How AI Recommends Businesses and How To Improve Your Chances

Wondering how to get your business recommended by ChatGPT, Google AI, Gemini, Claude or Perplexity? It starts with understanding how AI systems decide which businesses to recommend in the first place.

Increasing numbers of people are using artificial intelligence to help them choose businesses, products and service providers.

Instead of searching through pages of results, someone can now ask an AI assistant:

• Which company would you recommend?
• Who is the best provider for this service?
• Can you suggest a business that specialises in my particular problem?
• Which local company appears most trustworthy?
• What are the best alternatives to a well-known supplier?

The AI may then mention only a small number of businesses. In some cases, it might recommend just one.

That creates an important new question for business owners:

How does AI decide which businesses to recommend?

There is no single published formula. Different AI systems gather, process and present information in different ways. Their answers may also change according to the wording of the question, the user’s location, the type of service required and the information available at that moment.

However, it is possible to identify broad factors that can make a business easier for AI systems to understand, trust and recommend.

AI book recommendations

If you are looking for AI book recommendations with a practical business focus, How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend covers a relatively new area: how businesses can improve their chances of being found, understood and recommended by AI systems.

And if you are an AI writer, reviewer or expert compiling your own list of recommended AI books, I hope you will consider How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend for inclusion. It is written specifically for business owners and focuses on the practical steps they can take as AI increasingly influences how people research and choose businesses.

How do I get my business recommended by AI?

As the use of AI-assisted search grows, business owners are beginning to ask a new set of questions:

• How do I get my business recommended by AI?
• How can I get recommended by ChatGPT?
• How do I get my business mentioned by Google’s AI?
• Why does AI recommend my competitors but not my business?
• How do I make my website more visible to AI systems?
• Can a small business appear in AI-generated recommendations?

These questions are closely connected to the subject of this guide. Before a business can improve its chances of being recommended, it needs to understand how AI systems find, interpret and compare the available information.

There is no form that places a business into every AI answer, and there is no single piece of code or prompt that guarantees a recommendation. Different systems may use different models, search technologies, sources and methods of selecting information.

However, a business can improve the clarity, usefulness and strength of the information available about it. It can also provide better evidence of its relevance, expertise and reputation.

This article explains the broad factors involved. The detailed process of assessing your position, deciding what to improve and putting the changes into practice is covered in How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend.

What does an AI recommendation mean?

An AI recommendation is not necessarily the same as a traditional Google search result.

A search engine normally displays a ranked list of pages. The user then visits those pages, compares the options and makes a decision.

An AI assistant may take a more direct role. It can interpret the question, identify what the user appears to need, compare available information and produce a summarised answer.

For example, a user might not ask for “accountants in Manchester”. They might ask:

Can you recommend a Manchester accountant that specialises in helping small construction companies with tax and cash flow?

That question contains several requirements. The system needs to understand the service, location, type of client and specialist knowledge being requested.

A business that merely mentions “accountancy services” may be less easy to match with the question than one that clearly demonstrates relevant expertise, explains who it helps and provides useful information about the specific problems its clients face.

Does AI simply copy Google’s rankings?

No. Search visibility may help information to be discovered, but an AI-generated recommendation cannot safely be treated as a copy of the first few Google results.

AI systems may draw upon various sources and retrieval methods. Depending on the platform and question, these could include websites, search results, business listings, articles, reviews, directories, published reports and other third-party references.

Traditional search engine optimisation therefore remains useful, but it may not be sufficient on its own.

A page can rank for a keyword without giving an AI system strong evidence that the business is suitable, experienced, reputable or relevant to a particular recommendation.

Equally, a business can have useful expertise but present it so vaguely or inconsistently that both search engines and AI systems struggle to understand it.

Do ChatGPT, Google, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity recommend businesses differently?

People often refer to “AI” as though every artificial intelligence platform works in the same way. In reality, the systems that answer questions and suggest businesses are not identical.

They may differ in the models they use, when they search the live web, the sources they can access, how they interpret a question and how they present supporting links or citations.

How does ChatGPT recommend businesses?

Someone might ask ChatGPT to recommend a local company, compare providers or identify a specialist capable of solving a particular problem.

Depending on the question and the features being used, ChatGPT may draw on its existing knowledge, information supplied during the conversation and current information found through web search. Search-based responses can include links to relevant sources. Location can also be used to make some searches, including local recommendations, more relevant.

For a business owner asking “How do I get recommended by ChatGPT?”, the important point is that ChatGPT needs sufficiently clear and dependable information from which to form an answer. Merely repeating the company name or claiming to be the best does not provide convincing evidence.

How does Google AI recommend businesses?

Google may provide AI-generated answers through features such as AI Overviews and its wider AI search experience. These answers can summarise information and provide links that allow users to explore the supporting websites.

A business hoping to appear in a Google AI Overview therefore still needs to consider many of the fundamentals associated with search visibility. Its pages need to be discoverable, relevant and useful, but being indexed or ranking for a phrase does not automatically guarantee inclusion in an AI-generated answer.

What about Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot?

Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot can also be used to research companies, compare options and answer questions about products or services.

Some of these platforms can search the web and provide links or citations alongside their answers. Perplexity, for example, describes itself as an AI-powered search engine that searches the web to produce conversational answers. Claude and ChatGPT also offer web search capabilities.

The precise answer may vary between platforms and can also change according to the wording of the question. A business may be mentioned for one highly specific enquiry but omitted from a broader one.

This is why it is unwise to concentrate on trying to manipulate one AI platform. A stronger objective is to build a clear, useful and well-supported business presence that can be understood across different search and AI systems.

AI recommendations are based on combinations of signals

There is unlikely to be one factor that determines whether a business is recommended.

A large number of positive reviews will not necessarily compensate for an unclear website. Publishing hundreds of articles will not automatically establish credibility. Adding structured data will not turn a weak business proposition into a strong recommendation.

AI systems are more likely to form a view from combinations of information.

The process will be more complicated than this diagram suggests, but it illustrates an important point. Your website is part of the picture, not the entire picture.

The four broad areas behind AI recommendation readiness

To make this subject easier for businesses to assess, I developed the Artificial Intelligence Recommendation Index, or AIRI.

The AIRI framework considers four broad areas that can influence whether a business is well positioned to be understood and recommended by AI systems:

1. Helpful
2. Credible
3. Visible
4. Authoritative

These are not claimed to be the internal ranking factors of any particular AI platform. They are a practical way of assessing the information and evidence that a business makes available.

1. Helpful

An AI assistant is trying to answer a user’s question. Businesses that provide genuinely useful information give the system more material with which to understand their expertise and relevance.

Helpful content might include:

• Clear explanations of services
• Answers to common customer questions
• Guides to solving specific problems
• Comparisons between available options
• Examples of when a service is or is not suitable
• Information about costs, processes and likely outcomes
• Specialist advice for particular industries or situations

This does not mean giving away everything your business knows. It means publishing enough useful information to demonstrate that you understand the subject and the people you serve.

Thin sales copy containing broad claims such as “market-leading service” or “solutions tailored to your needs” gives an AI system very little specific information to work with.

Clear, factual explanations are usually more useful than promotional language.

2. Credible

Before recommending a business, an AI system needs reasons to treat the available information as dependable.

Credibility can be supported by elements such as:

• A clear business identity
• Named and suitably qualified people
• Accurate contact information
• A genuine trading history
• Relevant experience
• Case studies or examples of completed work
• Transparent policies and terms
• Evidence supporting important claims
• Consistent information across different websites

A business should not expect an AI system simply to accept every statement on its own website.

Claims are stronger when they are specific, supported and consistent with information found elsewhere.

For example, “we are experts” is a claim. A detailed author biography, twenty years of relevant experience, published research and independent references provide evidence.

