How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT and AI search

The way people search for information online is changing. While Google remains an important part of how customers find businesses, more people are now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity to find answers, research products and discover services.

Instead of simply typing a few keywords into Google and scrolling through a list of websites, people are asking questions in a more conversational way.

For example, someone looking for a web designer might ask ChatGPT:

• Who are the best web designers in Brisbane for small businesses?
• Can you recommend a Joomla website developer in Australia?
• What should I look for when choosing a website design company?
• Which Brisbane web design companies offer ongoing website support?

Rather than returning a traditional list of search results, AI tools can provide a written response, summarise relevant information and sometimes recommend specific businesses.

For business owners, this creates another opportunity to get in front of potential customers. If your business is mentioned in an AI-generated answer, someone who may never have found you through a traditional Google search could discover your services.

But how do you get your business recommended by ChatGPT and other AI search tools?

The good news is that many of the things that help improve your visibility in traditional search engines are also important for AI search. However, there are some additional considerations worth understanding.

In this article, we'll look at how AI search works and what you can do to make your business easier for these tools to find, understand and recommend.

How do ChatGPT and other AI search tools find businesses?

Before looking at ways to improve your visibility, it helps to understand how these tools find and use information.

AI tools don't all work in exactly the same way. Some use information from their existing training data, while others can search the web in real time or retrieve information from search indexes and other sources.

For example, ChatGPT has a web search feature that can find relevant websites and use them to help answer a user's question. Google incorporates AI-generated responses into features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, while other platforms have their own methods of gathering and presenting information.

When someone asks an AI tool to recommend a business, several factors may influence the answer, including:

• Information available on the business's website.
• Whether the website can be accessed and indexed by search engines and AI search crawlers.
• The relevance of the business to the question being asked.
• Information about the business from other reputable websites.
• Customer reviews and publicly available business information.
• The quality, clarity and usefulness of the information available online.

It's important to understand that there isn't one central database containing every business that AI tools use. Nor is there a single ranking system that determines which businesses will be recommended across all platforms.

The information available to each AI tool can vary, and recommendations can change depending on the wording of the question, the location specified and the information the platform can access.

This means there is no guaranteed way to make ChatGPT recommend your business. However, you can take practical steps to improve the chances of your business being discovered and understood.

1. Make sure your website contains useful, relevant information

Your website is one of the most important places to start.

If an AI tool is trying to find information about your business, it needs to be able to understand what you do, who you help, where you operate and what makes your services relevant.

A website that simply says you provide professional services and invites visitors to contact you doesn't give search engines or AI tools much information to work with.

Think about the questions a potential customer might ask when looking for a business like yours.

For example, if you own a plumbing company, people might ask:

• Who provides emergency plumbing services in Brisbane?
• How much does it cost to replace a hot water system?
• Can a plumber repair a leaking water pipe?
• What should I do if my hot water system stops working?

Your website should provide useful information that answers these types of questions.

This doesn't mean filling your website with hundreds of pages of generic content. Instead, focus on creating helpful pages that explain your services and address the questions your customers regularly ask.

For a small business, this might include:

• Detailed service pages explaining exactly what you offer.
• Information about the areas you service.
• Frequently asked questions.
• Articles addressing common customer problems.
• Case studies showing examples of completed work.
• Information about your experience, qualifications and expertise.

The more clearly your website communicates what your business does, the easier it is for search engines and AI tools to establish whether your business is relevant to a particular question.

2. Create content that answers real customer questions

One of the best ways to improve your online visibility is to publish useful content that answers the questions people are already asking.

This is important for traditional SEO, but it is also particularly relevant to AI search.

People often use AI tools to ask detailed questions rather than entering short search phrases. Your website content should reflect the way people naturally look for information.

For example, rather than writing an article simply titled "Our Plumbing Services", a plumbing business could publish articles such as:

• How much does it cost to install a new hot water system?
• What causes low water pressure in your home?
• How do you know when your hot water system needs replacing?
• What should you do when a water pipe bursts?

These articles provide useful information while also demonstrating the business's knowledge and experience.

When writing content, try to answer the main question early in the article. You can then expand on the topic with additional information, examples and practical advice.

Use clear headings to break up the content and make it easier for visitors to find the information they need.

It's also worth including related questions throughout your articles. A well-written FAQ section can be particularly useful because it addresses specific questions in a straightforward format.

However, don't create content just for the sake of including questions and answers. The information should genuinely help your readers.

A website filled with repetitive, shallow articles is unlikely to provide much value to either visitors or search engines.

