Have you ever opened ChatGPT and asked it to recommend a business like yours?
It might sound like a strange thing to do, but it’s a question worth asking. As more people turn to AI tools to research products, compare services and find businesses, the way potential customers discover you is changing.
For years, businesses have focused on appearing in Google’s search results. Now, there’s another question to consider: Is your business appearing when someone asks AI for a recommendation?
At Outrank, we’re seeing how AI is changing the search landscape, and while the technology is developing quickly, one thing remains clear: having a strong online presence is more important than ever.
What Happens When You Ask ChatGPT to Recommend a Business?
Imagine you’re looking for a local accountant, a roofing company or a digital marketing agency. Traditionally, you might search Google, browse several websites, read reviews and compare your options.
Today, you could ask ChatGPT:
“Can you recommend a reliable roofing company in Middlesbrough?”
“Who are the best digital marketing agencies in the North East?”
“Which local accountants specialise in helping small businesses?”
Instead of presenting a traditional list of search results, ChatGPT can provide a conversational response with suggested businesses, explanations and, depending on the experience, links to supporting sources. For customers, this can make researching businesses quicker and easier.
For businesses, it introduces another opportunity to be discovered.
But there’s something important to understand. Just because your business ranks well on Google doesn’t automatically mean ChatGPT will recommend it.
AI-generated recommendations can vary depending on the question, available information and whether the tool has access to current web results.
Is ChatGPT Actually Recommending Your Business?
Here’s a simple exercise you can try, open ChatGPT and ask it to recommend businesses in your industry and location, without mentioning your own company name.
For example, if you run a plumbing business in Newcastle, you could ask:
“Can you recommend five plumbing companies in Newcastle?”
Then consider the response – Does your business appear? Are your competitors being recommended? If your business is mentioned, is the information accurate?
Try asking a few different questions, including ones that relate to your specialist services, rather than just your general industry.
It’s worth remembering that this isn’t a definitive test of your AI visibility. ChatGPT responses aren’t fixed rankings, and results can change depending on the wording of the question, the conversation and the information available.
However, it’s a useful starting point for understanding how your business might appear during an AI-assisted customer journey.
How Does ChatGPT Decide Which Businesses to Recommend?
Unlike traditional search engines, ChatGPT doesn’t operate using one publicly documented ranking system for business recommendations.
Its responses can draw on information learned during training and, when search functionality is available and used, information retrieved from websites and other online sources.
That means several aspects of your online presence may contribute to how easily AI systems can find, understand and reference your business.
Your Website Content
Your website should clearly explain who you are, what you do, where you operate and who your services are designed for.
If your website contains limited information, vague descriptions or outdated content, it may be harder for AI-powered search tools to accurately understand your business.
Detailed service pages, helpful articles and clear business information all contribute to a stronger online presence.
Your Online Reputation
Reviews, testimonials, case studies and independent references can help establish your business’s reputation online.
Although there’s no guarantee that ChatGPT will use any particular review platform or mention, a consistent and credible digital footprint can make your business easier to research and verify.
This is particularly important when customers are looking for businesses they can trust.
Your Business Information
Your company name, services, locations and contact details should be consistent across your website and relevant online profiles.
For local businesses, accurate business listings and location information remain important. If your website says you operate across the North East but other online information suggests something different, it can create confusion for both customers and systems trying to understand your business.
Your Expertise and Authority
Businesses that demonstrate genuine experience and expertise give customers more reasons to trust them. Detailed case studies, useful advice, industry-specific content and evidence of previous work can all help establish credibility.
Rather than simply saying you’re the best at what you do, show people why they should choose you.
Why Does AI Visibility Matter for Your Business?
The biggest change isn’t necessarily where people search. It’s how they search. Instead of typing a few keywords into Google, customers can now ask detailed, conversational questions.
Someone looking for a digital marketing agency might ask:
“Which SEO agency in the North East has experience helping ecommerce businesses grow?”
