Overall AI Visibility Score
A clear baseline showing how consistently your practice appears across the audited answers.
AI Visibility and Authority Building for Architectural Firms
Make Your Practice the One AI Recommends
Your prospective clients are asking ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity which architect to use for a home addition, a new build, a permitting application, a historic landmark project or a commercial scheme.
TotalAuthority shows you whether your practice appears in those answers, which competitors are being recommended instead, and which sources are influencing the results. We then build the external authority, earned media, content and brand signals needed to improve your visibility.
See how your practice is mentioned, cited and compared across leading AI platforms.
Measured across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity
Architecture Practice AI Visibility AuditLive
Overall AI Visibility
50/100
15/30 audited answers mentioned the practice
9 answers
cited the website
ChatGPT
42
4/10 mentions · 6/10 cited
Gemini
50
5/10 mentions · 3/10 cited
Perplexity
30
3/10 mentions · 1/10 cited
Top competitors recommended instead4 of 10 prompts
Studio Verrow7× recommended
Calderbank Architects5× recommended
Northgate Design Studio4× recommended
Top sources influencing answers
AIADezeenArchDailyHouzzArchitectural RecordGoogle reviewsLocal press
The Shift
Your next client may ask AI before they search Google
People are increasingly using AI platforms to shortlist architects, compare services and decide which practices appear credible. They are asking questions such as:
Who is the best architect near me?
Which practice should I use for a home addition in Portland?
Where can I find an architect for a historic landmark project?
Which firm has the strongest portfolio for sustainable homes?
Who is a trusted architect for a permitting application?
Which practice specializes in commercial and mixed-use schemes?
AI can answer those questions without sending the user through a traditional list of search results. Your practice may have an award-winning portfolio, licensed architects and decades of completed projects behind it. That does not guarantee you will be included.
AI systems form their answers using the sources and signals they can find across the wider web. If your competitors are better represented across those sources, they may be recommended ahead of you.
The practice being recommended is not necessarily the best practice. It is often the practice with the clearest and strongest visible authority.
The Audit
Find out exactly where your practice stands
Our Multi-Model AI Visibility Audit tests the commercially valuable questions your clients are likely to ask. We don't simply search for your practice name. We test the service, sector and local discovery prompts that could lead to a new commission.
Example prompt categories we test
12 categories"Best architect in your city"
"Best architect for home additions"
"Best architect for a new build home"
"Best architect for permitting and zoning approvals"
"Best architect for historic landmarks"
"Best architect for sustainable design"
"Best architect for commercial schemes"
"Best architect for attic conversions"
"Best architect for custom home projects"
"Best architect for interior architecture"
"Best practice for natural-language architecture queries"
"Top-rated architects near me"
Model-by-Model Results
Separate visibility scores for ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
Mention and Citation Tracking
We identify whether your practice appeared, whether your website was cited, whether you were actively recommended, and whether your positioning was accurately understood.
Prompt Visibility Map
A simple view showing the services and searches where your practice is mentioned, not mentioned, recommended or cited.
Competitor Intelligence
See who AI recommends instead
A missing recommendation is only part of the picture. The more useful question is which competitors appear instead, how frequently they are recommended, and why AI associates them more strongly with a service or location.
Our audit identifies
- Competitors appearing across multiple AI models
- Practices repeatedly recommended for priority services
- Competitors associated with particular project types
- The prompts where your practice is absent
- The websites supporting competitor recommendations
- The practices gaining visibility despite having weaker real-world credentials
This gives you a practical competitive view based on AI-generated recommendations, rather than assumptions about who your online competitors are.
Recurring competitors
| Competitor | AI Models | Prompts | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio Verrow | 3 | 7 | 23× |
| Calderbank Architects | 2 | 5 | 14× |
| Northgate Design Studio | 3 | 4 | 11× |
| Halewood & Pryce | 1 | 3 | 6× |
| Atelier Marsden | 2 | 2 | 5× |
Source Landscape
Discover which sources are influencing AI
Improving AI visibility is not only a website project. AI platforms may rely on professional bodies, design press, review platforms, local recommendation pages, listicles, Reddit discussions, architect profiles, service comparison pages, competitor websites, social profiles and your own service and location pages.
Our source analysis identifies which websites appear most frequently across the answers being generated in your market. This allows us to see where your brand is already represented, where competitors have an advantage, and where new authority needs to be created.
Your website tells AI what you say about yourself.
