The short version
- We put 24 real customer questions about Denver, CO Gyms to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Mode. The same handful of names recur, but only two (Planet Fitness and Chuze Fitness) are named by all three.
- Being listed isn't being answered for. AI nails what you do and whether you do it, then breaks down on the questions that decide the job.
- Ask what you charge and every assistant invents a different number: on THE Athletic Club (Downtown the quotes span $258, on Fit House Denver $200. Ask when you're available and it hedges: “I can't book on your behalf, call them.”
- Fix the gaps below (pricing first) and you move from a name in a list to the business AI can actually book.
1See where you stand
First, find out if AI surfaces you at all
Which businesses AI names isn't random. Ask ChatGPT “who's the best gym in Denver?” a few times and you'll see the same handful of names, right now that's Directions, THE Athletic Club (Downtown and Club Form Fitness. Only Planet Fitness and Chuze Fitness are named across all three assistants.
If your business isn't in that set, AI isn't recommending you yet, and no amount of ad spend changes that. Check where you rank →
2The real bar
Showing up isn't the same as being answered for
AI is good at the surface questions. It answered what they offer 56% of the time and fit 39%, directly and accurately.
It's the decision questions where it falls apart. Across the Denver, CO Gyms businesses we tracked, on availability it hedged or deflected 64% the time, and on pricing the assistants' quotes for a single business diverged by as much as $258. Those are the exact questions a customer asks right before they book.
Ask when you're available and AI won't commit: “I can help you check, but I can't book on your behalf.” Ask what you charge and every assistant invents a different number: on THE Athletic Club (Downtown the quotes span $258, on Fit House Denver $200. A customer comparing prices through AI is getting fabricated quotes.
We roll this into a depth score: how completely AI can carry a customer to a booking. Directions tops the Denver board at 69; Anytime Fitness sits at 46, not because it's a worse business, but because AI has nothing concrete to say about why you'd choose it. Depth is the difference between a name in a list and the business AI actually books the job with.
3The fix
The five things AI needs to know about you
These are the five dimensions we grade depth on, and the exact checklist for moving from “mentioned” to “booked.” Get each one accurate, complete and current everywhere AI looks.
1Equipment, classes & schedule
AI already gets the basics right, so keep it complete: equipment, classes, and personal training. What it misses is the class schedule, which classes run and when. Keep: a current offerings list and class schedule AI can read.
2Free trial & commitmentAI hedges
Ask about a free trial, day pass, or whether it’s month-to-month vs a locked-in contract and AI hedges: “they may offer a trial, but check with the gym.” That uncertainty loses the sign-up. Fix: state your free trial, day pass, and month-to-month terms so AI can say “you can try it free first.”
3Membership costAI invents it
Membership pricing is famously hidden, so AI fabricates a monthly cost and misses the initiation fee entirely. Every assistant guesses differently and prospects get a fake number. Fix: publish real membership cost and any initiation fee AI can quote.
4Beginner fit & instructorsAI hedges
Ask if it’s right for a beginner with specific goals, or who the trainers are, and AI hedges instead of matching the person to the gym. It can’t name an instructor or a specialty. Fix: state who you’re a fit for and name your trainers and their certifications so AI sends you the right members.
5What sets you apartAI goes generic
Ask why choose you and AI recites “great equipment and friendly staff,” true of everyone and useless to a prospect. Fix: give AI one concrete differentiator: a specific class format, a coach’s credential, 24-hour access, the only lap pool in the area.
The fastest way to close the gap
This is exactly what Courtyard does. It builds a living knowledge base of your business and connects it to your booking, hours, services and pricing, so AI stays accurate and can recommend and book through you, not an aggregator. Set up in about 10 minutes, first month free. Then watch your depth score climb week over week.
The more AI understands your business, the more customers it sends.
Common questions
Why does AI get my pricing wrong?
Because it's guessing. If your pricing isn't published where AI can read it, each assistant fills the gap differently. We saw a $258 spread across assistants on THE Athletic Club (Downtown. The fix isn't to hide pricing; it's to give AI something accurate to say.
How do I know if AI recommends my business?
Look it up on the AI Visibility Index. You'll see which of the ${MODEL_COUNT_WORD} assistants name you, your share of voice, and your depth score. If you're not listed, AI isn't surfacing you yet.
Isn't this just SEO for AI?
No. SEO ranks a webpage. This is whether AI understands your business well enough to help someone who's already asking: the right services, the real availability, an accurate price. Ranking doesn't help if the assistant can't answer the next question.