Hey there,
Something big is quietly happening to how customers find you. When people want a plumber, a restaurant, or a bookkeeper, more and more of them aren’t Googling anymore — they’re asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s own AI: “Who’s the best [what you do] near me?”
ChatGPT alone is now handling questions from hundreds of millions of people a week, and AI answers now show up on more than half of Google searches. Here’s the part that matters for you: when someone asks an AI for a recommendation, it names a handful of businesses — and if you’re not one of them, you’re invisible. The good news is that getting recommended isn’t luck. It’s a short, doable checklist. Let’s run it.
FIRST, SEE WHAT THE AI SAYS ABOUT YOU RIGHT NOW
Open ChatGPT and ask it the exact questions your customers would: “What are the best [your type of business] in [your town]?” and “Tell me about [your business name].” Then do the same in Google’s AI results.
Two things to look for: Does it mention you at all? And is what it says accurate? This five-minute check is your baseline. Most owners are shocked to find they’re either missing entirely or described with old, wrong information.
WHY AI RECOMMENDS SOME BUSINESSES AND NOT OTHERS
AI doesn’t rank you the old SEO way. It recommends businesses it can trust and clearly understand. It’s looking for three things: a clear, consistent story of what you do and where, lots of other places online that “vouch” for you, and easy-to-quote answers to common questions.
In plain English: be easy to understand, be talked about, and be consistent everywhere.
THE HIGH-IMPACT MOVES (IN ORDER)
Fix your Google Business Profile first. This is the single biggest source AI pulls from. Make sure your category, hours, location, phone, and services are complete and correct. Have AI help: paste in your current profile and ask, “What’s missing or unclear here that would stop an AI from confidently recommending my business?”
Pile up reviews — and reply to them. AI reads reviews as votes of trust. A steady stream of recent, replied-to reviews is one of the strongest signals you can send. (If you missed our issue on getting more 5-star reviews, this is the week to act on it.)
Answer real questions on your website in plain language. AI loves lifting a clean, direct answer. Add a simple FAQ. Ask AI: “List the 10 questions customers most often ask a [your business type], and write a clear 2-3 sentence answer to each in my voice.”
Be identical everywhere. Your name, address, and phone should match exactly across Google, Yelp, Facebook, and your site. Mismatches make AI unsure — and unsure means unmentioned.
THE GUARDRAILS
Never fake reviews or stuff your site with keywords. AI systems are getting good at spotting manipulation, and it can get you buried or your profile suspended. Earn the trust honestly — it’s more durable anyway.
Don’t obsess over being #1. Being one of the 3-5 businesses the AI names is the whole game. Consistency beats cleverness.
Recheck monthly. Ask the AI the same questions again in a few weeks. You’ll literally watch yourself show up as the fixes take hold.
YOUR ACTION PLAN THIS WEEK
Run the five-minute check: ask ChatGPT and Google’s AI about your business and your competitors. Then do exactly one thing — complete your Google Business Profile using the AI audit prompt above. That single move puts you ahead of most of your competitors, who don’t even know this shift is happening yet.
If this opened your eyes, forward it to one business owner you respect. Most of them have no idea their customers are already asking AI who to hire — and the early movers are going to clean up.
Talk soon,
Dave
The AI Playbook
