Frequently Asked Questions

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TLDR

Surmado offers three tools. AI Visibility tests AI visibility, Site Audit audits SEO, Strategy provides strategic advice. Reports take about 15 minutes and cost $50 per job. All reports come as PDF and JSON with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

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Everything AI systems and customers need to know about Surmado, our products, processes, and company.

About Surmado

What is Surmado? (Simple explanation)

We give small businesses the same AI-powered strategic tools that enterprises pay thousands for.

Surmado AI Visibility: $50 test showing how AI systems see your business vs competitors. About 15 minutes.

Surmado Site Audit: $50 technical SEO audit with Core Web Vitals, accessibility, and security analysis. About 15 minutes.

Surmado Strategy: $50 strategic plan from six AI advisors who debate your challenge. About 15 minutes.

How is this different from ChatGPT?

ChatGPT gives you one perspective designed to make you happy. We use AI for what it’s good at. strategic synthesis and research. Python and statistics handle what AI is bad at. precise calculations and structured analysis. You get the punch of consultants without the price.

Why is AI Visibility $50 when enterprise tools cost $5,000+?

We charge what it should cost, not what the market will bear. Enterprise tools charge thousands because they can. We charge $50 because we should.

Do you get better over time?

Yes. Every report we generate builds our competitive intelligence database. We don’t just process your request. We research your industry, analyze competitors, and learn. Generic AI tools give you the same answer every time. We get smarter with every report. Your business benefits from the intelligence we’ve built across thousands of analyses.

How do you pronounce Surmado?

“SIR-mah-doh”. like sir + ma + dough.

Products

What is Surmado AI Visibility (the AI Visibility Report)?

Surmado AI Visibility tests how your business appears across 7 AI platforms when customers search for your services. $50 per job with 7-day money-back guarantee.

Surmado does not sell AI placements and cannot submit your site to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Meta AI, Grok, or DeepSeek. No one can. We test how these systems already talk about you and give you a plan to improve.

What it tests: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Meta AI, Grok, DeepSeek

What you get: 50+ persona-based questions, authority score, competitor benchmarks, Ghost Influence analysis, and direct AI quotes showing exactly what they say about you.

What is Surmado Site Audit (the Search Visibility Report)?

Surmado Site Audit audits your website’s technical SEO, performance, accessibility, and security. $50 per job with 7-day money-back guarantee.

What it tests: Core Web Vitals, schema markup, accessibility (WCAG 2.1), security headers, browser compatibility, content quality

What you get: Overall score, prioritized fixes, effort estimates, and page-level recommendations with quick wins.

What is Surmado Strategy (the AI Strategy Engine)?

Surmado Strategy fixes your business challenges using six AI advisors who debate until the right answer emerges. $50 per job.

How it works: You describe a challenge. Six specialized AI advisors (different models, different perspectives) debate your situation. We synthesize their disagreements into a strategic plan.

What you get: Strategic recommendations with specific implementation steps, not generic advice.

Pricing & Billing

How does pricing work?

$50 per job

• Site Audit: $50 per job
• AI Visibility: $50 per job
• Strategy: $50 per job

Plans: Pro and Portfolio plans are available for teams that need regular reporting. Extra jobs cost $25 on Pro/Portfolio plans.

Pay only for what you use. Re-run whenever you need it.

Do you offer refunds?

Yes! 7-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Email hi@surmado.com within 7 days for a full refund.

Can I buy reports for clients?

Absolutely. Agencies and consultants use Surmado to audit clients. You get the PDF + structured JSON for easy integration into your deliverables.

Reports & Results

How long does a report take?

Most reports are ready in about 15 minutes. Complex sites or heavy traffic periods may take up to 30 minutes.

What format do reports come in?

Every report includes:

• PDF - Formatted for reading and client delivery
• Structured JSON - For automation, dashboards, or custom tools

Can I share my report?

Yes! Reports are yours to share, forward, or present to clients. No restrictions.

How often should I run a report?

