How to get your local business recommended by ChatGPT
Getting recommended by AI assistants isn't luck — it's working the same signals they use to choose who to name. Here's the checklist we run for local businesses.
Step 1 — Own your Google Business Profile
Complete every field, pick the most specific primary category, add services, hours, photos, and Q&A. This is the highest-leverage local signal, full stop.
Step 2 — Make your site machine-readable
Add LocalBusiness and Service structured data, publish a page for each service and each city you serve, and answer the real questions customers ask in plain language. Consider an llms.txt so assistants can summarize you accurately.
Step 3 — Build reviews and citations
Steady, recent reviews matter more than a big old pile. Make sure your name, address, and phone are identical across the directories AI draws on.
Step 4 — Get into the lists AI cites
Assistants love "best [trade] in [city]" roundups and review-platform pages. Earning a spot in those is often what flips you from invisible to named.
Step 5 — Measure and repeat
Track your mention rate across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity over time so you can see the work landing and catch drops early.
Want to skip the DIY? MentionedOn Concierge does all of this for you and proves it with your visibility trend. Or start with a free scan to see your baseline.
Keep reading
What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
GEO is the practice of optimizing your brand to be mentioned and cited by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. Here's how it works and why it matters.
Why isn't my business showing up in ChatGPT?
If ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity never names your business when customers ask, here are the real reasons — and the specific fixes that get you into the answer.
Do customers really use AI to find local businesses?
Short answer: increasingly, yes. Here's what's changing about how people find plumbers, dentists, lawyers, and restaurants — and why it matters for your business.