AI search engines use 9 measurable signals to decide whether to cite your store. This series breaks down each signal: what it is, why it matters, common failure modes, and exactly how to fix it. Every fix instruction links to the authoritative specification it is based on.
SEO Intel measures AI visibility across 9 signals derived from how GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, and Google-Extended crawl and extract content from Shopify stores. Each signal is independently measurable and independently fixable. The signals sum to 100 points. Signal weights reflect measured impact across stores in the SEO Intel fixture fleet.
| Band | Score range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| AI READY | 80-100 | All critical signals are passing. AI engines can discover, read, and cite your store for relevant queries. |
| PARTIAL | 55-79 | Key signals are passing but high-impact gaps remain. AI engines may cite your store occasionally but miss most queries. |
| LOW | 30-54 | Multiple high-impact signals are failing. AI engines struggle to extract reliable facts about your store. |
| INVISIBLE | 0-29 | Critical access or schema signals are blocked or absent. AI engines cannot build a useful picture of your store. |
Start with Signal 1: robots.txt. A blocked robots.txt means AI crawlers cannot access your store at all, making every other signal irrelevant. After that, Signal 2 (FAQPage schema) and Signal 3 (Organization sameAs) are the highest-ROI fixes for most stores.
If you do not know your current score, run the free AI Visibility audit first. The report tells you exactly which signals are passing, partial, or failing, and lists your top 3 fixes in priority order.
For stores also managing Google Merchant Center compliance, the free GMC audit covers feed parity, policy pages, and misrepresentation triggers alongside these AI visibility checks.