML tables or structured comparison blocks.
  • Convert all process content to numbered steps
    "Step 1:" / "Step 2:" formatting is a direct signal to LLMs that structured process content follows.
TL;DR / Key Takeaway Blocks
  • Add a 2–3 sentence TL;DR summary immediately below the H1 on every Tier 1 page
    This is the highest single ROI change for AI citation. LLMs often pull from the first substantive paragraph. Label it visually (box, bold "Summary:", etc.).
  • Add semantic signal phrases throughout body content
    Use: "In summary:" / "The key takeaway is:" / "Step 1:" / "The most common mistake is:" / "To compare:" / "For example:". These help LLMs identify the role each passage plays.
Keyword & Terminology Alignment
  • Pull exact query phrasing from GSC (Queries report) and verify those exact phrases appear in H1, first paragraph, and at least one H2
    LLMs retrieve based on exact term matching before semantic understanding. "HVAC repair" and "heating and cooling service" are NOT interchangeable for retrieval purposes.
  • Include both spelled-out terms and abbreviations where applicable
    E.g., "HVAC" and "heating, ventilation, and air conditioning" — both should appear on the same page.
FAQ Sections
  • Add 5–8 FAQ items to every service page and location page
    Write questions in exact user phrasing (use Google PAA boxes + answerthepublic.com + site search logs). Answers: 2–4 sentences, direct answer first.
  • Add FAQPage JSON-LD schema matching every Q&A on the page
    Schema answers must match visible page content exactly — Google rejects FAQPage schema if answers differ from what's on screen.
Content Noise Removal
  • Audit page templates for inline noise: pop-up modals, slide-in CTAs, cookie banners injected into content flow
    These appear in the DOM that LLMs parse. Move to separate wrapper/overlay containers that are clearly not body content.
  • Verify what your page looks like to a crawler
    Use Google Search Console → URL Inspection → View Crawled Page to see the rendered HTML Google sees.
CMS Restructuring (90-Day)
  • Design structured content model for top 2–3 content types (Service, Blog, Location)
    Define every field: name, type, purpose, schema mapping. Example service page fields: title, summary, service area, price range, included items, process steps, FAQ, instructor/tech reference, related services.
  • Implement new structured fields in CMS
    WordPress: Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) or Meta Box. Drupal: add fields via Content Types → Manage Fields, use Inline Entity Form for references, Schema Metatag for auto-schema.
  • Migrate top 20 priority pages from blob to structured fields
    Open each page, copy content from WYSIWYG blob into the new labeled fields. This is manual but one-time work per page.
  • Update page templates to render each structured field in its own semantic HTML element
    Each field gets its own <div> with a clear class or data attribute. Not everything crammed into one <div class="content">.
4

Internal Linking & Entity Relationship Map

Teach AI how your key entities connect to each other
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🔧 90-Day Structural
Entity Mapping
  • List every major entity type on your site: services, locations, staff, topics, outcomes
    For each entity, identify its "home page" — the single canonical page that defines it most authoritatively.
  • For your top 5 entities, map every page that should link TO it and every page it should link FROM
    Draw this out. Example: "Roof Replacement" should receive links from: homepage, all location pages, repair page, blog articles about roof lifespan, staff bios.
Internal Link Crawl
  • Run Screaming Frog internal link audit: Reports → Bulk Export → All Inlinks
    For each key entity home page, count inbound internal links. Low count on an important page = weak entity signal.
  • Run Screaming Frog orphan pages report
    Reports → Orphan Pages (requires sitemap upload). Every orphaned page with organic traffic value needs 2–3 inbound internal links added immediately.
Fix Internal Links
  • Add missing links per entity relationship map — descriptive anchor text only
    Good: "our roof replacement services in Phoenix" / "lead installer Mike Torres" / "how long roofs typically last". Bad: "click here" / "learn more" / "read this".
  • Add 2+ inbound internal links to every orphaned page
  • Verify header navigation links to canonical entity home pages (not category archives)
  • Verify footer links to key services, key locations, and about/team page
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External Entity Linking (sameAs / mentions / areaServed)

