How do AI assistants choose businesses to mention?
When someone asks an assistant for a recommendation, it draws on what it learned during training and, increasingly, on live web searches. Either way it leans on sources it can read easily and that agree with each other. A business that appears consistently across its own website, directories, reviews and local press is easier to recommend with confidence.
A practical GEO checklist
1. Let AI crawlers in
Check your robots.txt. Some sites block AI crawlers such as GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot or ClaudeBot without realizing it. If you want to be cited, allow them. An llms.txt file that summarizes your business and key pages is a low-effort bonus.
2. State who you are, the same way everywhere
- Business name, exactly as registered
- Address, phone and service area
- Services and industries
- Licenses, certifications and years in business
Repeat these consistently on your site, your Google Business Profile and major directories, and describe them with Organization or LocalBusiness schema.
3. Write pages that are easy to quote
Use descriptive headings, short paragraphs, definitions, comparison tables and step-by-step instructions. Put the answer first.
4. Publish original information
AI systems value information they cannot find elsewhere: your project photos, before-and-after examples, local case studies, your own checklists and pricing guides.
5. Build a reputation beyond your website
Genuine customer reviews, local news coverage, professional associations, reputable directories and partner websites all corroborate what your site says.
How do you know if it is working?
Pick ten to twenty questions your customers actually ask, such as “who offers emergency roof repair near Bound Brook?”. Ask them in each major assistant on a regular schedule and record whether you are mentioned, whether your site is cited, and which competitors appear. Watch for referral visits from AI platforms in your analytics.
Treat AI visibility like reputation: you cannot buy it, but you can earn it steadily and measure it honestly.