How Do I Get AI to Recommend My Business? (2026 Guide)
Short answer
To get AI to recommend your business, make your company easy to discover, clearly explain who you serve and what makes you a good fit, and support your claims with genuine customer reviews, independent references, and useful website content. Then monitor recommendations across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity to understand where your business appears and where competitors are being chosen instead.
People now use AI assistants to research businesses and compare products and services. Instead of searching for “CRM software” and visiting several websites, someone might ask ChatGPT:
“What is the best affordable CRM for a 15-person consulting company that already uses Microsoft 365?”
Or they might ask Gemini:
“Can you recommend a reliable accountant for a small business in Copenhagen?”
The answer may contain a shortlist of companies with explanations of why each one is suitable. For businesses, this creates a new visibility challenge: being easy to find is no longer the only objective. You also want to be considered when AI recommends a solution.
This guide explains how AI business recommendations work, eight practical ways to improve your chances of being recommended, and how to track your progress using an AI visibility platform such as Cited. It builds on generative engine optimization (GEO); if the term is new, start with our plain-English guide to AI visibility and GEO.
How does AI decide which businesses to recommend?
AI assistants generate recommendations based on the information available to them and the user’s particular question. Depending on the platform and situation, that information may come from a model’s existing knowledge, live web search, business listings, product information, independent reviews, or other available sources.
Different AI platforms use different search and retrieval systems. OpenAI’s help article on searching the web with ChatGPT explains that ChatGPT can search the web for current information, sometimes working with third-party search providers, and that search results and citations can be incomplete or incorrect; OpenAI does not publish a ranking formula or guarantee placement. Google’s guidance on AI features and your website advises site owners to keep following established SEO best practices for its AI-powered Search experiences.
There is no publicly documented universal formula for getting a business recommended across every AI platform. Instead, businesses can work on several practical areas:
| Area | What a business should demonstrate |
|---|---|
| Relevance | Its product or service fits the user's actual needs |
| Discoverability | Information about the business is accessible online |
| Clarity | Its offering, audience, and capabilities are understandable |
| Evidence | Important claims are supported by real information |
| Reputation | Customers and relevant external sources provide useful independent context |
| Accuracy | Public information about the business is correct and current |
These are useful principles for improving recommendation readiness, not published ranking weights.
An important point is that a business does not need to be the best option for everyone. A company specializing in accounting for early-stage startups may be a strong recommendation for a startup founder but less suitable for a multinational company seeking complex international tax services.
The objective is to be recommended when your business genuinely fits the customer’s needs.
AI mentions, citations, and recommendations: what is the difference?
Before improving AI visibility, it helps to understand what you are trying to measure.
| Outcome | Example |
|---|---|
| Brand mention | “Cited is an AI visibility monitoring platform.” |
| Website citation | An AI answer links to an article on cited.dk |
| Brand recommendation | “For a marketing team that wants to monitor AI mentions and citations, Cited is an option to consider.” |
A brand mention indicates that your company appears in an answer. A website citation indicates that the AI response links to your content as a source. A recommendation goes further: the AI presents your business as a possible solution to the user’s needs.
These outcomes do not always occur together. An AI assistant might cite an article on your website without recommending your product. It might also recommend your business based on an independent review without linking directly to your website.
For companies trying to attract customers, recommendation quality is often more commercially meaningful than the number of times a brand is simply mentioned.
8 ways to get AI to recommend your business
1. Find out whether AI already recommends your company
Before changing your website, establish your starting point. Open ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity and ask the questions your customers might genuinely use.
Avoid relying only on prompts that contain your company name. Those can tell you whether AI recognizes your brand, but not whether it would recommend you to someone unfamiliar with your business. Useful examples include:
For a local business:
- “Who are the best accountants for small businesses in Copenhagen?”
- “Can you recommend a family-friendly hotel near central London?”
- “Which physiotherapy clinics in my area offer evening appointments?”
For a B2B service company:
- “Which consultancies specialize in supply chain optimization for manufacturers?”
- “What are the best agencies for B2B software companies entering the European market?”
For a software company:
- “What tools can help a marketing team monitor brand mentions in AI-generated answers?”
- “Which platforms should a small company consider for GEO monitoring?”
Record the brands named, which ones are recommended, and the reasons given. Also examine any linked sources; they indicate the information the AI assistant had available.
Repeat the exercise over time. One answer should not be treated as a permanent ranking.
What to do: build an initial list of 20–30 representative customer questions and record a baseline of your brand’s visibility.