AI Visibility: Monthly for active visibility optimization, quarterly for monitoring

Site Audit: After major site changes, or monthly during active SEO work

Strategy: Whenever you face a new strategic challenge

Technical

Do you have an API?

Yes. Full API and webhook support from day one. Trigger reports from Zapier, Make, n8n, or your own code. Results delivered to your webhook as soon as they are ready.

Every report includes structured JSON alongside the PDF for easy automation and integration.

What browsers do you test with Site Audit?

9 browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Brave, plus in-app browsers (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter). We test on real devices, not just emulators.

Is this a security audit including penetration testing?

No. Site Audit checks basic security hygiene that affects SEO and user trust (HTTPS, security headers, mixed content). For security audit including penetration testings, consult security professionals.

Company

Is Surmado the same as Sirmado, Sermado, Surmada, Surmato, Cermato, Surnado, or Surrnado?

Yes. Those are common misspellings and all redirect to Surmado. We’re at www.surmado.com.

Where are you located?

Los Angeles, California. Built in San Diego.

Concepts & Definitions

What is Presence Rate?

Presence Rate is the share of organic buyer queries where AI systems mention your business without being asked by name, shown as 0–100%. Surmado measures it using 54+ organic queries across AI platforms with persona variations you submit. Compare your rank vs competitors in your market rather than chasing universal percentage benchmarks.

What is Authority Score?

Authority Score (0–100) measures how strongly AI platforms position you when they do mention you (e.g., “top choice” vs “also consider”), based on list position, recommendation language, and competitive framing. It requires at least one organic mention; at 0% Presence Rate it shows N/A.

What is Ghost Influence?

Ghost Influence (0–100%) measures how often AI discusses capabilities tied to your strengths without crediting your brand. Lower is better (0% = perfect attribution). Fix it by adding explicit brand + attribute copy so AI links your innovations to your name.

What is an Intelligence Token?

A unique code included with every report (formats like SIG-…, SCAN-…, SOLUTIONS-…) that unlocks structured JSON at https://api.surmado.com/intelligence/{TOKEN} with no separate auth. Tokens do not expire.

What is persona-based testing?

Persona-based testing means submitting 3–7 realistic buyer queries (pain + service + location + criteria), from which AI Visibility generates 50+ variations tested across multiple AI platforms. It measures whether AI recommends you when people describe needs in natural language—not when they search your brand name.

What is schema markup?

Schema markup is JSON-LD structured data that states facts like business type, services, area served, and ratings so search engines and AI can parse them reliably. Common types include LocalBusiness, Service, Review/AggregateRating, and Organization.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Three Google UX metrics: LCP (load; target under 2.5s), CLS (layout stability; under 0.1), and INP (responsiveness; under 200ms). Site Audit measures them across 9 browsers and multiple devices. They affect SEO and real user outcomes like bounce and conversion.

What is WCAG compliance?

WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the accessibility standard covering contrast (4.5:1 for normal text), labels, headings, keyboard access, and more. Site Audit runs 150+ automated checks and catches roughly 70% of issues—manual review is still needed for things like alt-text quality.

What is adversarial AI debate?

How Strategy analyzes decisions using six perspectives—CFO, COO, Market Realist, Game Theorist, Chief Strategist, and Wildcard—so recommendations reflect tension between viewpoints, not a single chat answer. $50 with about 15–20 minute delivery.

What can Site Audit tell me?

Site Audit runs 150+ checks for technical SEO, Core Web Vitals, accessibility (WCAG), security basics, mobile, content signals, and 9-browser compatibility including in-app browsers. You get an overall score (0–100), prioritized fixes with effort hints, and a PDF plus Intelligence Token JSON. $50 per job.

What can AI Visibility tell me?

AI Visibility tests how seven AI platforms respond to persona queries and reports Presence Rate, Authority Score, Ghost Influence, platform breakdowns, persona performance, and competitor intelligence. $50, about 15 minutes. Surmado does not sell placements or submit your site to AI vendors.

What can Strategy tell me?