3. Be specific about what your business does and who you help

Many businesses make the mistake of using vague descriptions on their websites.

Phrases such as "quality service", "professional solutions" and "customer-focused approach" might sound good, but they don't explain much about what the business actually offers.

If you want AI tools to understand your business, be specific.

For example, compare these two descriptions:

1. Generic description:
   "We provide quality building services with a focus on customer satisfaction and outstanding results."
2. More descriptive version:
   "We provide residential building and renovation services throughout Brisbane, specialising in kitchen renovations, bathroom upgrades and home extensions."

The second description gives much more useful information. It identifies the type of business, the services provided, the intended customers and the geographical area covered.

Make sure this information appears consistently across your website.

Your homepage should clearly explain what your business does, while individual service pages should provide more detail about each offering.

If you operate in several locations, consider creating dedicated location pages that explain which services are available in each area.

For example, a Brisbane business might have separate pages for Brisbane Northside, Brisbane Southside, Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast, provided these are genuine service areas and each page contains useful, location-specific information.

Avoid simply changing the suburb name on otherwise identical pages. Each location page should offer something relevant to customers in that area.

4. Make sure your website is technically accessible to AI search tools

This is an important step that many business owners may overlook.

Even if your website contains excellent information, AI search tools need to be able to access it before they can use it.

ChatGPT, for example, uses a web crawler called OAI-SearchBot to discover and access website content for its search features.

If your website blocks this crawler, your pages may not be included in ChatGPT search answers.

This is separate from GPTBot, which OpenAI uses for a different purpose relating to the potential use of website content in training its AI models.

In other words, allowing ChatGPT to find your website through its search features does not automatically mean you have to allow your content to be used for AI training.

There are a few things worth checking:

Check your robots.txt file

Your website's robots.txt file provides instructions to automated crawlers about which parts of your website they can access.

If you want your content to be discoverable through ChatGPT search, check that OAI-SearchBot isn't being blocked.

Check your website security settings

Some security extensions, firewalls and content delivery network (CDN) services can block automated traffic.

Make sure your website's security settings aren't unintentionally preventing legitimate search crawlers from accessing your pages.

Check that important pages are accessible

Your main content should be available as readable text rather than being hidden entirely inside images, scripts or interactive elements that crawlers may struggle to interpret.

Your web developer can help check these settings and identify any technical issues that might be affecting your website's visibility.

It's worth remembering that allowing a crawler to access your website doesn't guarantee that your pages will be included in AI-generated answers. It simply removes one potential barrier to discovery.

5. Continue investing in traditional SEO

With all the attention surrounding AI search, it's easy to assume that traditional SEO is becoming less important.

That's not the case.

Search engines remain an important source of information for many AI search experiences. Google's AI features, for example, draw on information from its search index.

This means the fundamentals of good SEO are still incredibly important.

If your website has poor search engine visibility, technical problems or little useful content, you're potentially limiting your opportunities to appear in both traditional and AI-powered search experiences.

Some of the most important SEO activities include:

• Researching relevant keywords for your business.
• Writing unique page titles and meta descriptions.
• Using descriptive headings throughout your website.
• Creating useful, original content.
• Making sure your website is mobile-friendly.
• Improving website loading speed.
• Fixing broken links and technical errors.
• Creating a logical internal linking structure.
• Making sure important pages can be indexed by Google.

You should also make sure your website is connected to Google Search Console.

This free tool from Google provides useful information about how your website is performing in search, which pages are indexed and whether Google has identified any technical issues.

Good SEO doesn't guarantee AI recommendations, but it helps establish the foundations for online visibility.

6. Keep your business information consistent across the internet

AI tools don't rely exclusively on your website when researching businesses.

They can also find information from business directories, industry websites, social media profiles, review platforms and other publicly available sources.

This makes it important to maintain accurate and consistent business information across the internet.

Start by checking the basic details of your business:

• Business name
• Physical address or service area
• Telephone number
• Website address
• Opening hours
• Main services
• Business description

Make sure these details are consistent wherever your business is listed.

For example, if your website says your business operates throughout Brisbane, but several online directories list an old address or suggest you only service one suburb, this could create confusion.

It's also worth checking your business listings on platforms such as:

• Google Business Profile
• Bing Places for Business
• Relevant Australian business directories
• Industry-specific directories
• Local business association websites

You don't need to list your business on every directory you can find. Focus on reputable websites that are relevant to your industry and location.

Accurate information helps potential customers find you and provides additional sources of information about your business online.

7. Build your business's reputation through reviews and mentions

When people ask AI tools to recommend a business, they often want more than a list of companies that provide a particular service.