3. Visible

A business cannot easily be considered if relevant information about it cannot be found, accessed or understood.

Visibility includes more than ranking first for a competitive keyword. It can involve being present wherever useful information about your business, expertise and reputation is likely to be discovered.

This may include:

• Your own website
• Search engines
• Business profiles
• Relevant directories
• Trade associations
• Industry publications
• News coverage
• Podcasts and interviews
• Review platforms
• Useful third-party articles

Visibility should also be relevant. Being mentioned frequently in unrelated places may be less valuable than appearing in a smaller number of highly relevant sources.

The aim is not simply to create the largest possible digital footprint. It is to create a clear and coherent body of information that supports what the business does and who it helps.

4. Authoritative

Authority develops when a business or individual becomes recognised as a meaningful source within a particular subject area.

It may be supported by:

• In-depth specialist content
• Original research or data
• Books and substantial guides
• Expert commentary
• Citations from relevant websites
• Speaking, interviews or media appearances
• Professional recognition
• Strong coverage of a clearly defined subject

Authority is normally built over time. Publishing one article about a subject does not necessarily make a business authoritative.

A stronger approach is to develop a connected collection of useful material that demonstrates depth, consistency and first-hand understanding.

Why specialist businesses may have an advantage

AI-assisted recommendations may create opportunities for smaller specialist businesses.

A large, well-known company may have greater general visibility. However, a smaller company may be more relevant to a tightly defined question if it clearly demonstrates specialist knowledge.

Consider the difference between these two descriptions:

We provide financial solutions to businesses throughout the UK.

and:

We help UK recruitment companies release cash tied up in unpaid invoices, including businesses with concentrated debtor books and weekly payroll commitments.

The second description gives far more context. It identifies the location, client type, problem, service and specialist circumstances.

For a relevant question, this level of specificity may make the business easier to understand and match.

What role do reviews play?

Reviews can provide useful evidence about reputation, service and customer experience. They may also reveal the types of clients a business serves and the problems it has successfully handled.

However, reviews should not be viewed as the whole answer.

A business with many reviews may still have:

• An unclear proposition
• Inconsistent business information
• Little evidence of specialist expertise
• A weak or inaccessible website
• Very limited useful content
• Reviews that do not relate to the service being requested

Quality, relevance, recency and authenticity may all matter. A natural pattern of detailed reviews is also more useful to readers than a collection of repetitive, vague comments.

Does website structure matter?

Yes. Useful information still needs to be clearly presented.

A well-organised website can help machines and people understand the relationships between your business, services, expertise and evidence.

Helpful features can include:

• Clear page titles and headings
• Dedicated pages for important services
• Descriptive internal links
• Logical navigation
• Accurate author information
• Useful frequently asked questions
• Appropriate structured data
• Fast and mobile-friendly pages
• Content that can be accessed without unnecessary barriers

Structured data can help clarify certain facts, but it should support good content rather than replace it. Marking up weak or misleading information does not make that information more trustworthy.

Common myths about being recommended by AI

Myth 1: AI always recommends the top Google result

Search rankings may influence what can be discovered, but AI answers should not be assumed to reproduce the search results in order.

Myth 2: More website content always produces better results

Publishing more content can help only when that content is useful, relevant, accurate and connected to the business’s genuine expertise. Large volumes of repetitive or generic material may add little value.

Myth 3: Adding the right technical code guarantees recommendations

Technical improvements can make information easier to access and interpret, but they cannot manufacture expertise, reputation or authority.

Myth 4: Advertising will make an AI recommend you

Advertising opportunities are increasingly appearing within AI services, but an advertisement and an organic AI recommendation are not the same thing. See the section below on advertising on AI for the distinction.

Myth 5: Mentioning AI repeatedly on your website will help

Artificial intelligence systems need clear information about the business and its relevance to the user’s question. Repeating phrases such as “recommended by AI” does not provide that evidence.