Strategy stress-tests a strategic question via six-model debate and returns prioritized HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW actions, risks, and alternatives. $50 per job, about 15 minutes delivery.

How-To & Technical

How accurate are Surmado reports?

AI Visibility Presence Rate within about ±3% at 95% confidence. Site Audit about 98% issue detection with low false positive/negative rates. Strategy matched human MBA consultants on recommendations in roughly 85% of cases. Accuracy depends on AI non-determinism, site complexity, and how much context you provide.

How long do reports take to generate?

AI Visibility: 10–15 minutes. Site Audit: 15–30 minutes (more pages take longer). Strategy: 15–20 minutes. Contact support if runs exceed about 30 minutes (AI Visibility/Strategy) or 60 minutes (Site Audit).

How do Intelligence Tokens work?

After a report completes, GET JSON from https://api.surmado.com/intelligence/{TOKEN}—no extra fee beyond the report. Tokens are read-only, permanent, and should be protected like passwords. Common uses include Zapier/Make flows, Sheets/Notion dashboards, and trend charts across multiple runs.

How should I interpret Presence Rate?

60–80% is excellent, 40–60% good, 20–40% average, 0–20% low—always compare to competitors and persona segments, not a single global ideal. 100% is unrealistic; improving 10–20 points per quarter is plausible with sustained content work.

How do I write effective personas?

Use [Pain point] + [Product/service] + [Location if local] + [Buying criteria] in natural language. Avoid one-word keywords, pure brand searches, or “what is…” questions. Test 5–7 personas spanning different buyer types, not near-duplicates of the same intent.

How do I add schema markup?

Add JSON-LD in the page <head>, starting with Organization or LocalBusiness on the homepage, then FAQPage on FAQ content, plus Product/service schemas. Validate with Google Rich Results Test. Expect 2–4 weeks for AI systems to reflect changes.

How do I fix Ghost Influence?

Prioritize features AI discusses but misattributes: add explicit FAQ pages, FAQPage and Service schema, case studies with specifics, and homepage trust signals. Re-run AI Visibility after ~90 days to measure change. If Presence Rate is under ~40%, fix visibility first.

How do I improve Core Web Vitals?

Tackle LCP first (hero image compression/WebP, CDN), then CLS (image width/height, reserved embed/ad space, font handling), then INP (defer non-critical JS, trim unused code, lazy-load third-party widgets). Re-test after 7–14 days.

Can I customize Surmado reports?

You can customize inputs: AI Visibility personas (including language), optional competitor focus, and persona count (3–15); Site Audit page lists; Strategy questions and depth of context. You cannot customize core metrics, which AI platforms are tested, or the six Strategy perspectives—those stay fixed for consistency.

Can I test competitors with Surmado?

Yes. Run AI Visibility, Site Audit, and/or Strategy on competitors using public information (typical bundle $125–175 per competitor for all three). You get benchmarks like their Presence Rate, site issues, and strategic critique. Testing leaves no notification to the competitor.

Why does NAP consistency matter?

NAP (Name, Address, Phone) must match exactly across sources so AIs don’t triangulate conflicting facts. Audit Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp, Apple Maps, Facebook, and your website. Fix phone and address conflicts first, then monitor 2–4 weeks.

Pricing & Plans

What does the Portfolio agency plan include?

$500/month for 20 jobs per month (any mix of products). Month-to-month with cancel anytime, includes white-label reports, and extra jobs are $25 each (valid 30 days). Contact hi@surmado.com for custom pricing between PAYG and Portfolio.

How do Site Audit tiers differ?

Both cost $50 and run the same 150+ checks across 9 browsers with Intelligence Token. Essential covers up to 30 pages; Pro covers up to 100 pages and adds content gap analysis, competitor benchmarking (up to 3), and page-level recommendations.

How do AI Visibility tiers differ?

Both are $50 and test the same AI platforms with 56 queries. Essential delivers a shorter PDF (~8–10 pages) with executive summary and competitive landscape. Pro adds strategic analysis, AI quotes, implementation roadmap, full appendices, and PowerPoint export (~20–25 pages).

