You’ve been in business longer. Your reviews are better. Your work is better. Yet when someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation in your area, it names a competitor. It feels unfair, but there’s almost always a clear reason, and most of them can be fixed.
Why does ChatGPT recommend some businesses and not others?
AI assistants recommend businesses that appear often and consistently across trusted sources, that clearly explain what they do and where, and that other websites vouch for. It isn’t about who is best. It’s about who the AI can find, verify and trust from what’s published online.
Reason 1: Your details don’t match across the web
If your Google profile says “Smith Plumbing Pty Ltd”, your website says “Smith’s Plumbing” and an old directory lists a previous phone number, AI tools are less confident they’re looking at one business.
Fix: choose one version of your name, address, phone number and website, and make every listing match exactly. Start with Google Business Profile, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect.
Reason 2: Nobody else is talking about you
This is the big one. AI assistants lean heavily on third-party mentions: industry associations, local news, directories, podcasts and editorial features. Your own website saying you’re great counts for much less than someone else saying it.
Fix: earn mentions honestly. Get listed on supplier and association pages, answer journalist requests, guest on podcasts and apply for editorial features. Never buy links. More on doing it properly: https://www.intriguedigital.com.au/news/how-to-get-backlinks-small-business
Reason 3: Your website is vague
“We offer a range of professional services across Melbourne” gives an AI nothing to quote. Your competitor’s page titled “Commercial Electrician in Dandenong” with clear answers about price, timing and licensing gives it everything.
Fix: one page per service, the locations you serve named in plain sentences, and short, direct answers to the questions customers actually ask.
Reason 4: Your reviews don’t say much
Twenty five-star reviews that say “Great service!” help less than ten that say “Fixed our hot water system the same day in Geelong.” AI tools read review text, not just star ratings.
Fix: ask every customer for a review straight after the job, with a direct link. You can’t script reviews or pay for them, but you can ask customers to mention what you did for them.
Reason 5: AI tools can’t read your site properly
Some websites block AI crawlers by accident in their robots.txt file. Others load their content with JavaScript in a way crawlers struggle with. If the AI can’t read your pages, it can’t recommend you from them.
Fix: ask your web developer to check that search and AI crawlers can access your important pages, and that your key content shows up in the page’s HTML.
Reason 6: Your information is out of date
AI search tools favour fresh, accurate information. If your site still lists 2022 prices, a closed location or services you no longer offer, it undermines trust.
Fix: review your service pages, listings and FAQs at least twice a year.
How long does it take to start being recommended?
Usually weeks to a few months. Listing fixes and site improvements can show up quickly. Third-party mentions build more slowly but have the biggest effect. Track your progress with the same set of questions each month.
The takeaway
When AI recommends your competitor, it’s telling you what it can and can’t find about you. Fix your consistency, earn genuine mentions, make your pages specific and keep them current. For the bigger picture on how AI search and traditional SEO fit together: https://www.intriguedigital.com.au/news/aeo-vs-geo