AI search explained: how to get your business mentioned by ChatGPT and Google

People now ask AI assistants for recommendations. Here is how AI search works and six things you can do to be part of the answer.

EMC2 Online team
8 October 2026 · 3 min read

More and more people are skipping the list of blue links. Instead, they ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or Google’s AI Overviews a question like “Who is a good electrician in Parramatta?” and read the answer. So how does a business end up in that answer?

Nobody can guarantee a mention, and anyone who promises one is guessing. But the businesses that get mentioned tend to have a few things in common, and most of them are well within your control.

How AI assistants decide what to say

AI assistants build their answers from information they can find and trust: websites, business profiles, reviews, directories and articles. When the same clear facts about your business appear in many reliable places, the AI is far more confident talking about you.

In other words, AI search rewards the same things good SEO always has: a clear website, helpful content and a consistent, trustworthy reputation online.

1. Make your website easy to understand

Your website should say plainly what you do, who you help and where you work. That sounds obvious, but many sites hide this behind clever slogans. Have a separate page for each main service, and mention the areas you cover in normal language.

Behind the scenes, structured data (small pieces of code that label your business name, address, services and reviews) helps search engines and AI tools read your site accurately.

2. Answer the questions your customers actually ask

Think about the questions you hear on the phone every week: “How much does it cost?”, “How long does it take?”, “Do you service my area?” Answer them clearly on your website. AI assistants love content that directly answers a question, and so do customers.

Tip: Write the way you would explain it to a customer standing in front of you. Short paragraphs, real examples and honest answers beat keyword-stuffed pages every time.

3. Get your business profiles right

Your Google Business Profile and Bing Places listing are some of the most important sources AI tools use for local businesses. Make sure your name, address, phone number, hours and services are complete and match your website exactly. We share nine practical fixes in our Google Business Profile guide.

4. Build reviews and mentions

Reviews on Google and other trusted sites tell AI assistants that real people use and recommend you. Ask happy customers for a review, and reply to every review, good or bad. Being listed in reputable local directories, industry associations and local news adds to that trust.

5. Keep your details consistent everywhere

If your website says one phone number, your Facebook page another and an old directory a third, AI tools get confused about which is right. Do a quick search for your business name and fix any outdated listings you find.

6. Measure what you can

You cannot see every AI answer, but you can track some things: visits from ChatGPT and other AI tools in Google Analytics, impressions in Google Search Console and calls from your business profile. Watching these over time shows whether your work is paying off.

Where to start

If you only do three things this month, make them these:

Check your Google Business Profile is complete and accurate.
Make sure each main service has its own clear page on your website.
Ask five happy customers for a Google review.

Want help being found in AI search?

Our SEO and AI search service covers technical fixes, content, local search and reporting. We start with a short conversation and a look at how AI tools describe your business today, then send a clear plan.

Book a meeting about SEO and AI search →