Third-party sources help validate whether that claim should be trusted.
Top recurring sources
The websites appearing most frequently across audited answers.
- AIA90%
- Dezeen75%
- Houzz61%
- Local press36%
Used across multiple AI models
Sources relied upon by more than one platform.
- ArchDaily
- Architectural Record
Dots indicate ChatGPT · Gemini · Perplexity
Owned vs third-party signals
A comparison between citations from your own website and appearances from external sources.
25%
Your domain
75%
Third-party
Brand Understanding
Does AI understand what you want to be known for?
Being mentioned is not enough if your practice is associated with the wrong services or described too generically. We compare what you want AI to understand with what the platforms currently say about your practice.
Positioning examples
- Leading practice for residential additions and new builds
- Trusted studio for permitting and zoning approvals
- Specialist practice for preservation and historic landmarks
- Local authority for sustainable and low-energy design
- Premier advisor on commercial and mixed-use schemes
- Independently recognized award-winning design studio
- Multi-disciplinary practice with licensed architects
We assess whether AI accurately understands
- Who your practice serves
- Where you operate
- Which services you specialize in
- What differentiates your approach
- Who your architects are
- Which credentials support your expertise
- Which projects you are best placed to handle
- How your practice compares with local competitors
Consistently understoodConsistently recommended
Your brand needs to be consistently understood before it can be consistently recommended.
What We Do
We build the authority behind the recommendation
TotalAuthority is an AI visibility and authority-building agency. We identify the external signals influencing recommendations, create the strategy needed to strengthen them, and execute the work required to build a more visible and defensible brand.
This combines AI visibility analysis with digital PR, earned media, content, entity optimization, citation building and external authority development.
Multi-Model AI Visibility Auditing
High-intent prompts tested across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. We measure mentions, citations, recommendations, positioning, service visibility, local visibility, competitors and sources.
AI Authority Strategy Blueprint
The Blueprint turns audit findings into a prioritized execution plan: competitors, sources, AI-cited rankings, website alignment, third-party gaps, PR opportunities, citations and content priorities.
Learn moreEarned Media and Digital PR
We position your qualified architects as expert sources for journalists covering architecture, design, property, planning and sustainable building — for editorial features, expert commentary and authoritative backlinks.
Third-Party Authority Development
We strengthen your presence across professional bodies, design publications, review platforms, architect profiles, local business resources, service comparison pages and industry associations.
Brand and Entity Alignment
We align practice names, studio locations, architect biographies, credentials, service categories, social profiles, directory listings and website schema so AI systems build a clearer understanding of the practice.
Citable Content and Authority Assets
Original research, project case studies, architect-led explainers, design updates, comparison pages, client decision tools and proprietary data — each asset has a defined role in the authority strategy.
Ongoing AI Visibility Tracking
We continue testing the prompts most valuable to your practice: recommendation frequency, brand mentions, service visibility, competitor share of voice, citation sources and positioning accuracy.
Local and Multi-Studio Authority
For practices operating across one or more studios, we strengthen the local signals AI relies on: studio-specific profiles, regional press, community references, structured local data and studio-level architect recognition.
Reputation and Review Authority
We strengthen the consistency and depth of the review platforms and directories AI weighs most heavily for practices — Google, Houzz, AIA and the major design platforms — so sentiment, volume and recency reinforce recommendations.
Earned Media
Real authority is earned outside your own website
Every practice can publish claims about being trusted, experienced or award-winning. Independent media coverage gives those claims external support.
When an architect is quoted in a recognized publication, several things happen:
- The architect becomes associated with a relevant area of expertise
- The practice earns an independent brand mention
- The website may receive an authoritative backlink
- Search engines gain another reference point
- AI systems gain external information about the brand
- Clients see evidence that the expert is trusted by journalists
The same piece of editorial coverage can support brand discovery, SEO, architect authority, client confidence and AI visibility. This is why earned media forms a central part of the TotalAuthority process.
Publications featuring our clients and their experts
Architect Authority
Clients trust architects, not faceless practice pages
In architecture, the person leading the design can be as important as the practice itself. Your principals, project architects, design leads and preservation specialists hold expertise that can strengthen the authority of the entire brand.
We help develop that expertise into visible authority through:
Architect positioningExpert biographiesCredential alignmentMedia commentaryAuthor pagesService specializationSpeaking engagementsProfessional citationsDesign awardsThought leadershipPodcast appearancesAward submissions
An architect with genuine expertise can become a recognized source for both clients and journalists. That authority then supports the practice they represent.
