Some people no longer type "plumber Otley" into Google. They ask a question instead, in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Google’s own AI Mode: "Who’s a good plumber near Otley who can fit a new bathroom?" Google may also show an AI Overview at the top of ordinary search results, summarising an answer before the usual links.
So business owners understandably ask: how do I get mentioned in those answers? This guide gives a straight answer, starting with what nobody can promise.
The honest bit first
Nobody can guarantee that an AI tool will mention your business. Not us, not anyone. These tools are built differently, they change often, and the companies behind them don’t publish a full recipe for how they choose which businesses to name. The same question asked twice can get different answers.
Be wary of anyone selling a guaranteed AI ranking or a special trick. What you can do is make sure that when one of these tools looks for information about local businesses, the information about yours is clear, consistent and backed up by genuine evidence.
Google’s own guidance for site owners is helpful here. It says there are no additional requirements or special optimisations needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and that the usual basics of a good, crawlable, useful website apply. That’s reassuring: the work below is the same work that helps you in ordinary search.
Five things that give you a fair chance
1. Say plainly what you do and where you do it
AI tools can only repeat what they can find and understand. If your website says "quality solutions for your home" and nothing else, there’s very little to go on.
Make sure your website has:
- A separate page for each main service, written in the words customers use.
- A clear list of the towns and areas you cover, such as Otley, Ilkley and Wetherby, with genuine detail about working there rather than a bare list.
- Your business name, phone number and area shown in text, not only inside an image.
- Recent examples of work, with a sentence or two about each job.
2. Keep your business details the same everywhere
Different tools draw on different sources. Some lean on Google, others on Bing or Apple Maps, and many look across the wider web. That makes consistency important. Check that your business name, phone number, website, hours and categories match on:
- Your Google Business Profile.
- Bing Places for Business.
- Apple Business Connect, which manages how you appear in Apple Maps.
- Your own website, and any directories or trade body listings you’re on.
If you’ve moved, changed number or rebranded, hunt down the old details and update them. Conflicting information makes it harder for any system, human or machine, to be sure about you.
3. Collect genuine reviews, steadily
When someone asks for a "good" or "reliable" local business, it’s reasonable to expect an AI tool to look for signs that other people have been happy. Reviews are one of the most visible signs there are. Ask every customer for honest feedback, reply to every review, and never buy, swap or incentivise reviews. That’s against Google’s policies and, since April 2025, against specific UK rules on fake reviews.
4. Get mentioned locally
Being talked about on other websites helps show you’re a real, established local business. Think about where your name could reasonably appear:
- A local business network or chamber of commerce directory.
- A trade association or certification body’s list of members.
- A community group, school fair or sports club you support.
- A supplier’s list of approved installers.
- Local news, if you’ve done something genuinely newsworthy.
These take time and can’t be faked convincingly. That’s why they’re worth having.
5. Answer real questions on your website
People ask AI tools full questions, such as "Does anyone in Keighley repair sash windows rather than replace them?" A website that answers the questions your customers actually ask stands a better chance of being useful to that kind of search. Good FAQs are short, specific and honest:
- Which areas do you cover, and is there a call-out charge?
- How soon can you usually start?
- Do you give a fixed quote before starting?
- Are you registered or accredited for this kind of work?
Put FAQs on the service pages they relate to, not just one long FAQ page. Then update them when you notice customers asking something new.
What you can safely skip
You’ll see plenty of advice about special files, AI-only pages or hidden text aimed at chatbots. For Google’s AI features, Google says you don’t need new machine-readable files, AI text files or special markup. Other tools may behave differently, but there’s no reliable evidence that tricks beat a clear, honest website. Pages written for robots rather than people tend to help neither.
It’s also worth checking for yourself now and then. Ask a couple of AI tools the questions your customers might ask, and note what comes back. Treat it as a rough snapshot, not a score.
Where to start
- Read your homepage as a stranger would. Is it obvious what you do and where?
- Check your details on Google, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect, and correct anything that doesn’t match.
- Write down five questions customers asked you this month and answer them on your website.
- List three local organisations that could reasonably mention your business.
- Ask your last few customers for an honest review.
All of this is part of the Driving Sales Locally monthly plan, from service pages and FAQs to keeping your listings consistent. If you’d like to talk it through, book a free call.
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone guarantee my business will be recommended by ChatGPT or Google’s AI?
No. These tools work differently, change often and don’t publish exactly how they choose businesses. Anyone promising a guaranteed mention is overselling. You can make your information clear, consistent and well supported, which gives you a fair chance.
Do I need special files or markup for AI search?
For Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google says there are no additional requirements and you don’t need special AI files or markup. A clear, useful, crawlable website is the foundation.
Why do Bing Places and Apple Business Connect matter?
Different tools draw on different sources, so it makes sense for your business details to be accurate and consistent across Google, Bing and Apple Maps, not just one of them.