# Getting Started

Welcome! This guide will help you get your business discovered by AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.

## Why AIDP for Your Business?

### The Shift to AI Discovery

Consumers are increasingly using AI assistants to find local businesses:

* **"Find me a coffee shop with outdoor seating near me"**
* **"Compare Italian restaurants in downtown"**
* **"What's the best local bakery for sourdough?"**

If your business isn't optimized for AI discovery, you're invisible to these customers.

### What AIDP Gives You

✅ **AI Visibility**: Appear in Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity results\
✅ **Upstream Analytics**: Track mentions before clicks\
✅ **Intent Insights**: See how customers find you\
✅ **Exclusive Content**: Stand out with insider tips\
✅ **Data Ownership**: You control your information

## Step-by-Step Setup

### Step 1: Create Your Account (2 minutes)

1. Visit [platform.aidp.dev](https://platform.aidp.dev)
2. Click "Get Started"
3. Choose "Business Owner"
4. Enter your email and create a password
5. Verify your email

### Step 2: Basic Information (5 minutes)

Fill in your core business details:

**Business Name**

```
Example: "Artisan Coffee Roasters"
```

**Category** Choose from:

* Tourism
* Hospitality
* Restaurants
* Retail
* Healthcare
* Home Services
* Professional Services
* Wellness

**Description** (Important for AI!) Write a clear, detailed description:

❌ **Bad**: "We sell coffee"

✅ **Good**: "Family-owned coffee roastery specializing in single-origin beans sourced directly from farmers in Colombia and Ethiopia. We roast small batches twice weekly and offer espresso drinks, pour-overs, and coffee education classes."

**Tagline** A memorable one-liner:

```
"Locally roasted, globally inspired"
```

[Learn more about profile basics →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup/basic-info)

### Step 3: Location & Contact (3 minutes)

**Address**

```
Street: 123 Main St
City: Portland
State: OR
Country: USA
Postal Code: 97201
```

**Coordinates** (auto-filled from address)

```
Latitude: 45.5231
Longitude: -122.6765
```

**Service Area** (optional)

* Radius: 10 km
* Or specific regions: \["Downtown", "Pearl District", "Alberta Arts"]

**Contact**

```
Phone: +1-503-555-0123
Email: info@artisancoffee.com
Website: https://artisancoffee.com
```

**Social Media** (optional)

```
Instagram: @artisancoffee
Facebook: artisancoffeeroasters
```

### Step 4: Services & Pricing (10 minutes)

This is crucial! Structure your offerings clearly:

**Example Service 1: Espresso Drinks**

```
Name: Espresso Drinks
Description: Handcrafted espresso beverages using our house blend
Category: Beverages
Pricing: Range ($4 - $7)
Duration: 5 minutes
Bookable: No
Requires Quote: No
```

**Example Service 2: Coffee Tasting**

```
Name: Coffee Tasting Experience
Description: Guided tasting of 4 single-origin coffees with our head roaster
Category: Experiences
Pricing: Fixed ($25)
Duration: 60 minutes
Bookable: Yes
Requires Quote: No
```

**Example Service 3: Private Events**

```
Name: Private Event Catering
Description: Coffee bar service for corporate events and weddings
Category: Catering
Pricing: Quote Required
Bookable: No
Requires Quote: Yes
```

💡 **Tip**: Add 3-10 services. Be specific about what you offer.

[Learn more about services →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup/services)

### Step 5: Hours & Availability (3 minutes)

**Regular Hours**

```
Monday:    7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday:   7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday:  7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday:    7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday:  8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday:    Closed
```

**Blackout Dates** (holidays, vacations)

```
December 25, 2025
January 1, 2026
```

[Learn more about availability →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup/availability)

### Step 6: Media (5 minutes)

Upload high-quality photos:

**Logo** (required)

* Square format (1:1 ratio)
* Minimum 500x500px
* Clear, professional

**Photos** (5-10 recommended)

* Interior shots
* Products/services
* Team members
* Exterior/storefront
* Action shots (customers, work in progress)

**Videos** (optional)

* Behind-the-scenes
* Product demonstrations
* Customer testimonials

**Virtual Tour** (optional)

* 360° tour link
* Google Street View

💡 **Tip**: Good photos increase AI citations by 40%

[Learn more about media →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup/media)

### Step 7: AI-Exclusive Content (10 minutes)

**This is your secret weapon!** Content only AI users see:

**Insider Tips**

```
"Ask for the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe - it's not on the menu but we always have it available. It's our roaster's personal favorite."
```

**Local Secrets**

```
"We source our beans directly from a women's cooperative in Colombia. The owner visits twice a year to maintain relationships and ensure fair pricing."
```

**Behind the Scenes**

```
"We roast every Tuesday and Thursday morning starting at 6 AM. Visit then for the freshest beans and to watch the roasting process through our viewing window."
```

**Cultural Notes**

```
"Portland has a rich coffee culture dating back to the 1970s. We're part of the 'third wave' movement focusing on coffee as an artisanal product, not a commodity."
```

**Sustainability Practices**

```
"100% compostable packaging, solar-powered roasting equipment, and we donate spent coffee grounds to local community gardens."
```

**Exclusive Offers**

```
"Mention 'AIDP' when ordering and get 10% off any bag of whole beans. AI assistant users only!"
```

💡 **Why this matters**: AI assistants love unique, detailed content. This helps you stand out from competitors.

