How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT

When someone asks ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity for the best accountant in Geelong, the answer doesn’t come from a paid list. These tools draw on what they’ve learned and, often, what they find on the web at that moment.

Nobody can control those answers, and you should be wary of anyone who promises a guaranteed spot. But you can improve your chances.

Get the SEO basics right first

AI search often leans on search results and pages it can read easily. If your site is slow, hard to crawl or missing from Google, fix that first.

Say exactly what you do and where

Vague lines like “solutions for tomorrow” give AI nothing to work with. Write it plainly: “We’re a family law firm in Parramatta helping clients across Western Sydney.”

Give each main service its own page, and cover the areas you really serve.

Answer the questions customers ask

Think about what people ask before they buy:

• How much does it cost?
• How long does it take?
• Do you work in my area?
• What’s the difference between these options?

Answer each one clearly on your site. A direct answer is easy for AI tools to use.

Add structured data

Structured data, or schema, tells machines what your page means, such as your business name, address, services and questions. It takes a developer little time and helps search engines as well.

Be mentioned on other sites

AI tools look for signs that others know about you. Useful sources include your Google Business Profile, industry associations, local news, directories and genuine customer reviews.

Your name, address and phone number should match everywhere. Never buy fake reviews. They can breach Australian Consumer Law and aren’t worth the risk.

Don’t block AI crawlers by accident

Check that your site’s robots.txt file doesn’t block the crawlers used by AI search tools. Some security settings and plugins do this by default. Blocking them is a fair choice if you want to, but it should be a choice.

Check your progress

Each month, ask a few AI tools the questions your customers would ask, and note whether you appear and what they say. Answers vary, so look for the trend, not one result.