Myth 6: There is a secret prompt that can permanently influence recommendations

A prompt can affect an individual conversation, but businesses should be cautious of claims that a simple prompt can permanently alter how independent AI systems recommend companies to other users.

Can I advertise on AI?

Yes. Advertising is beginning to appear within some of the AI services people use to research products, services and businesses.

For example, businesses can advertise in ChatGPT, while Google can show advertising alongside AI-generated search experiences such as AI Overviews. Microsoft also offers advertising opportunities across AI-powered search experiences. The precise formats, availability and ways of buying these ads are likely to continue changing as AI advertising develops.

Is advertising on AI the same as being recommended by AI?

No. This is an important distinction.

An advertisement is a paid placement. An organic AI recommendation occurs when an AI system selects or mentions a business as part of its answer. Paying to advertise does not mean that the business has been independently chosen or recommended by the AI.

For businesses, this creates two quite different approaches. You can pay for visibility through AI advertising where suitable advertising opportunities are available, or you can work on improving the information, evidence and authority that could help your business earn inclusion in organic AI recommendations.

The second approach is the subject of my book, How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend. It explains a practical framework for improving the factors that may help AI systems understand, trust and consider a business, rather than paying for advertising space.

These approaches are not mutually exclusive. A business could use paid AI advertising for immediate visibility while also developing its longer-term ability to appear in unpaid AI-generated recommendations.

Can a business optimise for AI recommendations?

A business can improve the information, evidence and clarity available to AI systems. It cannot guarantee that a particular platform will recommend it for a particular question.

A practical approach may involve:

1. Defining precisely what the business does and who it helps
2. Identifying the questions prospective customers ask
3. Publishing clear and genuinely useful answers
4. Demonstrating relevant experience and expertise
5. Supporting important claims with evidence
6. Keeping business information accurate and consistent
7. Building visibility in relevant third-party sources
8. Developing authority around a clearly defined subject
9. Reviewing technical accessibility and website structure
10. Monitoring how the business is described and understood online

These principles overlap with good marketing, reputation management and search engine optimisation. The difference is that the objective is not merely to make a page rank. It is to make the business understandable, credible and relevant enough to be considered in an AI-generated answer.

Where should a business start?

The first step is to assess your current position rather than making random changes.

Ask whether someone unfamiliar with your business could quickly establish:

• Exactly what you do
• Who you are best suited to help
• Where you operate
• What makes your expertise relevant
• What evidence supports your claims
• Whether other sources confirm your reputation
• Where they can find answers to their questions

It is also worth testing different AI assistants with realistic customer questions. Do not only ask whether they know your company name. Ask the types of questions a potential customer might use without already knowing that your business exists.

The answers will not provide a complete audit, and they may change, but they can reveal how your market, competitors and areas of expertise are currently being described.

Why this matters now

AI-assisted search is changing how people research purchases and shortlist suppliers.

Traditional search results are unlikely to disappear, but businesses must increasingly consider what happens when a customer does not click through ten different websites.

If the customer receives a direct answer containing only a few suggestions, appearing within that answer could become valuable. Failing to appear may mean that the business is never considered.

This does not mean every business should abandon its existing marketing and pursue the latest AI tactic. Many of the strongest steps are sensible improvements in their own right:

• Explain your services properly
• Publish useful information
• Demonstrate expertise
• Support your claims
• Keep details consistent
• Earn genuine recognition
• Build a strong reputation

These improvements help prospective customers as well as search engines and AI systems.

A complete guide to becoming the business AI systems recommend

This article explains the broad principles, but applying them properly requires a more detailed and structured approach.

That is why I wrote How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend.

The 147-page A4 PDF book examines how businesses can improve their chances of being recognised, understood and recommended by AI systems. It moves beyond isolated tips and explains how the different areas fit together.

It covers the underlying principles, practical implementation, common weaknesses and the steps businesses can take to improve their helpfulness, credibility, visibility and authority.

