10 things ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini look at when recommending your app
The same 5 dimensions we score in our paid audits — turned into a 10-point checklist you can act on this week.
- 1
AI Mention
Your app gets cited by name
When users ask AI for the best apps in your category, your app should show up in the answer — even before searching.
Tip: Run a baseline test: ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini "What are the best [your category] apps in 2026?" If your app is missing, that is the gap.
- 2
AI Mention
Strong third-party review trail
AI cites apps that show up across Reddit, Product Hunt, G2, Capterra, and listicle blogs. Without that trail, you are invisible.
Tip: Get 3–5 high-quality listings on review sites and one solid Reddit thread in a niche subreddit. Volume of independent mentions is the lever.
- 3
Schema Markup
MobileApplication schema on your site
AI crawlers parse JSON-LD to know your app exists, what it does, and what it costs. No schema, no machine-readable signal.
Tip: Add JSON-LD MobileApplication or SoftwareApplication schema to your homepage with name, operatingSystem, applicationCategory, offers, and aggregateRating.
- 4
Schema Markup
Ratings + price in structured data
AI looks for aggregateRating and offers fields to decide which app is "best" — not just which exists.
Tip: Include real App Store / Play Store ratings and price in your schema. AI prefers apps with verifiable, structured proof of quality.
- 5
Bot Access
AI crawlers explicitly allowed
GPTBot, PerplexityBot, and ClaudeBot need to fetch your content. If robots.txt blocks them, you are walled off from AI training and retrieval.
Tip: Add explicit Allow directives for GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, and Google-Extended in your robots.txt. Default-allow is not enough — be explicit.
- 6
Bot Access
Server-side rendered marketing site
AI crawlers do not execute JavaScript well. A client-rendered React site looks like a blank page to most retrieval bots.
Tip: Make sure your landing page renders core content as HTML on first response. Use SSR, SSG, or static export — not SPA-only.
- 7
Content Structure
Clean H1 → H2 → H3 hierarchy
AI extracts answers from heading-based structure. A wall of <div>s with no headings is unparseable.
Tip: One H1 (your app name + value prop). H2s for features, FAQs, comparisons. H3s for individual answers. AI lifts H2 + paragraph into citations.
- 8
Content Structure
FAQ + how-to content with FAQPage schema
AI prefers Q&A and how-to content because the format matches how users ask. FAQPage schema makes that intent explicit.
Tip: Add a /faq page or FAQ block with FAQPage JSON-LD. Cover "is [app] free?", "how do I use [app] for [job]?", and "[app] vs [competitor]" questions.
- 9
Meta & SEO
Title + meta description on every page
These two tags are the first thing AI sees. Missing or generic? Your app blends into a thousand others.
Tip: Title format: "[App Name] — [one-line value prop]". Meta description: 140–160 chars, mention the category and the user job-to-be-done.
- 10
Meta & SEO
Rich Open Graph + Twitter Card tags
og:title, og:description, og:image control how your link previews. AI uses image + title to verify your brand identity in citations.
Tip: Set og:title, og:description, og:image (use real app screenshots, not generic stock), og:type=website, plus twitter:card=summary_large_image.
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