How to Get Your Business Recommended by ChatGPT

Q: How do I check whether AI assistants mention my business?

Ask them the questions your customers would, such as 'Who's a good electrician in Poole?', in a few different tools. Answers vary between tools and over time, so check every so often rather than once.

First, an honest caveat

Nobody controls what AI assistants say. Each tool works differently, they change often, and the same question can get a different answer tomorrow. Anyone who promises guaranteed ChatGPT recommendations is overselling.

The good news is that the things that help are mostly the same things that help on Google, and they're worth doing anyway. Here's what we focus on.

How AI assistants find local businesses

When someone asks "Who's a good plumber in Bournemouth?", the assistant typically draws on what it can read on the web: business websites, Google and other listings, directories, reviews and local news or articles. Some tools search the web live; others lean more on what they've learned before. Either way, they're looking for businesses that clearly match the question and that several sources agree on.

1. Have clear service and area pages

AI tools need to know exactly what you do and where. A single homepage saying "all aspects of building work" doesn't give them much. Separate pages for each main service (say, "loft conversions" or "boiler servicing") and the main towns you cover make it easy to match you to a question.

State your trade, services and areas in plain words near the top of each page
Include the details people ask about: accreditations, typical prices or how you quote, response times
Write like you'd explain it to a customer, not stuffed with keywords

2. Keep your business details consistent everywhere

Your business name, address, phone number, website and opening hours should be identical on your website, your Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Facebook, trade directories and anywhere else you're listed. When sources agree, assistants can be more confident they're describing the same real business. Old numbers and mismatched names do the opposite.

3. Earn reviews and third-party mentions

Assistants tend to recommend businesses that other people talk about, not just businesses that talk about themselves. That means:

Genuine reviews on Google and relevant trade platforms, with your replies
Listings on reputable directories and trade association sites you belong to
Mentions from local sources: suppliers, community groups, local news, sponsorships

None of this can be faked usefully. Ask happy customers for reviews and say yes to genuine local opportunities.

4. Add structured data

Structured data (schema markup) is code on your website that labels key facts in a format machines read easily: your business type, name, address, phone, areas served, opening hours and FAQs. It doesn't guarantee anything, but it removes guesswork for search engines and the tools built on them. Your web designer should be able to add it; it's invisible to visitors.

5. Answer real questions in an FAQ

People ask AI assistants questions in full sentences: "Do I need a Gas Safe engineer to move a radiator?", "How much does an EICR cost?" Short, direct answers to the questions your customers actually ask, on your service pages or in an FAQ section, give assistants clear material to work with, and help customers too.

6. Keep your information current

Out-of-date hours, services you no longer offer, or an old address can end up repeated in AI answers. Check your website and main listings a few times a year, and whenever anything changes. Recent reviews, photos and updates also show you're still trading.

7. Make sure your site can be read

A fast website with real text, not words baked into images, is easier for search engines and AI tools to read. Check that your site isn't accidentally blocking search engines, and that it works well on phones.

What about llms.txt?

llms.txt is a proposed file that summarises your website for AI tools. It's quick to add and does no harm, and we include one on our own site. But there's no clear evidence yet that the major assistants rely on it, so treat it as an unproven extra, not a substitute for the steps above.

How to check where you stand

Ask a few assistants the questions your customers would ask, using your trade and town. Note whether you appear, what's said, and whether the details are right. Repeat every month or two, because answers change. If competitors appear and you don't, look at what they have that you don't: more reviews, clearer pages, more mentions.

Where to start

If you only have a Facebook page, start with a website and a Google Business Profile; see do I need a website if I have Facebook? If you already have a site, the quickest wins are usually consistent details, better service and area pages, and a steady flow of reviews.

AI-search work is included in all our website packages. You can see how it works, or what we build for plumbers, electricians, builders and cleaners.

Questions

Can anyone guarantee my business will be recommended by ChatGPT?

No. AI assistants decide their own answers and change how they work often. Anyone promising guaranteed AI mentions is overselling. What you can do is make your business easy to find, understand and trust.

Is AI search optimisation different from SEO?

Mostly it's the same groundwork: clear pages, accurate business details, reviews and mentions elsewhere online. AI assistants tend to reward the same things that help you on Google.

Do I need an llms.txt file?

It's a cheap, harmless extra, but there's no clear evidence that the major AI assistants rely on it. Treat it as optional, not a fix.

How do I check whether AI assistants mention my business?

Ask them the questions your customers would, such as "Who's a good electrician in Poole?", in a few different tools. Answers vary between tools and over time, so check every so often rather than once.

How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT