Field Notes · Get found
Get found on Google and AI search
More guests now ask ChatGPT, Google’s AI or Perplexity where to stay. Those tools search the web and sum up what they find, so the facts on your own website matter more than ever. These notes cover what they read, what a small property can control, and how to see whether it’s working, with Comal Inn’s real setup.
The notes
Newest first.
- AI assistants sent us 350 visits in 90 days. Here's how to see yours.Google Analytics now counts AI assistants as their own channel. Here is what Comal Inn saw, what the new channel misses, and the changes a 5-unit property made before the visits showed up.Read the note
- Schema markup for small properties: what it does, and what it won'tStructured data won't put review stars next to your name, and vacation rental rich results are invite-only. Here's what it does do for a small property, with Comal Inn's setup.Read the note
- Title tags, alt text and the small stuff: on-page SEO for direct booking websitesTitle tags, meta descriptions, headings, image alt text and share images, explained in plain English with real examples from Comal Inn, including what we got right, what we missed and how we fixed it.Read the note
- How ChatGPT and Google's AI find places to recommendAI assistants don't keep a secret list. They search the web and summarize what they find. Here's where ChatGPT, Google and Perplexity get their information, what helps a small property show up, and how to test it yourself.Read the note
- What llms.txt actually does, walked through with Comal Inn's fileA plain-English look at llms.txt: what it is, what it does and doesn't do, and a section-by-section walk through the real file on comalinn.com.Read the note
Coming soon
- Search visibility without the jargon
Questions
How do AI tools like ChatGPT decide which places to recommend?
They don’t keep a secret list. They search the web and summarize what they find, so clear, consistent facts on your website and listings give them something accurate to repeat.
Does schema markup put review stars next to my property in Google?
No. Structured data won’t put review stars next to your own name, and vacation rental rich results are invite-only. What it does is tell Google and AI tools plainly what your property is.
Can I see how many visitors come from AI assistants?
Yes. Google Analytics now counts AI assistants as their own channel. It doesn’t catch every visit, but it’s a good start. Comal Inn saw 350 visits from AI assistants in 90 days.
Will llms.txt help me rank in Google?
No. Google says you don’t need special AI files to show up in Google Search. Treat llms.txt as a small extra that puts your facts in one clear place.
More topics on the Field Notes page, and every lodging website study on the series page.
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