More and more customers ask an AI assistant instead of typing a search: “Who’s the best electrician near me?” or “Where can I get my car detailed this weekend?” ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot and Google’s AI Mode all answer questions like these, often by naming specific businesses.
So how do you become one of the businesses they mention? There’s no secret switch, but there is a clear set of things that help.
How AI assistants decide what to say
When an assistant answers a local question, it usually searches the web, reads what it finds and summarizes it. Its answer depends on:
- Search engines. Google’s AI features are built on Google Search. Copilot uses Bing, and other assistants draw on search results as well.
- Business listings. Your Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Yelp and industry directories.
- Reviews. How many you have, how recent they are and what customers say.
- Your website. What you do, where you do it, what it costs and how clearly that’s explained.
- Other websites. Local news, “best of” lists, associations and community discussions that mention you.
If those sources are missing, out of date or contradict each other, the assistant has little reason to mention you, or might describe you wrongly.
What Google says about AI search
In 2026 Google published guidance on optimizing for its AI features, AI Overviews and AI Mode. The main points:
- They’re built on Google’s normal search ranking and quality systems. What helps you in regular search also helps you here.
- You don’t need special files or special markup for them.
- Making lots of near-duplicate pages to target every possible question breaks Google’s spam policies.
- Chasing inauthentic mentions around the web isn’t effective.
In other words, “AI SEO” is mostly good SEO. That’s good news: the steps below help you everywhere, not just in AI answers.
8 steps to make your business easier to recommend
1. Make sure you can be found in regular search first
If Google and Bing haven’t indexed your website, AI assistants that rely on them can’t use it either. Verify your site in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and submit your sitemap. Our guide on getting a new website on Google walks through it.
2. Let search and AI crawlers read your site
Check your robots.txt file isn’t blocking crawlers by accident. Also make sure your important text is in the page itself. Some websites only show their content after scripts run in the browser, and some crawlers may not see that content at all. Our free audit checks both.
3. Complete your Google Business Profile, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect
These three listings feed Google, Bing and Apple Maps. Complete every field, choose accurate categories, add real photos and keep your hours current.
4. Keep your details identical everywhere
Use exactly the same business name, address, phone number and hours on your website and every listing. Inconsistent details make it harder for any system to trust what it finds.
5. Earn reviews, and reply to them
Reviews are one of the most visible signals of a trustworthy business. Ask every customer, make it easy with a link or QR code, and reply to each review. Never buy reviews or offer incentives for them.
6. Answer real questions on your website
Think about what customers ask before they hire you. How much does it cost? How long does it take? Do you serve my area? Answer those questions clearly on your service pages, near the top, in plain language. Clear answers help customers and give search engines and assistants something concrete to use.
7. Get mentioned where your customers already look
Mentions from respected local sources, like a local newspaper, your trade association, a “best of” list or your chamber of commerce, help people and systems trust your business. Earn them genuinely: sponsor a local event, share expert tips with a journalist, join your association. Fake mentions and paid spam don’t work and can backfire.
8. Keep your information fresh
Update your listings when anything changes, post regularly on your Business Profile and keep your website current. Outdated hours or old phone numbers can end up repeated in AI answers.
What doesn’t work
- Special files or markup as a shortcut. Google says they aren’t needed for its AI features.
- Mass-produced pages for every city or question. They break Google’s spam policies.
- Fake reviews or planted mentions. They break platform rules and can get your listings penalized.
- Anyone who guarantees an AI recommendation. No one controls what these systems say.
How to check what AI says about you
Once a month, ask a few AI assistants the same five or so questions your customers would ask, like “best [your service] in [your city]” or “who does [your service] near [your neighborhood]”. Note whether you’re mentioned, which competitors are named and which sources are cited. Answers vary from day to day and person to person, so look at the trend over several months rather than any single answer.
If you’d like help, our AI search visibility service strengthens all of the signals above and includes a monthly sample of AI answers for your business.