ChatGPT can only recommend a business it can reach and read. Allow OpenAI's search crawler, state your facts clearly and consistently, earn mentions from sources that already describe your field, and check your results every month. No one can promise a recommendation.
Start with access
ChatGPT search uses OpenAI's own crawler, OAI-SearchBot. OpenAI says it is used to surface websites in ChatGPT's search features, and that sites opted out of OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers.
OpenAI recommends allowing OAI-SearchBot in your robots.txt file, and says changes can take about 24 hours to take effect. ChatGPT-User is different: it is used for visits a user starts, not for automatic crawling. Check your own robots.txt first. If it blocks OAI-SearchBot, nothing else on this list will help.
Make your facts easy to read
Answers are built from what pages say. Put the basics on a page a machine can read without guessing: what you do, where you work, who you serve, and what it costs to start. A strong Google ranking helps, but it does not decide what ChatGPT says, so the steps below matter as well.
- One clear page per service. Each service should have its own page that answers one question in the first sentence.
- State your location and clients. Say where you work, your service area, and the type of business you serve, in plain words.
- Keep your details the same everywhere. Use the same business name, address, and service names on your site, your Google profile, and your directory listings.
Earn mentions where the sources already are
A business described only on its own website is harder to check than one that credible third-party sites also mention. Start with the places your clients already trust.
- Reviews. Ask past clients for honest reviews on the platforms they already use.
- Directories and associations. List your business accurately in relevant directories and industry bodies.
- Local press and partners. Ask partners and local publications to describe what you do correctly.
Complete your Google Business Profile
ChatGPT does not read your Google listing in a documented way, but Google's own guidance on local results is a useful checklist. Google says a business appears in local results based on relevance, distance, and prominence. The parts you control are these.
- Verify the listing. Google says verification tells it that you are authorised to represent the business, so it is more likely to show up in search results.
- Keep details complete and current. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local search results.
- Reply to reviews. Google says positive reviews and helpful replies can help your business stand out.
- Add photos and videos. Google says photos and videos help you show customers what you offer.
Measure it every month
Keep a fixed list of 20 to 30 questions a buyer might ask, such as "best SEO consultant in Melbourne", and ask ChatGPT the same questions each month. Record whether your business is named, whether your site is linked, and whether the description is accurate. Use the same wording and the same account each time, because a change in method looks like a change in results.
What not to expect
No one can guarantee a ChatGPT recommendation. Answers change between sessions and between users. The realistic goal is that your business is findable, described correctly, and cited when it is relevant. Measure that, and do not promise a result you cannot control.
The short version
Allow OAI-SearchBot, make your facts clear and consistent, earn mentions from sources that already describe your field, keep your Google profile complete, and check your results every month. If you would like help with the first step, use the contact page to request a free AI visibility audit.