They want to know which businesses are reputable, experienced and worth contacting.

This is where your online reputation becomes important.

Customer reviews are one way people assess a business before making contact. They can also provide useful publicly available information about the services a business offers and the experiences of its customers.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave honest reviews on relevant platforms, particularly Google Business Profile.

Don't just focus on collecting a large number of reviews. Pay attention to the quality and detail of the feedback.

For example, a review that says "Great service, highly recommended" is positive, but a more detailed review might explain that the business completed a kitchen renovation on time, communicated throughout the project and delivered excellent workmanship.

Detailed, genuine feedback gives potential customers a better understanding of what your business does well.

It's also worth building your reputation beyond customer reviews.

Look for opportunities to:

• Be featured on relevant industry websites.
• Contribute articles to reputable publications.
• Participate in local business associations.
• Share case studies with business partners.
• Receive genuine mentions from suppliers and industry organisations.
• Publish useful information that other websites may want to reference.

These activities can help establish your business as a recognised name within your industry.

Avoid paying for large numbers of low-quality links or arranging artificial mentions purely to influence AI recommendations. Building a genuine online reputation is much more valuable than trying to manufacture one.

8. Use structured data to help search engines understand your website

Structured data is a way of providing additional information about the content of your website in a format that search engines can interpret.

It uses a standard vocabulary called Schema.org and can help describe different types of information, including:

• Businesses and organisations
• Products and services
• Articles and blog posts
• Events
• People
• Locations
• Frequently asked questions

For example, LocalBusiness structured data can help describe important details about a business, such as its name, address, telephone number and opening hours.

Article structured data can identify information about a published article, including its headline, author and publication date.

This additional information can help search engines interpret the content and context of your pages.

However, it's important to understand that structured data isn't a shortcut to getting recommended by ChatGPT.

There is no special AI schema that guarantees your website will appear in AI-generated answers. Google has also confirmed that there are no additional special schema requirements for appearing in its AI search features.

Structured data should be used where it is relevant and should accurately reflect the information visitors can see on your website.

If you're unsure whether your website uses structured data correctly, your web developer or SEO specialist can check the existing markup and identify any opportunities for improvement.

9. Make sure your website demonstrates experience and expertise

People want to know they're dealing with a business that understands its industry and can deliver the services being advertised.

AI tools also need reliable information when answering questions about businesses and professional services.

This is why it's important to demonstrate your experience and expertise throughout your website.

Rather than simply saying you're an experienced business, show visitors what you've actually done.

Some useful ways to do this include:

• Publish case studies
  Case studies provide real examples of your work. Explain the customer's original problem, what you did to help and the outcome.
• Include testimonials
  Customer feedback helps demonstrate the quality of your service and provides reassurance to potential customers.
• Introduce your team
  Include information about the people behind your business, their experience and relevant qualifications.
• Explain your process
  Describe how you work with customers, what they can expect and how your services are delivered.
• Publish informative articles
  Share practical advice and information that demonstrates your understanding of the industry.
• Keep your content current
  Review your website regularly to make sure information about your services, team, qualifications and business operations is accurate.

These things help build trust with website visitors and provide useful information that may be referenced by search engines and AI tools.

10. Optimise your Google Business Profile and local online presence

For businesses that rely on local customers, having an accurate Google Business Profile is particularly important.

When someone asks an AI tool to recommend a business in a particular suburb or city, location is often a major part of the question.

For example:
"Can you recommend a reliable electrician in Brisbane Northside?"

Your business needs to be clearly associated with the locations you actually service.

Start by making sure your Google Business Profile is complete and up to date.

Check that you have:

• The correct business name
• The appropriate primary and secondary business categories
• Accurate contact details
• Correct opening hours
• A clear business description
• Up-to-date photographs
• Relevant services listed
• Genuine customer reviews

You should also check your presence on Bing Places and other relevant local directories.

If your business services customers across a wider geographical area, make sure your website explains this clearly.

For example, a business based in Brisbane that also services the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast should make these service areas clear on its website, rather than relying solely on its street address.

The more consistent and accurate your local business information is, the easier it is for customers and online platforms to understand where you operate.

11. Don't overlook website speed and mobile usability

A website might contain excellent information, but if it is difficult to use, slow to load or doesn't work properly on mobile devices, you're creating unnecessary problems for visitors.

Most people now browse the internet using smartphones, so your website needs to provide a good experience across different screen sizes.

