Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity to recommend a business and you will not get ten links. You will get one or two names and, often, the sources behind them. For a local business, being that name is worth more than any single ranking.
Where these models get their answers
Assistants draw on what they learned in training and, increasingly, on live web results and sources they can cite. That means your public footprint, your website, your Google Business Profile, reviews, and mentions across the web, shapes what they say about you.
Make yourself easy to recommend
- Publish clear, factual pages that describe exactly what you do and where.
- Keep your name, address and phone consistent everywhere.
- Earn genuine reviews; models notice reputation.
- Get mentioned by local publications and directories the models trust.
Give the model the facts it needs
If a customer asks for "a family dentist in Decatur open on Saturdays," the assistant can only recommend you if that information exists, clearly, somewhere it can read. Spell out your services, hours, neighborhoods and specialties in plain language.
ChatGPT and Perplexity work differently
Perplexity leans heavily on live search and shows its sources, so fresh, citable pages and strong authority matter most. ChatGPT blends training knowledge with live browsing, so a consistent, well-established footprint over time helps as much as any single page. Optimising for both means being clear, current and credible, not gaming one system.
It all compounds
This is exactly what Generative Engine Optimization is for, and it compounds: the same work that gets you cited in ChatGPT also helps you in Google’s AI Overviews and Gemini. You are building one trustworthy, machine-readable presence, not chasing each assistant separately.
To find out what ChatGPT and Perplexity say about you today, follow our step-by-step AI visibility audit guide. Because the same signals feed Google, it also helps to know how Google AI Overviews choose their sources. Our Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) services and AI SEO services for Atlanta businesses put this work on a steady schedule.
Want to know where you stand? Every engagement starts with a free AI SEO audit, a written report in two business days with no sales call.
Frequently asked questions
How do I even see what ChatGPT says about my business?
Ask it directly, the way a customer would, "recommend a [your service] in [your area]", and note whether you appear and what sources it cites. We monitor this systematically across assistants as part of an engagement.
Do I need to be in ChatGPT’s training data?
Not necessarily. Assistants increasingly browse live results and cite current pages, so a clear, authoritative, up-to-date web presence can get you recommended even for recent information.
Is this the same as GEO?
Yes, getting recommended by assistants is the core goal of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). It overlaps with Answer Engine Optimization and classic SEO, which is why we usually do them together.
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