Prompt
A prompt is the input given to an AI system to ask a question, supply context or request a task. In a visibility test, the buyer’s question is part of that input. Wording, location, language and conversation history can change the answer, so comparing brands requires keeping the relevant prompt conditions consistent.
Why it matters for a business
Asking an assistant about your brand by name tests recognition. Asking it to recommend a supplier tests whether it chooses your brand among alternatives. These are useful but different questions, and mixing them makes a visibility report difficult to interpret.
Example and evidence
The Index publishes buyer questions for its categories and locations. Its question explorer does not claim that a business appeared for every individual prompt when the ranking only provides aggregate mention counts. That distinction prevents a sample from being described more precisely than its data allows.
Read published buyer questions
What to do next
Write the question a real customer would ask before knowing your name. Include a place or service requirement only when it reflects the buying decision. Keep a fixed baseline set and record any prompt changes before comparing results.
Common question
Related terms
Sources and method
Sources checked on 2026-10-09. Examples marked illustrative are not measured business results.
Check your own business in AI answers
Run the free scan to see which assistants name your business and which facts need attention. A scan is a sample, not a promise of future recommendations.