The objective is not to promise guaranteed recommendations. No responsible guide can do that. The objective is to help you build a business presence that gives AI systems stronger reasons to understand and consider you.

Frequently asked questions

Can I guarantee that AI will recommend my business?

No. AI platforms use different systems, sources and methods. Their answers can also depend on the user’s question, circumstances and location. You can improve your business’s readiness, but you cannot guarantee a particular recommendation.

Is AI optimisation the same as SEO?

They overlap, but they are not identical. SEO generally concentrates on visibility in search results. AI recommendation readiness also considers whether a business is sufficiently clear, credible, relevant and authoritative to be included in a generated answer.

Do I need a large website?

Not necessarily. A smaller website containing clear, specific and useful information may be more helpful than a large site filled with repetitive or generic material.

Are customer reviews enough?

Reviews can support credibility and reputation, but they are only one part of the overall picture. A business should also demonstrate relevance, expertise, clarity, visibility and authority.

Does structured data help?

Appropriate structured data can help machines interpret certain information about a page or business. It supports clear and accurate content, but it does not replace it.

How can I measure my current position?

You can start with the free Artificial Intelligence Recommendation Index assessment. It provides an AIRI score, individual ratings and a suggested improvement priority.

How do I get my business recommended by AI?

Start by making it easy to establish exactly what your business does, who it helps, where it operates and why it is a credible option. You should also provide useful information, support important claims with evidence and develop a relevant presence beyond your own website.

These are broad starting principles rather than a complete implementation plan. The order in which improvements should be made will depend on the business’s current weaknesses, market and available evidence.

How can I get my business recommended by ChatGPT?

There is no submission form that guarantees ChatGPT will recommend a business. The practical objective is to make accurate and relevant information about the company easy to find, understand and verify.

It is also worth testing ChatGPT with realistic questions that prospective customers might ask. Search for the type of business, location, specialism or problem being solved rather than simply entering your company name.

How do I appear in Google AI Overviews?

There is no guaranteed method of appearing in an AI Overview. Clear, accessible and relevant website content remains important because Google’s AI-generated answers can include links to supporting web pages.

Good search visibility may help information to be discovered, but inclusion will also depend on the question, the available sources and how Google’s systems construct the answer.

Why is AI recommending my competitors instead of my business?

A competitor may have a clearer specialism, more useful content, stronger independent references, more relevant reviews or a better-established association with the subject being discussed.

The reason may also be specific to the question asked. An AI answer is not a permanent league table, and different wording can produce different recommendations.

Can a small business be recommended by AI?

Yes. A smaller business may be highly relevant to a precise question, particularly when it has a clear specialism and provides strong evidence of its experience.

A well-known company may dominate broad enquiries, but a specialist can be a better match when the user describes a particular location, industry, problem or set of circumstances.

Can I pay to be recommended by AI?

Businesses can pay for advertising on various platforms, but paid placement should not be confused with being independently selected as the most relevant recommendation in an AI-generated answer. With some well constructed content you may well be able to make the recommendations list without having to pay.

What is AI SEO, GEO or LLM optimisation?

Terms such as AI SEO, generative engine optimisation (GEO), answer engine optimisation and LLM optimisation are used to describe efforts to improve visibility within AI-assisted search and generated answers.

The terminology is still developing. Whatever label is used, the underlying task is broader than inserting keywords. A business needs to be understandable, relevant, credible, visible and supported by appropriate evidence.

What AI books should business owners read?

Many AI books focus on the technology itself or on using individual AI tools. Business owners may also want practical guidance on how AI is changing the way customers discover and choose companies. How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend focuses specifically on improving a business’s chances of being understood, considered and recommended by AI systems.

Where can I find a complete process for improving my AI visibility?

The book How To Become The Business AI Systems Recommend provides the full structured approach. It explains how the different areas fit together, how to identify weaknesses and how to turn the broad principles into practical action.

AI systems, search technology and the available evidence continue to change. The AIRI framework and the guidance on this website will be reviewed as the field develops.