The way customers find businesses is changing dramatically.
Over 200 million people use ChatGPT every week. Instead of Googling "best plumber near me" and clicking through ten blue links, they're asking AI for recommendations—and getting instant answers.
When someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity for a business recommendation, only a handful of companies get mentioned. If you're not one of them, you're invisible to a massive and growing audience.
The problem? Traditional SEO strategies don't work for AI search. Directories like Yelp and Google Business Profile were built for humans clicking links, not AI engines parsing structured data.
In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to optimize your business for AI search—so you show up when customers ask AI for recommendations in your category.
AI search refers to how people use large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews to find information.
Traditional search (Google):
AI search (ChatGPT):
The key difference: AI search is answer-based, not link-based. Users don't browse—they get recommendations and act on them immediately.
Traditional SEO focuses on:
These still matter, but AI search engines need something different.
AI search requires:
Example:
Google sees this:
<h1>Joe's Plumbing - Austin TX</h1>
<p>We're the best plumbers in Austin with great reviews!</p>
ChatGPT needs this:
{
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Joe's Plumbing",
"address": {
"addressLocality": "Austin",
"addressRegion": "TX"
},
"priceRange": "$89 service call, $125/hour",
"telephone": "+1-512-555-0100",
"openingHours": "Mo-Su 00:00-24:00",
"serviceType": ["Emergency plumbing", "Water heater repair", "Drain cleaning"]
}
AI engines can't interpret marketing language like "best plumbers" or "great reviews." They need structured, factual data they can parse and cite with confidence.
When someone asks ChatGPT for a business recommendation, the AI considers:
1. Comprehensiveness
2. Structure
3. Recency
4. Authority
5. Relevance
Your goal: Score highly on all five factors.
Schema markup is structured data that helps AI engines understand your business information.
Schema.org is a standardized vocabulary for describing entities on the web. Think of it as "tags" that label your content for machines.
Without schema:
Call us at 512-555-0100
With schema:
"telephone": "+1-512-555-0100"
AI engines can instantly recognize the second format as a phone number, while the first requires interpretation.
LocalBusiness Schema:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Your Business Name",
"image": "https://yourbusiness.com/logo.jpg",
"description": "Licensed plumber serving Austin with 24/7 emergency service",
"@id": "https://yourbusiness.com",
"url": "https://yourbusiness.com",
"telephone": "+1-512-555-0100",
"priceRange": "$89-$200",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main St",
"addressLocality": "Austin",
"addressRegion": "TX",
"postalCode": "78701",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": 30.2672,
"longitude": -97.7431
},
"openingHoursSpecification": {
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": [
"Monday",
"Tuesday",
"Wednesday",
"Thursday",
"Friday",
"Saturday",
"Sunday"
],
"opens": "00:00",
"closes": "23:59"
},
"sameAs": [
"https://facebook.com/yourbusiness",
"https://instagram.com/yourbusiness"
]
}
Where to add this: In the <head> section of your website, wrapped in <script type="application/ld+json"> tags.
{
"@type": "Service",
"serviceType": "Emergency Plumbing",
"provider": {
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Your Business"
},
"areaServed": {
"@type": "City",
"name": "Austin"
},
"hasOfferCatalog": {
"@type": "OfferCatalog",
"name": "Plumbing Services",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "Offer",
"itemOffered": {
"@type": "Service",
"name": "Water Heater Installation"
}
},
{
"@type": "Offer",
"itemOffered": {
"@type": "Service",
"name": "Drain Cleaning"
}
}
]
}
}
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "Do you offer emergency plumbing services?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Yes, we offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services in Austin, Texas. Call us anytime at 512-555-0100."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How much does a service call cost?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Our standard service call is $89, which is waived if we perform the work. Hourly labor is $125/hour."
}
}
]
}
{
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.8",
"reviewCount": "127"
}
}
Option 1: Manual (if you control your website)
<head> sectionOption 2: WordPress Plugins
Option 3: Use a Service
After implementing:
AI search engines respond to natural language queries. Your content needs to match how people actually ask questions.
Plumbing Services in Austin
Joe's Plumbing offers professional plumbing services
in Austin, TX. We are the best plumbers with competitive
rates and excellent customer service.