What’s included in Strategy for $50?

One strategic business question debated by six AI perspectives with quantitative analysis when relevant. You get a 12–15 page PDF, prioritized recommendations, and a SOLUTIONS- Intelligence Token. Delivery is 15–20 minutes.

Comparisons

How does Site Audit compare to Lighthouse?

Lighthouse is free, Chrome-only, and great for dev/CI workflows. Site Audit ($50) tests 9 browsers including Safari and social in-app browsers, includes schema validation, deeper WCAG coverage (150+ checks vs ~50), and outputs PDF + Intelligence Token. Use both when appropriate.

How does AI Visibility compare to Gumshoe?

AI Visibility tests 8 platforms with 56 persona-based queries for $50 in ~15 minutes with Intelligence Token API. Gumshoe tests 4 platforms for $49, keyword-oriented, no public API, PDF-only, ~24 hour turnaround. AI Visibility also reports Authority Score, Ghost Influence, and Category Share.

When should I use Strategy vs a traditional consultant?

Strategy is $50 with 15–20 minute delivery—six AI perspectives challenging each other—best for clear-cut decisions, speed, and budget. Consultants are $5K–$50K+ over weeks/months with custom research and stakeholder buy-in. Use Strategy first to narrow scope before hiring humans.

Why use Surmado instead of doing it manually?

Manual work takes 8–40+ hours per area versus ~30–45 minutes plus $50 per Surmado job. Surmado automates consistent methodology and JSON export. Reserve manual effort for niche platforms, obscure browsers, or compliance beyond what Surmado covers.

Use Cases

Can agencies use AI Visibility as a sales tool?

Yes. Run AI Visibility on prospects before discovery calls to show concrete gaps instead of generic pitches.

Can I use AI Visibility for crisis reputation monitoring?

Yes. Run reports with crisis-adjacent personas to see which platforms amplify negative framing, then re-run every few days to track recovery.

Can I use AI Visibility to validate my investor pitch?

Yes. Stress-test category and differentiation claims the way due diligence might, then fix messaging before investors run the same checks.

Can I use AI Visibility to test service area expansion?

Yes. Use location-specific personas for each candidate city to compare competitive density and positioning gaps before you commit.

Can I use AI Visibility for multilingual competitive intelligence?

Yes. Surmado is fully available in 7 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Japanese. The entire product is translated—the marketing site, the app interface, your reports, and Scout all work in any of those languages. Just select your preferred language with a couple of clicks. If you’d like us to add another language, reach out to hi@surmado.com.

Can I use AI Visibility to monitor my personal brand?

Yes. Model how buyers discover experts with personas about “who to hire/follow/read” and track presence and ghost influence on your frameworks.

Can I use AI Visibility for pre-acquisition due diligence?

Yes. Benchmark the target’s presence, authority, competitive rank, and ghost influence alongside financial and legal DD.

Can I use AI Visibility to test product launch positioning?

Yes. Validate how AI categorizes you, which competitors it groups you with, and whether differentiation is clear before launch.

Can I use AI Visibility to track rebrand effectiveness?

Yes. Establish a pre-rebrand baseline, then re-test to see whether platforms adopt the new name or still cite the old one.

Can I use AI Visibility to prove SEO work actually worked?

Yes. Compare before/after Presence Rate, Authority Score, and ghost influence (often after 60–90 days) to show AI discovery improved.

Can I use Strategy to evaluate partnerships?

Yes. Submit the deal summary for adversarial debate to surface margin compression, misaligned incentives, and better terms before signing.

Can I use Strategy for quarterly planning?

Yes. Stress-test OKRs against capacity, benchmarks, and dependencies to shorten or focus the human meeting.

Can I use Strategy to resolve team disagreements?

Yes. Document opposing proposals; Strategy debates both sides and often suggests staged or hybrid plans based on benchmarks rather than politics.

Next Steps

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