How do I get my business to show up in ChatGPT?

7 hours ago

6 min read

Let me guess. You asked ChatGPT or Claude who the best businesses in your industry are, hoping for a little mention. And your name didn't make the cut.

Even though you know you're the best in the biz. Rude, I know.

You've probably blamed the algorithm, or assumed the big players posting and blogging a billion times a day have got there first. But there's a different reason your business didn't show up, and it's not about posting more.

The quick answer: ChatGPT, Claude and other AI tools recommend businesses that trusted sources talk about. They lean far more on what other people say about you than on what you say about yourself. Most of what they cite is earned media, like press coverage. So the most reliable way to get your business to show up in ChatGPT is to get featured in the press, starting with journalist requests and local press.

How are people using AI to choose businesses?

More and more, they ask AI first and skip the comparing.

Picture yourself in a new city, starving. You haven't got the patience to scroll reviews and compare menus for the best brekkie spot. So you ask ChatGPT, pick one of its suggestions and get on with the important business of eating.

That's what's happening when people choose a business like yours too. They want a shortcut. They ask AI to narrow down the options, and they trust the answer.

It's already a weekly habit for a lot of people. In a Semrush survey of 1,030 US shoppers who use AI tools, 55% said they use AI to research products at least once a week, and a quarter do it every day (Semrush, March 2026).

So the question for your business is simple. When AI gives its short list, are you on it?

It looks for what other people say about you.

AI tools pull from sources they trust, and they trust third parties more than they trust you talking about yourself. So even if your social media content is the bee's knees, if it's only you saying how great you are, AI is unlikely to put your name forward.

Think of it like applying for a job. You can turn up with a glowing CV and every qualification going, and that alone often won't get you hired. But a reference from someone who's worked with you, saying "trust me, they're brilliant," carries much more weight.

AI works the same way. Press coverage, reviews, interviews and mentions on other trusted sites are the references. Your website and social posts are the CV. You need both, but the references are what get you picked.

Why isn't my website enough to get recommended by AI?

Because AI reads your website, but it doesn't take your word for it.

AI tools know who you are, what you do and how you describe your offers, because they've read your site. But when they decide who to recommend, they lean on sources they see as independent.

Two big studies this year found the same thing. Muck Rack looked at millions of links cited by ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini and found 84% came from earned media, while paid and advertorial content made up 0.3% (Muck Rack, What Is AI Reading?, May 2026). A separate study from 5W put earned media at 85.5% of AI citations (5W, May 2026).

Earned media means coverage you didn't pay for: articles, features and interviews where someone else decided you were worth talking about.

So if your visibility plan is built only on your own website and social posts, you'll struggle to show up in ChatGPT, however good they are.

Can a small or new business get recommended by AI?

Yes. You don't need to be a big brand. You need a good story.

Every piece of press coverage works like a vote of trust. A credible third party has checked you exist, you're legitimate and you're as good as you say you are. Each one puts your name in the running when AI decides who to recommend.

It doesn't matter how new you are or how small your following is. Journalists choose stories, not company sizes.

Sharon, an independent travel expert, started with one BBC local radio slot on Small Business Saturday. The station loved her, and now she's who they call whenever travel news breaks. That's a trail of coverage that started with one story.

So don't wait until you feel big enough. Start with the story you've got.

How do I check if ChatGPT recommends my business?

Ask it. Fair warning, it can be a humbling five minutes.

Open ChatGPT, Claude or whichever AI tool you ask life's big questions, and type something like:

"Who are the best [your type of business] in [your location or area]?"

Try a few versions, the way your customers might ask. "Who's a good [type of business] for [the kind of customer you serve]?" "Can you recommend a [type of business] near [your town]?"

If your name doesn't appear, that's useful to know. It tells you AI hasn't found enough trusted sources talking about you yet.

Make a note of who does show up. Then search their names and look at where they've been featured. That's often your best clue to the publications worth pitching.

Repeat the test every few months, so you can see what's changed.

How do I get press coverage so AI recommends my business?

Start where journalists are already asking for help.

Answer journalist requests. Journalists post requests for experts and stories every day, on X and Bluesky under #journorequest and on request platforms. My post on how to find press opportunities walks through where to look and which ones are worth answering.

Don't sleep on local press. It's often easier to land than national press, and it travels further than you'd think. Before you know it, potential clients, other local business owners, your old maths teacher and your mum's neighbour at book club are all talking about you. One of my clients' stories started on BBC local radio and ended up in The Guardian.

And start soon. Back in 2024, Gartner predicted search engine volume would drop 25% by 2026 as people moved to AI chatbots (Gartner, February 2024). The businesses getting featured now are the ones AI will be naming next year.

Questions people ask

ChatGPT draws on what's been published about a business across the web, and it leans heavily on trusted third-party sources. Studies from Muck Rack and 5W found that around 84% to 85% of what AI tools cite is earned media, such as press coverage, rather than brand websites or adverts.

Can I pay to get my business recommended by ChatGPT?

Not directly. Paid and advertorial content makes up just 0.3% of what ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini cite, according to Muck Rack. Earned coverage, where a journalist or trusted site chooses to mention you, carries far more weight.

Does my website help me show up in AI search?

Yes, but not on its own. AI tools read your website to understand what you do, so clear headings and plain descriptions help. Being recommended usually depends on other trusted sources mentioning you too.

How long does it take to show up in ChatGPT?

It varies. AI tools update what they draw on over time, so new coverage may take weeks or months to show up in answers. Building a steady trail of press mentions, starting with local and trade press, gives you the best chance.

What's the best way to get a small business mentioned by AI?

Get featured in trusted publications. Answering journalist requests and pitching local press are the easiest places to start, and each mention gives AI another independent source that says your business exists and is worth recommending.

Want help finding the story that gets you named?

That's where every piece of coverage starts. In the Debrief, you talk, I ask the questions, and I find the stories journalists will want. Then you've got what you need to start building your trail.

See ways to work with me.

Or book a free 20-minute call and we'll have a proper chinwag about how this could work for your business.

Book a call.

PS. For more behind-the-scenes PR tips, find me on Instagram (@beckynewmarchpr).

Becky here, running on flat whites and a non-negotiable 3pm Diet Coke. I'm Becky Newmarch, a PR consultant for founders and brands in the UK. I find the stories hiding in your business and get them to the journalists who'll run them.