TomHow / Search visibility
The Search Lab method behind TomHow
Search Lab is the operating method TomHow uses to turn search and AI visibility into measured work, clear priorities, and signed reports.
Reviewed
The overview
What this work covers.
Search Lab is the method behind TomHow reports: establish a baseline, check a focused set of search and AI visibility questions, then rank the changes worth making. Each recommendation connects to a dated observation and a clear next action. The public sample report shows the format using fabricated data. A repeat check can show what changed, but does not prove that one intervention caused the result.
01 / Inputs
Search Lab starts with evidence, not opinion.
The method gathers the signals needed to understand the current search surface. The exact sources depend on access, market, and platform availability.
- Google Search Console and GA4 where access exists
- Crawl checks, sitemap checks, and robots.txt checks
- AI prompt captures and citation rows
- Competitor mentions and cited source pages
- Shipped work logs and content review notes
02 / Outputs
The output is a priority list, not noise.
A visibility check is only useful if it tells the buyer what to do next. Search Lab turns evidence into page fixes, content priorities, schema checks, reporting notes, and package work.
- Paid audit findings and baseline
- Priority page network and internal link plan
- Citation tracking records and limits
- Signed report narrative
- Next month action list
03 / Public proof
Proof is labelled before it is used.
TomHow separates verified evidence, anonymised examples, fabricated sample data, directional patterns, and hypotheses. That keeps public pages useful without exposing private client data.
- Sample reports are clearly labelled
- Client proof needs approval before publication
- Private account exports stay private
- Claim strength follows the evidence
- Reports explain what the data cannot prove
04 / Where it fits
Search Lab connects SEO, GEO, AEO, and reporting.
The method keeps the acronyms in one system. SEO is the base. AEO makes answers clearer. GEO handles generated answer readiness. Citation tracking is the proof layer.
- SEO foundation
- AEO answer structure
- GEO retrieval and citation readiness
- AI citation tracking
- Monthly reporting and route planning
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Before you decide
Straight answers.
What is TomHow Search Lab?
Search Lab is TomHow's method for measuring search visibility, AI citation evidence, page gaps, source quality, and next-step priorities. It is not a separate software product.
What data sources are used?
Sources can include Search Console, GA4, crawl checks, prompt captures, cited URLs, competitor mentions, schema checks, server evidence where available, and shipped-work records.
Is client data public?
No. Client data stays private unless a separate approved case study is created. Public samples use fabricated or clearly anonymised information.
How does Search Lab improve decisions?
It turns scattered search and AI visibility evidence into a short list of fixes, pages, links, reports, and tests that should happen next.