2. Make it immediately clear what your business does
Many businesses describe themselves using broad marketing language instead of explaining what they actually offer. For example:
“We empower forward-thinking organizations to unlock their potential through innovative solutions.”
“We provide bookkeeping, payroll, and tax preparation services for small businesses in Copenhagen.”
The second example communicates the service, target audience, and relevant location. The same principle applies to software companies:
“Cited is an AI visibility and GEO monitoring platform that helps businesses track when their brands are mentioned, cited, and recommended across leading AI platforms.”
A clear business description should answer four questions:
- What does the business provide?
- Who is it for?
- What problem does it solve?
- What makes it suitable for particular customers?
Use these answers across your homepage, product or service pages, About page, and relevant external profiles. Consistency matters, but it does not require every website to use identical wording. Focus on keeping the underlying facts accurate and understandable.
3. Make your website discoverable and technically accessible
Your website is one of the most important sources of information you control. Ensure it can be accessed by relevant search crawlers and that public information is available without unnecessary technical barriers. Start with:
- Working robots.txt and sitemap files
- Correct canonical URLs
- No accidental noindex directives
- Crawlable public service and product pages
- Clear HTML headings and links
- Readable content in server-rendered or otherwise accessible HTML
- Good mobile usability
- Secure HTTPS connections
Different AI companies use different crawler systems. OpenAI, for example, documents in its overview of OpenAI crawlers that OAI-SearchBot is used for ChatGPT Search discovery, separately from GPTBot, which relates to potential model-training content. Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode use Google Search infrastructure and existing Googlebot controls. Our guide to AI crawlers and robots.txt explains the main agents side by side.
Allowing a search crawler is a technical eligibility consideration, not a guarantee that your company will be recommended.
Also consider accurate structured data. Google supports formats such as Organization, LocalBusiness, and Product structured data for appropriate webpages. These can help describe the business and its offerings, but they do not guarantee placement in AI answers.
What to do: check your most important public pages for indexing, accessibility, and accurate structured information before investing in advanced GEO tactics.
4. Publish content that helps customers choose your business
Most companies publish content explaining what they do. Far fewer explain why someone should choose them over an alternative, which situations they are suitable for, or when a different option might be better. Recommendation-focused content should help people evaluate their choices. Useful topics include:
- Pricing and what is included
- Services and product capabilities
- Ideal customer profiles
- Geographic availability
- Comparisons between different solutions
- Common limitations and tradeoffs
- Case studies showing real outcomes
- Frequently asked questions from potential customers
For example, a software company could publish:
“How to Choose an AI Visibility Monitoring Platform for a Small Marketing Team.”
The article could explain relevant selection criteria, such as supported AI platforms, prompt monitoring, reporting, competitor visibility, and available integrations. A local accounting firm could publish “What Should a Small Business Look for When Choosing an Accountant?” and explain pricing models, industry experience, service scope, and practical questions to ask.
This content helps potential customers make informed decisions and provides clearer information for AI-assisted research. It also matches Google’s guidance on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content.
Avoid claiming that your product is the best choice for everyone. Transparent explanations of strengths, limitations, and suitable use cases are more useful than unsupported superlatives.
5. Earn genuine mentions on relevant third-party websites
Your website explains your business from your own perspective. Independent sources can add information about how your company is perceived or used by others. These may include:
- Specialist industry publications
- Product comparison websites
- Relevant business directories
- Professional associations
- Independent reviews
- Industry interviews and podcasts
- Community discussions
- Genuine customer case studies
For example, a B2B software company could maintain accurate listings on relevant software review platforms and contribute expert analysis to specialist publications. A local services business could focus on reputable directories, professional memberships, local publications, and customer feedback. The value of each source depends on the industry and the question being asked.
One useful illustration comes from an observational study by the GEO company Cheers, which analyzed 34,742 AI answers collected between August 31 and September 20, 2026. In its sample of ChatGPT answers to home-services questions across 100 US and Canadian metropolitan areas, 84% of the answers containing citations referenced at least one directory, review platform, or best-of list.
This is a vendor’s observational data, not official platform guidance. It does not prove that directory mentions cause AI recommendations, and the result should not be generalized to every industry. It does show why investigating the sources already appearing in your category can be useful. Our playbook on getting your brand mentioned by ChatGPT covers how to earn a place in those sources.
What to do: examine the websites AI assistants cite for your most important customer questions and identify relevant opportunities to earn accurate, legitimate coverage.
6. Build a reputation supported by genuine reviews
Customer reviews help prospective buyers evaluate whether a business meets their needs. For local businesses, Google reviews and relevant industry review platforms can be particularly useful. For software companies, specialized review platforms may offer more relevant information.
