> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wiki.platelunchcollective.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Data Sanitation

> Data sanitation is the process of auditing and correcting inconsistent, conflicting, or outdated brand information across digital sources before AI systems i...

*Methodology* · *Entity & Knowledge Graph*

## Definition

Data sanitation is the process of auditing and correcting inconsistent, conflicting, or outdated brand information across digital sources before AI systems ingest it. This includes NAP data, business descriptions, founding dates, service categories, and any other structured attributes that appear across directories, social profiles, and third-party listings.

## Why It Matters for AI Search

AI systems are probabilistic — they infer what is true about an entity by looking for agreement across sources. If your business address appears differently on Google Business Profile, Yelp, and your website, the system loses confidence and either hedges or defaults to a competitor with cleaner data. Data sanitation is unglamorous work, but it is often the highest-leverage first step in an [AI SEO](https://www.platelunchcollective.com/services/ai-seo) engagement.

## Related Terms

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="NAP consistency" href="/ai-search-glossary/nap-consistency" />

  <Card title="Entity record" href="/ai-search-glossary/entity-record" />

  <Card title="Entity consistency" href="/ai-search-glossary/entity-consistency" />

  <Card title="Context sufficiency" href="/ai-search-glossary/context-sufficiency" />

  <Card title="Cross-platform consistency" href="/ai-search-glossary/cross-platform-consistency" />
</CardGroup>

## Relevant Plate Lunch Collective Services

[Entity SEO](https://www.platelunchcollective.com/services/entity-seo)  [Context Map](https://www.platelunchcollective.com/services/context-map)