This one-pager covers everything we need from your side before Month 1 can begin. The faster we have access to the tools and contacts listed below, the faster we can start moving your visibility score. Most clients complete this checklist within 3 to 5 business days of signing. Send completed access details to info@citebound.com.
Your team
Who we need to work with
We work best with a clearly defined point of contact on your side. Here are the roles we typically need to engage with at different points in the engagement.
Please send us: Name, email, phone number, and preferred communication method (email, Slack, text) for each contact above. We will set up a shared Slack channel or email thread before the kickoff call.
Tool access
What we need access to
Every tool below has a specific role in the engagement. We have noted the access level required and what we use it for. We do not store credentials and all access can be revoked at any time.
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Google Analytics 4
We use GA4 to track AI referral traffic from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI, Claude, and Grok. This is how we measure the revenue impact of visibility gains — sessions, conversion rate, and goal completions from AI-referred visitors versus organic. Without this we cannot report on the metric that matters most.
Viewer access minimum — Editor preferred
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Google Search Console
We use Search Console to monitor traditional organic rankings alongside AI visibility, identify which pages are indexed, and track click-through rate changes when AI Overviews appear on your queries. Essential for the AI SEO component of the engagement.
Full user access
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Website CMS or direct file access
We need the ability to add and edit JSON-LD schema markup on your pages, update page content with answer-first blocks, and modify meta data. This typically means editor-level access to WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, or equivalent. If your site is custom-built, we need FTP or Git access to deploy schema changes.
Editor or Admin access required
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Google Business Profile
We audit and update your GBP to ensure entity consistency — correct business name, address, phone, hours, service categories, and photos. GBP is a primary source AI platforms use when building a knowledge graph of your business. Inconsistencies here directly reduce AI citation confidence.
Manager access required
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robots.txt and hosting panel
We need to verify that AI crawlers (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot) are not being blocked by your robots.txt or CDN configuration. We also implement an llms.txt file on your root domain. This typically requires access to your hosting control panel, Cloudflare, or whoever manages your DNS and server configuration.
Hosting panel or developer access required
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Additional tools (if applicable)
Depending on your tech stack: Screaming Frog or Ahrefs for technical audits, HubSpot or your CRM for lead attribution tracking, and any industry-specific directories where your business listing exists. We will flag these during the kickoff call if they apply to your engagement.
Discussed at kickoff
Business information
What we need to know about your business
This information becomes the canonical fact sheet we use to standardize your brand entity across all sources. Please confirm each item before the kickoff call.
Legal business name and preferred brand name (exactly as you want them to appear everywhere)
L2
Full business address including suite number if applicable
L2
Primary business phone number
L2
2 to 3 sentence description of what you do and who you serve (your own words, not marketing copy)
L2
Primary service categories (list up to 5)
L2
Geographic service area (local, regional, national)
L2
Links to all active social profiles (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube)
L2
Top 3 competitors by name (the businesses most often cited instead of you in AI search)
L8
Any existing press coverage, awards, or third-party mentions (send links if available)
L6
Average customer value and approximate monthly new customer volume
KPI
Week 1 sequence
How the first week unfolds
Once we have the access and information above, here is the sequence for Week 1.
Day 1–2
You send access + info
All items on this checklist completed and sent to info@citebound.com
Day 3
Kickoff call
60 minutes. We review the audit, confirm the query list and competitive set, and walk through the 6-month plan together
Days 4–7
Foundation work begins
Entity audit, schema implementation, and crawler access verification. No content changes yet.
Important: Every day of delayed access is a day of delayed visibility gains. The compounding effect of AEO work starts from Day 1 of foundation work, not from when you signed. Getting us access within the first 48 hours of onboarding is the single highest-leverage thing you can do to maximize your 6-month outcome.
What we handle
What you do not need to worry about
To be clear about the division of responsibility.
We handle
Schema implementation
Content production
Citation and PR outreach
Platform monitoring
Monthly reporting
Strategy recommendations
You handle
Content review and approval
Providing business information
Granting tool access
Implementing recommendations outside our access
Attending monthly calls
We do together
Query list selection
Competitive set definition
90-day checkpoint review
6-month strategy planning
Content angle and topic approval