A useful review can describe what the customer purchased, what problem they were trying to solve, and how the experience went. Make it easy for customers to leave honest feedback, and respond professionally to reviews where appropriate.
Do not offer incentives for positive reviews, fabricate customer experiences, or ask only your happiest customers for reviews. Google’s guidance on getting more reviews states that offering incentives in exchange for a review is strictly prohibited. Reviews should represent genuine customer experiences.
Also remember that reviews are not a substitute for product quality. The strongest long-term approach is to provide good service, maintain accurate information, and make it easy for customers to share their experiences.
7. Optimize for your specific business type
Not every business needs the same AI visibility strategy. A local plumber, a software platform, and an ecommerce retailer have very different customers and recommendation criteria.
| Business type | Most relevant areas to improve |
|---|---|
| Local business | Accurate location and service information, eligible business profiles, genuine reviews, booking details |
| B2B services | Clearly defined expertise, customer use cases, case studies, professional credibility |
| SaaS company | Detailed product documentation, target audiences, transparent capabilities, relevant independent comparisons |
| Ecommerce | Accurate product specifications, pricing, availability, product data, shipping and return information |
For local businesses: keep eligible Google Business Profiles and other relevant listings accurate. Describe services, service areas, opening hours, and contact options clearly.
For B2B services: explain the industries, organization sizes, and types of problems your company is experienced in solving. Publish genuinely useful case studies when customer permission allows.
For SaaS companies: provide transparent product information, relevant integrations, use cases, supported features, and limitations.
For ecommerce businesses: maintain accurate product details and structured product information. Where applicable, Google Merchant Center’s free product listings can make eligible products visible across Google services, including Gemini, although eligibility does not guarantee that they will be shown.
This distinction matters because AI recommendations are contextual. The information needed to recommend a restaurant for a family dinner is different from the information needed to recommend an enterprise software platform.
8. Track recommendations and improve what is missing
The final step is measuring what AI assistants actually say about your business. You should not judge success from one screenshot of ChatGPT recommending your company. Responses can change based on platform, model, date, location, language, user context, and question wording.
Instead, establish a repeatable monitoring process. Start with a fixed collection of relevant questions and track results on a consistent schedule. Measure at least four outcomes:
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Mention rate | How frequently your brand appears in relevant AI answers |
| Recommendation rate | How frequently your business is suggested in recommendation-intent answers |
| Citation rate | How frequently an AI response links to your website |
| Competitive visibility | Which competitors appear for the same customer questions (your AI share of voice) |
Also consider recommendation quality. Suppose your software is designed for small marketing teams. Being recommended as an enterprise-wide analytics solution may generate visibility, but it could create incorrect expectations. A recommendation that accurately identifies your intended audience and capabilities is more useful.
Consider a simple example. You test 40 recommendation-intent answers in one AI platform. Your company is mentioned in 12 answers and recommended as a suitable option in 8. Your mention rate is 30%, and your recommendation rate is 20%. If only 6 recommendations accurately reflect your product’s capabilities and intended audience, your qualified recommendation rate is 15%.
These are illustrative figures, not industry benchmarks.
Cited helps businesses monitor AI-generated answers, measure brand mentions, citations, and recommendations, and identify where competitors are gaining visibility. Using an AI recommendation tracking platform makes it easier to track a fixed set of prompts and evaluate trends instead of relying on occasional manual checks. Explore AI visibility monitoring with Cited.
Why does AI recommend competitors instead of your business?
There is no single explanation. An AI assistant might recommend a competitor because the competitor is genuinely a better match for the user’s requirements. Other possibilities include incomplete public information, differences in available sources, stronger third-party coverage, or missing details about your product’s capabilities.
A useful way to investigate is to compare your business with the companies that repeatedly appear:
| What you observe | What to investigate |
|---|---|
| AI does not mention your business | Discoverability, brand clarity, and relevant public information |
| AI mentions you but recommends competitors | Product fit, use-case information, comparisons, and independent evidence |
| AI describes your business incorrectly | Outdated or inconsistent product and company information |
| AI cites your articles but not your product | Whether your product pages clearly explain relevant capabilities and use cases |
| Your visibility changes substantially | Sampling variation, geographic context, platform updates, and changing sources |
Do not assume that an AI assistant’s explanation of its own recommendation reveals its actual internal ranking process. Treat the visible answer and supporting sources as evidence, rather than interpreting a generated explanation as a complete technical diagnosis.
