Ghost Prompt Detector.
Find the long, machine-templated prompts that AI visibility trackers push through Google and that pad your Search Console impressions.
Paste or upload your queries; the check runs in your browser.
In Search Console open Performance, choose a date range, then Export and download the Queries CSV. Upload it or paste it below. A plain list of queries, one per line, also works.
Result
Add your queries to see how many look like templated AI prompts rather than human searches.
Filter them out in Search Console
Performance, add filter, Query, Custom (regex), Doesn’t match regex, then paste:
(?i)(context: ?location:|do not include location references|provide a definitive answer|list of pros and cons|asking as:|^evaluate the )The method.
In October 2026 we analyzed Search Console query data for 25 websites we own and found a growing set of queries no person typed: location preambles, answer-format instructions, persona blocks and evaluation templates. They earn impressions at an average position of 7.1 and almost never get a click. The full write-up is in Ghost Prompts in Search Console.
This tool flags a query when it matches one of the five signatures from that study, and separately counts queries of ten or more words, so you can see both the clear templates and the wider long-tail. It does not prove who sent a query; it shows how much of your reporting looks machine generated.
Search Console leaves rare, anonymized queries out of query-level reports, so your totals here will be lower than the account totals. Judge search on clicks, leads and revenue rather than impressions or average position alone.
About this tool.
- What is a ghost prompt?
- A long, machine-templated query in Search Console that reads like an instruction to an AI system rather than a human search, for example a location preamble or a request for a definitive answer with pros and cons. In our data they earned impressions and almost no clicks.
- Is my data uploaded anywhere?
- No. The file or text you add is read and classified in your browser. Nothing is sent to Theory Road or any other server.
- Which Search Console export do I use?
- Performance report, choose your date range, Export, then download the CSV or Google Sheets file and use the Queries table. A plain list of queries, one per line, also works, in which case each line counts as one impression.
- Should I filter ghost prompts out of my reports?
- For performance reporting, yes. They can inflate impressions and pull average position up without sending visitors. Keep an unfiltered view too, because they also show which topics automated AI checks associate with your site.
- Does a ghost prompt mean an AI answer cited my site?
- Not necessarily. An impression means Google showed your page for that query in a search result. It does not tell you whether an AI generated answer quoted or linked you.
More free tools
- Ad Policy Map by IndustryThe Google and Meta ad rules, certifications and targeting limits for your industry.
- Meta Special Ad Category CheckerDoes your Facebook ad need a special ad category, and what targeting can you still use?
- PPC and Meta Ads Agency ScorecardRate any Google or Meta ads agency on 12 criteria and see where it falls short.
- Break-Even Cost Per Lead CalculatorThe most you can pay per lead from customer value, margin and close rate.
- Break-Even ROAS CalculatorBreak-even and target ROAS from your margin and profit goal.
- Ad Budget PlannerMonthly ad budget worked backward from the customers you want.
Want us to run the numbers on your account.
Send a short brief. A senior operator replies within one business day with what we would fix first.
Step 1 of 2
How can we help you get found?
Next: name, email and budget. That’s it.