This is keyword-optimized for Google, but unhelpful for AI.
Emergency Plumber in Austin, TX - Joe's Plumbing
Available 24/7 for Plumbing Emergencies
Services:
- Water heater repair and installation
- Drain cleaning and unclogging
- Leak detection and pipe repair
- Emergency plumbing (24/7)
- Bathroom and kitchen plumbing
Service Area: Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville
Pricing:
- $89 service call (waived if work is performed)
- $125/hour standard labor
- $175/hour emergency (nights/weekends)
- 10% senior citizen discount
Hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
Licensed & Insured: TX Master Plumber License #M-12345
Common Questions:
Q: Do you offer same-day service?
A: Yes, we typically arrive within 2 hours for emergency calls.
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: We accept cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), and checks.
Q: Are you licensed and insured?
A: Yes, we hold Texas Master Plumber License #M-12345 and carry full liability insurance.
Why this works for AI:
Use H2/H3 headings that match questions:
Provide complete answers:
Add FAQ sections:
Update regularly:
Most AI searches for businesses include location. Make sure your local signals are strong.
1. Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
Your business name, address, and phone number must be identical everywhere:
Even small variations hurt:
2. Google Business Profile
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business):
3. Location Pages
If you serve multiple cities, create separate pages for each:
Each page should have:
4. Citations & Directory Listings
Get listed on major directories:
Keep NAP consistent across all listings.
AI engines trust sources that other credible sites trust.
1. Get Reviews
Reviews signal trust. Focus on:
Pro tip: Respond to every review (positive and negative). This shows AI engines you're engaged and active.
2. Earn Media Mentions
Get mentioned by authoritative sources:
Each mention is a signal to AI that you're a legitimate, noteworthy business.
3. Professional Associations
Join and get listed in:
Add these credentials to your website with schema markup:
"hasCredential": {
"@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
"credentialCategory": "BBB Accredited",
"description": "A+ Rating with Better Business Bureau"
}
4. Link Building
Get backlinks from:
Quality over quantity. One link from a trusted local news site beats 100 links from low-quality directories.
AI engines prioritize recent, up-to-date information.
Weekly:
Monthly:
Quarterly:
Annually:
Tell AI engines when content was last updated:
<p>Last updated: October 13, 2025</p>
Or use schema:
"dateModified": "2025-10-13"
You can't improve what you don't measure.
Manual Testing:
Ask ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity questions like:
Take note of:
Track Over Time:
Test the same queries monthly:
Gemdex (shameless plug): We track your visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity automatically. You get:
DIY AI Visibility Tracking:
Create a spreadsheet:
Test monthly and track changes.
Many AI searches happen via voice (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant).
Use natural, conversational language:
Answer complete questions:
Focus on long-tail, question-based queries:
Optimize for "near me" searches:
Don't do this:
Austin plumber | plumbers in Austin | Austin TX plumbing |
best plumber Austin | emergency plumber Austin |
plumbing services Austin
AI engines see through this. Write naturally for humans.
Don't do this:
AI can't cite vague information. Be specific:
Don't do this:
AI engines deprioritize stale content.
Without schema, AI engines have to guess what your content means. Don't make them guess—use structured data.
If your website says one thing, Google says another, and Yelp says a third, AI engines won't trust any of it.
Make sure NAP (name, address, phone number) is identical everywhere.
AI search is evolving rapidly. Here's what's coming:
OpenAI is working towards booking functionality directly in ChatGPT:
Businesses with optimized, structured data will appear in these results. Those without won't.
AI engines will soon handle transactions:
This isn't hypothetical—OpenAI Instant Checkout already launched in October 2025 for e-commerce.
AI will remember user preferences:
Businesses in AI-native directories will benefit from this personalization.
AI search isn't replacing traditional search—it's adding a new layer where businesses can be discovered.
The businesses that optimize now will have a massive advantage when ChatGPT Instant Booking launches and AI-driven commerce becomes mainstream.
Action steps to take today:
The shift is happening now. By optimizing for AI search today, you'll be positioned to win when AI-driven commerce becomes the norm in 2026 and beyond.
Want to skip the manual work and get optimized automatically?
Gemdex is the first AI-native business directory. We handle:
Join our early access waitlist (limited to first 500 businesses):