That’s a very different question from simply searching for “SEO agency North East”.
It includes location, expertise and a specific business requirement. For businesses, this highlights the importance of creating content that goes beyond targeting broad keywords.
Your website needs to communicate your services, experience and areas of expertise clearly enough for potential customers and search technologies to understand what makes you relevant.
Being recommended in an AI-generated answer could introduce your business to someone who might otherwise never have found you.
However, an AI mention doesn’t automatically translate into website traffic, enquiries or sales. That’s why businesses need to look at AI visibility as part of their wider digital marketing performance.
Can SEO Help Your Business Appear in ChatGPT?
Yes, SEO can help build the foundations that support AI search visibility, although it cannot guarantee a recommendation.
Search Engine Optimisation has traditionally focused on improving how search engines discover, understand and rank websites.
Many of those same principles remain relevant as AI-powered search develops. A well-structured website, useful content, clear service information and credible online references all help establish your business’s digital presence.
This is also where newer terms such as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) come into the conversation.
- GEO focuses on improving how businesses and their content can be discovered and represented in generative AI experiences.
- AEO focuses on creating clear, useful information that answers the questions people are asking.
But neither should be viewed as a complete replacement for SEO.
SEO is the foundation of what makes GEO, AEO and AI Search as a whole work.
Rather than abandoning your existing SEO strategy, the focus should be on building upon it to account for the different ways customers now discover businesses.
What Can You Do to Improve Your Business’s AI Visibility?
If you’re wondering whether ChatGPT could recommend your business, there are several practical steps worth considering.
Make Your Website Clear and Informative
Your website should make it easy to understand your services, specialisms and locations. Avoid relying on generic statements that could apply to any business in your industry. Instead, explain what you offer, who you help and what makes your experience relevant.
Answer the Questions Your Customers Are Asking
Think about the questions people ask before choosing your business.
What does your service involve? How much might it cost? Which areas do you cover? What should someone look for when choosing a provider?
Creating genuinely useful content around these questions can improve your website for customers while making information easier for search systems to interpret.
Demonstrate Your Experience
Use case studies, testimonials, project examples and detailed service information to show what your business has achieved. Real examples help potential customers understand your expertise and provide more meaningful information about your business.
Keep Your Online Information Accurate
Review your website, business listings and relevant online profiles. Make sure your services, locations and contact information are accurate and consistent.
This is particularly important if your business has expanded into new areas or introduced additional services.
Continue Investing in SEO
Don’t neglect your technical SEO, website performance, internal linking or content strategy. These elements continue to support your visibility in traditional search and provide important foundations for AI-powered discovery.
The objective isn’t to optimise your business for one chatbot. It’s to build an online presence that remains useful, credible and discoverable across different platforms.
Should You Be Worried If ChatGPT Doesn’t Recommend Your Business?
Not necessarily, AI-generated recommendations can change, and one response doesn’t provide a complete picture of your online visibility.
A business might appear for a highly specific service-related question but not for a broader search. Different AI tools may also produce different recommendations. Rather than treating a single response as a ranking report, consider it an opportunity to ask bigger questions.
Is your website clearly communicating your expertise? Can potential customers find reliable information about your business? Are you building visibility beyond your own website? These are all areas worth reviewing, regardless of whether ChatGPT currently mentions your company.
Is Your Business Ready for the Future of AI Search?
AI is changing how people discover, research and compare businesses, but the fundamentals of effective digital marketing haven’t disappeared. Customers still want trustworthy businesses, useful information and services that meet their needs. The difference is that they now have more ways to find them.
At Outrank, we help businesses strengthen their online visibility through SEO, content and digital marketing strategies that account for how search is evolving.
From improving your website’s foundations to developing content that supports both traditional and AI-powered search, our focus remains on helping your business reach the right people.
So, have you ever asked ChatGPT to recommend your business?
It might be worth finding out what it says.
If you’re looking to understand how visible your business is online and what opportunities AI search could create, speak to the Outrank team.