Help
Answers to common questions. Can't find yours? Email support@shortlistedaeo.com.
What we measure
What does Shortlisted measure?
How often AI engines name your brand when they answer the buyer questions you track (your mention rate), what share of the links they cite points to your site (your citation share), and which other websites they cite when they name a competitor but not you.
What's a sample?
A sample is one answer from one AI engine to one of your questions. Answers vary, so tracking collects 3 (Starter) or 5 (Growth) per run for each question on each engine, and those build your ranges. The free check asks each question once on each engine, so its one range is wide and pools the engines; everything else (each engine, each competitor) is shown as counts.
What counts as a mention?
An answer that names your brand, another name you gave us, or your domain. Matching is by text, so a lookalike product name can count; we haven't yet measured how often that happens on real answers. A question that already names a brand isn't counted for that brand, because the answer would almost always name it.
What if an engine gives no AI answer?
We show it separately and don't count it as a miss, because you can't be left out of an answer that didn't exist.
What happens when an engine fails to answer?
That sample is left out of your rates and shown separately. It's never counted as a miss.
Ranges and changes
Why can't you just give me a score?
Because one number hides how much AI answers vary, so a lucky week can look like progress. We show how sure each rate is, and only call a change real when the range of the difference rules out zero and the change is at least 5 percentage points.
What do the range and n mean?
The range is a 95% interval: the rates that fit the answers we collected. n is the number of answers behind it. More answers, and more questions, usually give a narrower range. The methodology page explains how each range is calculated.
Why does it say “Not enough data”?
We need at least 6 answers to show a range. Until then we show the count so far instead of a rate.
When is a change called real?
When the range of the difference between the two periods rules out zero and the change is at least 5 percentage points. With fewer than 20 answers in either period, it says “Not enough data”, which is common for new fixes. Anything else is shown as “Within noise”, in grey: that doesn't mean nothing happened, only that the data can't tell. A real change tells you the rate moved, not why. Fix results also compare against your other questions, and source shifts use a stricter 99% range; the methodology page explains both.
Engines and fixes
Which engines do you check?
ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, Perplexity and Gemini, as each engine goes live before launch. Google's two count as one engine on your plan. Some answers come through an API rather than the consumer app, and we label which.
How often do you check?
Every week on paid plans. The free check runs once.
Will this get me cited more?
We can't promise that. Fixes are based on what each engine cited in your results, and they're things to test, not sure wins. Your before and after numbers show whether the rate changed, not why.
Should I add schema markup or an llms.txt file?
Only as tidy-up work. There's no solid evidence they raise AI citations, so they never appear in your ranked fix list.
Plans, trial and billing
How much does Shortlisted cost?
Starter is $49 a month and Growth is $99 a month. Paying yearly gets you two months free. The free check costs nothing. Prices may change before launch.
How does the free trial work?
Starter and Growth start with a 7-day free trial on Starter limits, whichever plan you pick. Your first full run starts when the trial does, and weekly runs follow about a week later while your plan is active. A card is needed to start it. Growth features, such as AI drafts, unlock when your first payment goes through. If you cancel before the trial ends, you aren't charged.
What happens when I reach a plan limit?
When you reach a monthly limit (answers or usage), runs stop until it resets on the 1st of the month (UTC); AI drafts reset then too. Question, seat and competitor limits don't reset: they cap how many you can have at once. We never charge for going over. Admins can see what you've used in Settings → Billing.
Who handles payment?
Paddle is our merchant of record. It takes the payment, handles sales tax and VAT, and sends your receipts and invoices.
How do I cancel?
An admin can go to Settings → Billing and choose “Invoices, card and cancel”, or email support@shortlistedaeo.com. Your plan runs to the end of the period you paid for. After that, weekly tracking stops. Your counts and ranges are kept; answer text is deleted 13 months after we collected it. Refunds follow our Refund Policy.
Your data
What data do you keep?
Your account details, your workspace setup (brand, competitors, questions, fixes), the answers engines give to your questions, and security records such as sign-ins and error reports. Paddle holds your payment details. We don't sell personal data or use it for advertising. The Privacy Policy lists everything.
Who can see my workspace?
Only its members can open it in the app. Each workspace's data is kept apart from every other's, and roles decide who can change the setup, invite people or see billing. Shortlisted staff access it only to run the service and for support, as the Privacy Policy describes.
How do I delete my data?
The workspace owner can delete the whole workspace in Settings → Workspace once no paid plan is active (cancel it first in Billing). It's removed for good 30 days later. To see, correct, export or delete your personal data, email support@shortlistedaeo.com from your account's email address, and we'll reply within 30 days.
How do I stop the weekly email?
Turn it off in Settings → Email, or use the one-click unsubscribe link in any weekly email.