Some things to check include:

• Does your website display correctly on mobile phones?
• Can visitors easily navigate the menu?
• Is the text large enough to read without zooming?
• Do buttons and contact links work correctly?
• Are enquiry forms easy to complete?
• Do images load quickly?
• Are there any broken links or error messages?

Website performance also remains an important part of Google's overall search recommendations.

While a fast website doesn't automatically make AI tools recommend your business, a technically sound website is a better foundation for both search visibility and customer enquiries.

It's worth reviewing your website periodically rather than assuming everything is working simply because it looks fine on your desktop computer.

12. Avoid AI search optimisation shortcuts and gimmicks

As interest in AI search continues to grow, there is no shortage of people offering quick fixes and guaranteed ways to get businesses recommended by ChatGPT.

Be cautious of anyone promising that they can guarantee your business will appear in ChatGPT recommendations or secure a particular position in AI-generated answers.

There is no reliable way to guarantee this.

You may also come across advice suggesting that you need to create special AI files, publish hundreds of short articles or add specific technical code to every page of your website.

Some of these recommendations are based on speculation rather than established best practice.

For example, you might hear about a file called llms.txt, which is intended to provide AI systems with information about a website.

Although this type of file can be created, it is not a confirmed requirement for appearing in ChatGPT search or Google's AI search features.

Similarly, publishing large quantities of automatically generated content without adding genuine value is unlikely to be a worthwhile long-term strategy.

Google's guidance continues to emphasise helpful, reliable and original content created for people.

Rather than chasing every new AI optimisation trend, focus on making your website genuinely useful, technically sound and easy to understand.

These are improvements that benefit your business regardless of how online search continues to evolve.

How can you check whether your business is appearing in ChatGPT?

Once you've started improving your website and online presence, you may want to find out whether AI tools are actually mentioning your business.

One simple way to do this is to test a range of questions using ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI search tools.

Try asking questions that a potential customer might realistically enter.

For example, a Brisbane web design company could test questions such as:

• Who are the best web design companies in Brisbane?
• Can you recommend a Brisbane web designer for a small business?
• Which Australian web design companies specialise in Joomla?
• Where can I find a web developer who offers website maintenance and support?

Try different variations of these questions and see which businesses are mentioned.

If the AI tool provides website citations or links, check which sources it has used to generate its response.

You may discover that competing businesses are being mentioned because they have detailed service pages, strong local business profiles, useful articles or a well-established online reputation.

This can provide useful insight into areas where your own website could be improved.

However, don't treat a single search as a definitive measure of your AI visibility.

AI responses can vary between searches, platforms, locations and even slightly different question wording. A business that appears in one answer may not appear in another.

It's better to test a consistent group of relevant questions periodically and look for broader patterns over time.

You can also monitor referral traffic from AI platforms through your website analytics tools, where available. This can help identify whether visitors are arriving at your website from ChatGPT or other AI services.

Does getting recommended by ChatGPT mean you no longer need Google SEO?

Absolutely not.

Although AI search is changing how people discover businesses, traditional search engine optimisation is still an important part of the online landscape.

Many AI search experiences use information from established search indexes, and good website SEO continues to help search engines discover, understand and assess your content.

Think of AI visibility as another part of your overall online marketing strategy rather than a replacement for SEO.

A well-optimised website, useful content, accurate business information, positive customer reviews and a good online reputation all contribute to making your business easier to discover.

The best approach is to build a website that works well for people first, while ensuring it follows sound technical and SEO practices.

This gives your business a stronger foundation across traditional search engines and the growing range of AI-powered tools.

Final thoughts: Make your business easier to find online

AI search is creating new opportunities for small businesses to reach potential customers.

People are increasingly using tools such as ChatGPT to research services, compare businesses and find recommendations. Making sure your business is represented accurately across the internet is becoming an important part of maintaining your online presence.

There isn't a magic formula for getting your business recommended by AI tools, and no website developer or SEO company can guarantee that you'll appear in every AI-generated answer.

However, there are plenty of practical steps you can take.

Start by making sure your website clearly explains what your business does. Publish useful content that answers customer questions, maintain accurate business listings, encourage genuine reviews and check that search engines and AI crawlers can access your website.

Most importantly, don't neglect the fundamentals of good website design and SEO.

A professional, informative website that is easy to navigate, regularly updated and built around the needs of your customers is still one of your most valuable online business assets.

At Marketeam, we help Australian businesses create professional websites that look great, work properly and provide a solid foundation for online visibility.

Whether you need a new website, improvements to an existing site or help with your website's ongoing maintenance and support, we're happy to help.

Get in touch with Marketeam to discuss how we can help improve your business's online presence.