Service Visibility
Build visibility around the services that generate fees
Your campaign should not chase vague visibility. It should strengthen the association between your practice, location, architects and the services you want to grow.
An architecture strategy may focus on
24 servicesResidential architectureHome additionsNew build designPermitting and zoning approvalsHistoric landmark approvalCommercial architectureInterior architecturePreservation and heritageSustainable designFeasibility studiesConcept designBuilding-code and permit drawingsAttic conversionsBasement designCustom home designMixed-use developmentsMasterplanning3D visualizationProject managementContract administrationRetrofit and renovationLandscape architectureEducation and healthcare buildingsZoning appeals
A practice may be highly visible for one service and completely absent for another. Our process exposes those differences. Every service is reviewed separately because the competitors, sources and authority signals can differ considerably.
Our Process
From AI visibility baseline to authority building
01
Step
Define the Commercial Priorities
We identify the services, locations and client searches most valuable to your practice. This prevents the campaign from becoming a broad exercise with no commercial focus.
02
Step
Complete the Multi-Model Audit
We test relevant prompts across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. We document mentions, recommendations, citations, competitors and sources.
03
Step
Build the Strategy Blueprint
We analyze why competitors are appearing, which sources are influencing results and where your authority footprint is weak. You receive a prioritized roadmap for implementation.
04
Step
Strengthen the Foundation
We improve the clarity and consistency of brand positioning, architect entities, service associations, profiles, website information, citations, structured data and local signals.
05
Step
Build External Authority
We execute the work across earned media, digital PR, expert positioning, third-party profiles, relevant directories, citable content, authority assets and external mentions.
06
Step
Track and Refine
We monitor how visibility changes across the target prompts and compare progress with the competitors identified in the original audit.
What Progress Looks Like
AI visibility, before and after
AI visibility improvement should be measured through several indicators rather than one isolated answer.
Before
- The practice appears inconsistently
- Important service prompts produce no mention
- Competitors dominate recommendations
- AI uses weak or inaccurate positioning
- The website receives few citations
- Architects have little external authority
- Third-party source coverage is limited
- The practice does not know which sources influence results
After
- The practice appears across more valuable prompts
- Priority services have stronger brand association
- Brand descriptions become more accurate
- Architect expertise is clearer
- More trusted sources mention the practice
- The website earns relevant citations
- Competitive gaps begin to reduce
- Progress is monitored across multiple AI platforms
Important qualification
No agency controls the answers generated by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or any other independent platform. Our role is to improve the quality, clarity and authority of the sources and signals those systems may rely upon.
Who This Is For
Built for practices with genuine expertise to promote
TotalAuthority is best suited to established practices that have credible architects, strong client service and the capacity to convert increased visibility into commissions.
Best-fit practice types
Established residential practices
Regional multi-studio firms
Boutique design studios
Commercial architecture practices
Preservation and heritage specialists
Sustainable design practices
Masterplanning and urban design firms
Interior architecture studios
Custom and bespoke home specialists
Mixed-use development practices
Education and healthcare specialists
Practices entering new regions
Qualification: We build authority around real expertise. The practice must be able to support its positioning through appropriate qualifications, credible projects and responsible client communication.
Common Gaps
Why architectural firms lose AI visibility
Gap 01
Strong reputation, weak external evidence
The practice may have loyal clients but very few independent sources confirming its expertise.
Gap 02
Architect expertise is hidden
Highly qualified architects are presented through short team biographies with little external recognition.
Gap 03
The brand is associated with the wrong services
AI may recognize the practice but connect it more strongly with secondary services than its commercial priorities.
Gap 04
Competitors occupy the trusted sources
Other practices appear in the directories, articles, reviews and comparison pages AI is already using.
Gap 05
Website content is too generic
Service pages repeat the same information found on hundreds of other architecture websites.
Gap 06
Local and brand information conflicts
Practice, architect and studio details are inconsistent across profiles and third-party sources.
Gap 07
Marketing is focused entirely on portfolio
The practice wins work through its portfolio and referrals but has little searchable, independent authority elsewhere.
Gap 08
Nobody is tracking AI recommendations
The practice measures rankings, traffic and inquiries without knowing whether AI platforms are recommending competitors.
Why TotalAuthority
Not another SEO agency repackaging its existing service
AI visibility cannot be improved through a checklist of technical changes alone. TotalAuthority combines the capabilities needed to understand and influence the wider authority landscape.