[Learn more about exclusive content →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup/exclusive-content)

### Step 8: Review & Publish (2 minutes)

1. Review all sections for accuracy
2. Check for typos and clarity
3. Preview how AI will see your profile
4. Click "Publish"

🎉 **Congratulations!** Your business is now discoverable by AI assistants.

## What Happens Next?

### Immediate (Within 24 hours)

* ✅ Profile indexed by AIDP Platform
* ✅ MCP server activated
* ✅ Available to AI platforms
* ✅ Analytics dashboard active

### Short-term (1-2 weeks)

* 📊 First impressions and citations
* 🔍 Appearing in AI search results
* 📈 Intent journey data collecting
* 💬 Potential customer inquiries

### Ongoing

* 📊 Monitor analytics dashboard
* 🔄 Update content regularly
* 📈 Optimize based on insights
* 💬 Engage with customer inquiries

## Understanding Your Analytics

### Upstream Metrics

**Impressions**

* How many times AI mentioned your business
* Context of mentions
* Trend over time

**Citations**

* When AI quoted your business
* Placement quality (primary, secondary, tertiary)
* Citation context

**Comparisons**

* Side-by-side appearances with competitors
* Your position in comparisons
* Win rate

**Zero-Click Visibility**

* Seen but not clicked
* Brand awareness value
* Estimated reach

[Learn more about analytics →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/analytics)

### Intent Journeys

See how customers find you:

```
1. Initial Query: "coffee shops in Portland"
2. Refinement: "with outdoor seating"
3. Refinement: "that roast their own beans"
4. Citation: Your business mentioned
5. Conversion: Customer visit
```

**Time to Conversion**: 3 minutes\
**Touchpoints**: 4\
**Journey Efficiency**: High

[Learn more about intent journeys →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/analytics/intent-journeys)

## Best Practices

### Content Quality

✅ **Do**:

* Write detailed, specific descriptions
* Use natural language (how you'd talk to a customer)
* Include unique details and stories
* Update content regularly
* Be authentic and honest

❌ **Don't**:

* Copy content from your website
* Use generic marketing speak
* Overpromise or mislead
* Include time-sensitive info without updates
* Stuff keywords

### Photos & Media

✅ **Do**:

* Use high-resolution images
* Show your space, products, team
* Include action shots
* Update seasonally
* Ensure good lighting

❌ **Don't**:

* Use stock photos
* Include blurry or dark images
* Forget to update old photos
* Violate copyright
* Show outdated information

### Pricing

✅ **Do**:

* Be transparent about costs
* Offer range when appropriate
* Indicate when quote is needed
* Include currency
* Update regularly

❌ **Don't**:

* Hide pricing information
* Use confusing structures
* Forget to update prices
* Mislead with "starting at" prices
* Omit important fees

### Availability

✅ **Do**:

* Keep hours current
* Mark holidays in advance
* Update blackout dates
* Indicate seasonal changes
* Respond to customer inquiries quickly

❌ **Don't**:

* Let hours go stale
* Forget holiday closures
* Ignore customer inquiries
* Provide outdated information
* Miss important updates

[Read all best practices →](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/best-practices)

## Managing Your Business

### Daily Tasks

* ✅ Monitor analytics
* ✅ Check customer inquiries
* ✅ Update availability if needed

### Weekly Tasks

* ✅ Update availability
* ✅ Review analytics trends
* ✅ Respond to inquiries

### Monthly Tasks

* ✅ Update exclusive content
* ✅ Add new photos
* ✅ Review competitive positioning
* ✅ Optimize based on insights

### Quarterly Tasks

* ✅ Update services/pricing
* ✅ Refresh all content
* ✅ Analyze ROI
* ✅ Review analytics insights

## Free Forever - All Features Included

AIDP is **completely free** with no limitations:

### Everything You Get (Free)

* ✅ Full business profile with AI-exclusive content
* ✅ Complete analytics suite (upstream metrics, intent journeys)
* ✅ Unlimited API access
* ✅ All MCP tools and integrations
* ✅ Competitive benchmarking
* ✅ Community support
* ✅ Multi-location management

### No Limitations

* ✅ No credit card required
* ✅ No trial period
* ✅ No feature restrictions
* ✅ No hidden costs
* ✅ No usage limits

## Getting Help

### Documentation

* [Profile Setup](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup)
* [Analytics Guide](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/analytics)
* [Best Practices](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/best-practices)
* [FAQ](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/faq)

### Support

* 💬 **GitHub Discussions**: [github.com/aidp/platform/discussions](https://github.com/aidp/platform/discussions)
* 📧 **Email**: <support@aidp.dev>
* 📚 **Help Center**: help.aidp.dev
* 🎥 **Video Tutorials**: youtube.com/aidp

### Community

* Share tips with other business owners
* Learn from success stories
* Get feedback on your profile
* Stay updated on new features

## Next Steps

1. [Complete your profile](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup)
2. [Add AI-exclusive content](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/profile-setup/exclusive-content)
3. [Monitor analytics](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/analytics)
4. [Optimize based on insights](https://amistan.gitbook.io/aidp-docs/for-business-owners/best-practices)

***

**Questions?** Join our [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/aidp/platform/discussions) or email <support@aidp.dev>