A homeowner opens ChatGPT and types: “I get ants in my kitchen every spring. Who is a good pest control company in San Jose that uses pet-safe treatments?”
ChatGPT names three companies and explains why each one fits. If yours is not on that list, you will never know the question was asked. No missed call. No lost click to look at. Just a customer who went somewhere else.
This is why more business owners are asking how to get recommended by AI tools. Here is the honest answer: no one can force an AI assistant to name you, and no agency can guarantee it. But you can make your business easy for these tools to find, easy to understand, and easy to trust. That is what answer engine optimization (AEO) is about.
How AI assistants find businesses
When people ask about local services or buying decisions, most AI assistants search the web before they answer. Each one uses its own sources:
• ChatGPT search uses OpenAI’s own crawler, called OAI-SearchBot. OpenAI says sites that block it will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers.
• Gemini is built by Google, so Google Search results and Google Business Profiles play a big role.
• Microsoft Copilot leans on Bing.
• Claude can search the web when web search is turned on.
• Grok can pull from the web and from posts on X.
So there is no single “AI ranking.” Your job is to be clear and consistent everywhere these tools look.
Six things that raise your chances
1. Make sure AI crawlers can reach your site
Some security tools, hosting settings, or old robots.txt rules block AI crawlers without the owner knowing. Ask your web team to confirm that search crawlers like OAI-SearchBot, Googlebot, and Bingbot are allowed. It is a quick check that can fix a big, silent gap.
2. Answer real customer questions in plain words
AI tools look for short, clear passages that answer a question directly. Your service pages should say what you do, where you work, who it is for, what affects the price, and how long it takes. Write the way you would explain it on the phone. A good SEO and content plan turns your most common customer questions into pages and FAQs.
3. Tell the same story everywhere
If your website says you serve five cities, your Google profile says three, and Yelp lists an old phone number, an AI tool has a harder time trusting any of it. Match your name, address, phone, services, and service areas across your site, your Google Business Profile, Bing Places, and major directories.
4. Get mentioned by other people
AI assistants weigh what others say about you, not just what you say about yourself. Reviews, local news stories, industry directories, “best of” lists, partner websites, and community discussions all add up. You cannot fake this part, and you should not try.
5. Show real proof
Specific details beat big claims. Real project photos, named team members with real credentials, clear guarantees, and actual results (with dates and context) give AI tools facts they can repeat with confidence.
6. Keep your website easy to read
Use clear headings, short paragraphs, and one main topic per page. Keep important text on the page, not hidden inside images. A fast, well-built website helps both people and machines.
What does not work
Stuffing pages with “best” and “top-rated” will not help. Neither will publishing dozens of near-identical city pages. Google warns that creating lots of near-duplicate pages mainly to manipulate rankings or AI answers counts as scaled content abuse, which is spam. Google also says you do not need special AI text files or extra markup to appear in its AI features.
How to track your AI visibility
There is no perfect report yet, but you can still measure progress:
• Once a month, ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and Perplexity 10 to 20 real questions your customers ask. Note who gets named and what is said.
• Verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools. Its AI Performance report shows how often your pages are cited in Copilot and Bing’s AI answers.
• Check the Generative AI report in Google Search Console for AI Overviews and AI Mode impressions.
• In Google Analytics, watch for visits coming from chatgpt.com, gemini.google.com, and similar sites.
• Ask new leads how they found you, and add “ChatGPT or another AI tool” as an answer option.
Track this alongside your normal search results. AI visibility and SEO rely on the same foundation, so it makes sense to work on them together. You can read more about how AEO services fit into that picture.
Frequently asked questions
Is AEO different from SEO?
They overlap a lot. SEO helps you rank in search results. AEO focuses on being named and cited inside AI answers. Most of the groundwork, like clear pages, accurate business details, and real reviews, helps both.
Can anyone guarantee my business will be recommended by ChatGPT?
No. AI answers change by question, by person, and over time. Be careful with anyone who promises a guaranteed spot.
How long does it take to show up in AI answers?
It depends on your industry and competition. Fixing blocked crawlers and wrong business details can help fairly quickly. Building mentions and trust takes months.
Sources
• OpenAI: Overview of OpenAI crawlers
• Google Search Central: Search Generative AI performance reports (June 3, 2026)
About the author
Vishal Chandra, Head of Operations at Brandmasterz. Vishal has 7 years of experience in marketing and oversees how client work gets planned, delivered, and reported at Brandmasterz. Outside work, he plays guitar and performs with his band.