The work is built around the way AI platforms are currently describing, comparing and recommending businesses.
Built around real outputs
You receive documented prompts, model results, competitor recommendations and citation sources.
Authority before vanity metrics
The focus is on building a brand that can be validated across the wider web.
Earned media capability
We do not simply tell you that media authority is valuable. We have the infrastructure and journalist relationships to earn it.
Strategy connected to execution
The audit and Blueprint lead directly into a defined implementation plan.
Get Started
Get your Practice AI Visibility Audit
See how your practice currently appears across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. Your audit will examine high-intent prompts linked to your location, services and desired positioning.
What the audit includes
- Overall AI visibility score
- ChatGPT visibility baseline
- Gemini visibility baseline
- Perplexity visibility baseline
- Brand mention tracking
- Website citation tracking
- Recommendation tracking
- Positioning analysis
- Prompt visibility map
- Recurring competitor analysis
- AI source landscape
- Owned vs third-party signal comparison
- Recommended next step
Request your audit
Your audit is reviewed using your actual brand, market, services and local competitors.
- • First name and last name
- • Business email and phone
- • Practice name and website
- • Primary location and number of studios
- • Most important services
- • Services you want to grow
Next step after the audit
Turn findings into a clear execution plan
The AI Authority Strategy Blueprint takes the audit's baseline and sets out the prioritized work needed across competitors, sources, media, website positioning, profiles, citations and content.
Proof
Authority building you can see
Real evidence rather than broad claims — across audit outputs, earned media, authority case studies and client testimonials.
AI Visibility Audit Example
Anonymized reports showing overall score, mentions across each model, website citations, prompt visibility map, competitor recommendations and source landscape.
Earned Media Results
Tier-one editorial coverage, dofollow media links, architect quotes, broadcast opportunities, podcast placements and journalist relationships.
Authority Case Studies
Client category, initial authority gap, work completed, media secured, visibility or SEO outcome and campaign duration.
Client Testimonials
Quotes that reference quality of publications, strategic insight, communication, brand authority, measurable growth and architect positioning.
Comparison
What makes this different from traditional architecture practice marketing?
Traditional
Old marketing playbook
- Run paid ads for immediate inquiries
- Publish generic service blogs
- Track Google rankings alone
- Promote claims made by the practice
- Focus on the practice brand only
- Build backlinks as isolated SEO assets
- Measure directory listings in isolation
- Optimize only the website
TotalAuthority
Authority-led approach
- Build an authority footprint that supports discovery across multiple channels
- Create content and assets designed around specific citation and authority opportunities
- Track mentions, citations and recommendations across multiple AI platforms
- Earn independent support from trusted third parties
- Build the authority of the practice and its architects
- Build connected media, brand, entity and citation signals
- Measure service visibility, competitor share and source influence
- Strengthen the wider source environment surrounding the practice
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Twelve of the questions we hear most often from architectural firms considering an AI visibility program.
AI visibility refers to whether your practice appears when people ask platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for recommendations, comparisons or information about architectural services in your area. It also includes whether your website is cited, whether your practice is accurately described, and whether your architects are recognized for relevant expertise.
Still have questions?
Related Industries
AI visibility for adjacent professional services
Explore how TotalAuthority approaches visibility and authority building for other professional services and advisory firms.
Guides & Resources
Related guides from our blog
Practical reading on AI visibility and authority building relevant to your sector.
Guide
How to Set Up Alerts for Brand Mentions in Claude AI
Learn how to set up alerts for brand mentions in Claude, monitor AI visibility, detect misinformation, and track how your brand appears in AI-generated responses.
Read more GuideClaude AI Visibility Reporting Tool Features Explained
Discover Claude AI's reporting tool features and learn how to track your brand's visibility in AI recommendations. Get insights to dominate AI-driven search.
Read more GuideChatGPT Visibility - How to Improve Your Brand Citation
Inconsistent mentions harming your brand authority? Learn how to use ChatGPT to audit and improve your brand citation footprint. Get step-by-step insights.
Read moreFind out where you stand
Is AI recommending your practice, or your competitors?
Your practice may already be visible for some services and absent for others. The only way to know is to test the questions your prospective clients are asking, examine the competitors appearing instead, and identify the sources influencing those answers. Start with a clear visibility baseline. Then build the authority required to compete.
Measured across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity using prompts tailored to your practice, services and location.