Field notes

Measured findings on AI search visibility, published with methods and sources. No screenshots of dashboards. Things we checked ourselves.

Why I have to run into you at Costco

A 1982 computer, a decade watching search engines get gamed, and why the founder audits every business himself in the valley he lives in.

August 23, 2026

Where the machines actually look: the platform map behind AI visibility

Gemini reads Google Maps. ChatGPT grounds in Yelp, Foursquare, and Bing. Siri reads Apple. One page for every platform that carries your identity, and what breaks on each.

August 22, 2026

Why ChatGPT recommends your competitor instead of you

The mechanics: 68% vs 100% profile accuracy, the 10x recommendation gap, the 1.2% winner-take-most reality, and the five signals that decide inclusion.

August 22, 2026

We checked 25 Santa Clarita trade businesses. Here is what the machines see.

Two dead domains, two sites Chrome calls Not Secure, three blank pages, and five 24/7 promises no phone can keep. A field audit.

August 22, 2026

I ran the scan on my own business. Yelp still had me at a brokerage I left.

Scan #001 is the founder. The before-state, published in full, with the 30-day after coming next to it.

August 22, 2026 · Scan #001