Disambiguate locations, services, and brand for AI systems
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🔧 90-Day Structural
Identify What Needs Disambiguation
  • List all location names that could be confused with another city (same name in different state)
  • List all service terms that have formal industry/regulatory definitions
    E.g., "assisted living," "Chapter 7 bankruptcy," "solar installation," "MERV rating." These have authoritative Wikipedia/government sources to link to.
  • List all staff/people entities who share common names
Build sameAs Master Spreadsheet
  • Create entity registry spreadsheet: Entity Name | Type | Home Page URL | Wikipedia URL | Wikidata URL | Other sameAs | Schema Applied
    This is your permanent entity registry. When you add any new location or service, the first task is finding its authoritative source and adding it here.
  • Find Wikipedia/Wikidata entries for every location you serve
    Search Wikipedia for "CityName, StateName" — use the full URL as your sameAs value. Find Wikidata ID at wikidata.org.
  • Find Wikipedia entries for core service terms
    Search Wikipedia for the service concept. E.g., wikipedia.org/wiki/Roof_shingle — use as sameAs in your Service schema "mentions" block.
Implement in Schema
  • Add areaServed with sameAs to all LocalBusiness / Service schemas
    "areaServed": {"@type": "City", "name": "Phoenix", "sameAs": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix,_Maryland"} — this resolves city name ambiguity completely.
  • Add mentions with sameAs to service pages for core service terms
    Links your service to its authoritative definition, signaling topical authority to AI systems.
  • Apply entity linking across blog posts and FAQ pages — not just service/location pages
    Every content type that mentions a location or service term should have mentions schema linking to the authoritative definition.
6

Content Knowledge Graph — Enterprise Schema Strategy

Scale structured data into a connected brand data layer
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📅 Long-Term Capability
  • Map every entity on your site and identify the "entity home page" for each
    The entity home page is the single canonical page that defines that entity most authoritatively. All schema @id values for that entity reference this page's URL.
  • Ensure all schema @id values are consistent site-wide
    If your Organization @id is "https://yoursite.com/#organization", every schema block on every page that references your org must use that exact string — no variations.
  • Define shared taxonomies across marketing, SEO, content, and product teams (Entity Governance)
    Everyone must use the same entity names, same @id values, same sameAs references. Divergent naming across teams breaks the knowledge graph.
  • Build out full knowledge graph relationships for top 5 entities: service ↔ location ↔ staff ↔ outcomes ↔ topics
    Every entity should be reachable from every other related entity within 2 clicks, and schema @id references should mirror the link structure.
  • Establish repeatable workflows for creating, reviewing, and updating schema at scale
    New page checklist: (1) Add to entity registry. (2) Find sameAs sources. (3) Write schema block. (4) Validate. (5) Publish. (6) Add internal links from related pages.
  • Schedule quarterly schema audits: crawl, check new pages, update dateModified values
    Outdated dateModified signals to AI systems that content may be stale. Update it whenever meaningful changes are made to a page.
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Measurement & Ongoing Monitoring

Track AI visibility gains and maintain the work
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📅 Ongoing
  • Create GA4 custom segment for AI referral traffic
    Segment: Session source/medium contains any of: chatgpt, perplexity, bing copilot, you.com, gemini, claude. Track monthly — this is your primary AI visibility KPI.
  • Monitor GSC Rich Results report monthly
    Performance → Search type → Rich results. Watch impressions and clicks on schema-enhanced pages grow over 60–90 days post-implementation.
  • Monthly manual AI spot-check: query ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews with your top 5 keywords
    Note: Is your site cited? What information is attributed to you? Are there errors in what AI says about you? Flag corrections needed.
  • For each new service or location added: immediately find sameAs sources, add to entity registry, add to schema, add internal links
    New entities with no schema and no internal links are invisible to AI systems from day one. This checklist step prevents backlog.
  • Assign CMS content model ownership to a specific person
    This person updates field definitions as needs evolve and enforces the new page checklist. Without ownership, the structured content model drifts back to blobs.
  • Treat the CMS as a product with a publish → measure → improve loop, not a set-and-forget publishing tool
Built by Frontburner Marketing · Based on SEJ AI Readiness Audit Framework · Get Expert Help