Is getting recommended by AI different from traditional SEO?
Yes, although many foundations overlap. Traditional SEO focuses on making webpages discoverable and relevant within search results. AI recommendation optimization additionally examines whether an assistant presents your company as a suitable solution within its answer.
| Traditional SEO | AI recommendation optimization |
|---|---|
| Improve search rankings and organic discovery | Improve inclusion in relevant AI-generated recommendations |
| Monitor rankings, impressions, and clicks | Monitor mentions, recommendations, citations, and accuracy |
| Research search keywords and intent | Also monitor conversational questions and decision criteria |
| Optimize webpages for discoverability | Make offerings, capabilities, and use cases easy to evaluate |
| Analyze competing search results | Analyze recommended competitors and cited sources |
The two approaches work together. Google states that established SEO best practices remain relevant for its AI Search experiences, so there is no need to abandon good SEO or build a separate version of every webpage for AI systems. A sensible AI search optimization strategy builds on strong technical SEO, useful content, accurate business information, and genuine external credibility.
A 30-day action plan to improve AI recommendations
You do not need to overhaul your entire marketing strategy immediately. Start with the most valuable questions and the most important information about your business.
| Week | Actions |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Test 20–30 customer prompts across relevant AI platforms. Record mentions, recommendations, competitors, and source links |
| Week 2 | Improve your homepage, product or service pages, business descriptions, and technical accessibility |
| Week 3 | Review external listings and reputation signals. Publish or improve one substantive buying guide, comparison, or case study |
| Week 4 | Repeat the prompt tests and compare your results with the initial baseline |
Review which changes may be associated with improved visibility and identify gaps to investigate next. A 30-day plan establishes an initial measurement process. It does not guarantee that AI recommendations will improve within 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make ChatGPT recommend my business?
Make your website accessible to ChatGPT Search, clearly explain your services and intended customers, maintain accurate business information, and build credible independent references. Track relevant recommendation prompts to understand whether ChatGPT presents your company as an option. OpenAI does not guarantee placement.
Can I pay AI to recommend my company?
Paid advertising and organic AI recommendations are separate. OpenAI, which is testing ads in ChatGPT, states that ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives. Advertising does not guarantee that your business will be selected in an AI assistant’s organic response, so be cautious of services promising guaranteed AI recommendations or exact rankings.
How do I get AI to recommend my local business?
Maintain accurate information about your location, services, opening hours, and contact options. Keep eligible business profiles updated, encourage genuine customer reviews without incentives, and make sure your website explains the services and areas you cover.
Do customer reviews affect AI recommendations?
Customer reviews provide information that people and AI-assisted search systems may encounter when evaluating businesses. Their relevance varies by platform and question. There is no universally published formula assigning reviews a fixed weight across all AI assistants.
Does schema markup make AI recommend your business?
No schema type guarantees AI recommendations. Accurate structured data can help search engines understand business, product, and webpage information, but it should complement genuinely useful content rather than replace it.
How long does it take to get recommended by AI?
There is no fixed timeframe. It depends on the platform, the information available, the questions being asked, and how frequently sources are updated or retrieved. Monitor trends over time rather than assuming changes will be reflected immediately.
What is the difference between being cited and being recommended by AI?
Being cited means that an AI response references a source, often through a link. Being recommended means that the AI suggests your business as a possible solution. A company can be cited without being recommended, or recommended without its own website being cited.
How can I track which AI platforms recommend my business?
Create a set of relevant customer questions and run them repeatedly across the platforms your customers use. Record mentions, website citations, recommendations, competitors, and accuracy. An AI visibility monitoring platform such as Cited can help organize and evaluate these results.
Conclusion: become the right recommendation for the right customer
Getting AI to recommend your business is not about finding a secret algorithm or forcing a chatbot to mention your company. It starts with making your business easy to discover, easy to understand, and easy to evaluate.
Explain exactly what you offer, demonstrate where you provide value, maintain accurate business information, and build credibility through genuine customer experiences and useful external references. Then measure how your company appears across AI-generated answers.
Each AI platform has its own crawlers and citation behavior. Our platform-specific guides go deeper:
Sources and further reading
- OpenAI Help Center: Searching the web with ChatGPT
- OpenAI: Overview of OpenAI crawlers
- OpenAI: Testing ads in ChatGPT
- Google Search Central: AI features and your website
- Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content
- Google Search Central: Organization structured data
- Google Search Central: LocalBusiness structured data
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews
- Merchant Center Help: Free listings for products
- Cheers: How do I get AI to recommend my business? (vendor study, 2026)