Which questions do customers ask AI? How to choose the right prompts

Your customers usually ask AI the same questions they used to ask Google or a friend, only longer and in plain language. Think "which installer in Zwolle can replace a boiler quickly?" rather than "boiler Zwolle". If you want to know whether AI mentions your business, you measure exactly those questions, so everything starts with a good list of prompts.

Why choosing prompts matters so much

A measurement is only as good as the questions you measure. If you only pick questions that contain your business name, you will almost always be mentioned and everything looks fine. If you pick questions nobody asks, you are measuring something that brings in no customers.

The goal is a set of questions that resembles what real customers type or say. Then the result tells you something about your chances of being chosen. You can read how we approach this on our how we measure page.

Step 1: listen to your own customers

The best source is already inside your business. Look at:

• questions customers ask on the phone or by email
• messages through your contact form or WhatsApp
• questions your sales staff or technicians hear often
• doubts customers mention before they decide

Write these questions down the way the customer says them. A dental practice in Delft, for example, often hears: "Can I come in on a Saturday?" and "Are you still taking new patients?". Those make strong prompts, because they sit close to a decision.

Step 2: use your search data

Google Search Console shows which search terms your website appears for. You can turn those short terms into natural questions. "Dormer installation Amersfoort" becomes "Who installs a good dormer in Amersfoort and roughly what does it cost?".

Pay particular attention to search terms that include a place, a problem or a comparison. Those match how people use AI.

Step 3: spread your questions across types

Not every question is equally valuable. A good set mixes:

1. Choice questions: "Which physiotherapist in Leiden is good for sports injuries?"
2. Comparison questions: "What is better, a heat pump or a hybrid boiler?"
3. Problem questions: "My leak comes back after rain, what should I do?"
4. Brand questions: "Is De Korenaar bakery in Gouda reliable?"

Choice questions usually matter most, because that is where AI names a few businesses. Brand questions help you see whether AI gives the right information about you. Our article on wrong information in AI covers that side.

Step 4: account for location and language

AI answers differ by place and by language. If you work in several towns, include a few questions per town. If you also serve English-speaking customers, such as expats in The Hague, measure some English questions too.

Do not make your questions artificial. People write "good hairdresser near Utrecht station", not "best hair salon Utrecht Central region". If a question sounds like ad copy, rewrite it.

Step 5: start small and expand

You do not need a hundred questions straight away. Start with the questions closest to revenue. The free check measures five questions, and that often already gives a clear picture. For ongoing tracking, a set of around 25 questions is a solid start for a local business. Larger organisations or online stores with many product groups usually need more.

After a few weeks, take a critical look at your list:

• Which questions never produce a meaningful answer?
• Which services or towns are still missing?
• Have new questions appeared because of the season or the news?

Replace weak questions, but keep a fixed core. Otherwise you cannot compare results over time.

Common mistakes

• Only measuring questions that contain your own name
• Questions that are too broad, like "what is a good plumber?", with no place or situation
• Questions written in your own trade jargon
• Changing the whole list every week

From questions to results

With a good list of prompts you see, per question, whether you are mentioned, who is mentioned instead and which sources AI relies on. That is the basis for every improvement. For more on the measuring itself, read how to measure whether AI mentions your business.

Want your own questions measured every week, with a PDF report in your inbox? Take a look at GEO tracking and pick the plan that fits the number of questions you need.