How to Get Your Melbourne Business Recommended by ChatGPT

Wondering how to get your business recommended by ChatGPT? In short: make it easy for AI to find you, understand exactly what you do, and see that other people trust you. That means a clear website, a complete Google Business Profile, real reviews and mentions on other trusted sites. The same steps help with Google Gemini too.

This matters more every month. In BrightLocal’s 2026 survey of US consumers, 45% said they now use ChatGPT or other AI tools to find local businesses, up from just 6% the year before.

I’m Jay, a freelance web developer based in Melbourne. AI search is changing how Melbourne customers find local businesses, and recently I’ve been working through every step below on my own business, codeJay, to help it show up in AI answers. Here’s what I’ve learned, step by step.

What is AI SEO?#

AI SEO means making your business easy for AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to find, understand and recommend. In other words, it’s how to get AI to recommend your business. You may also see it called “generative engine optimisation”, or GEO. In practice, it builds on normal SEO: if Google can’t find and trust your site, AI tools usually can’t either.

The same applies to Google AI Overviews, the AI answers at the top of many Google searches. For a small business, the groundwork is the same: a clear website, a strong Google Business Profile and genuine reviews.

How does ChatGPT decide which businesses to recommend?#

When someone asks an AI assistant for “the best web designer near me” or “a good physio in Brunswick”, it doesn’t pick from memory. Instead, it searches the web, reads a handful of sources, and writes an answer based on what they say.

• Google Gemini (including AI Overviews and AI Mode in Google Search) draws on Google Search and Google Maps. For local questions, your Google Business Profile is one of its main sources.
• ChatGPT runs its own web searches. Industry research suggests it relies heavily on Bing results for local questions, then picks a few sources with ratings and details it can check.

Both tend to favour the same things:

• a website that clearly says who you are, what you do and where
• complete, consistent business profiles
• recent, genuine reviews
• mentions on other trusted sites, such as directories, local news and “best of” lists

Google says there’s no secret trick: there are no extra requirements or special files needed to appear in its AI features. Your page simply needs to be in Google’s index and eligible to show in normal search results. So, most of what follows is good, honest groundwork.

How to get my business recommended by ChatGPT: 7 steps#

1. Check your website isn’t blocking AI crawlers#

If search engines can’t see your site, neither can the AI tools built on them.

• Check Google can find you. Add your site to Google Search Console and make sure your main pages are indexed.
• Add your site to Bing too. Sign up for Bing Webmaster Tools; you can import your site straight from Search Console. Since ChatGPT leans on Bing, this step matters more than it used to.
• Don’t block ChatGPT’s search bot. OpenAI uses a bot called OAI-SearchBot for ChatGPT search. If your robots.txt file blocks it, your pages won’t appear in ChatGPT search answers (apart from plain links to your site). You can still block GPTBot, OpenAI’s training bot, separately; the two settings are independent. Also check your firewall: if your site uses Cloudflare, a security plugin or your host’s bot protection, make sure it isn’t blocking OAI-SearchBot. Many business owners block AI bots without knowing it.

Built your site with Lovable or another AI builder? Check Google can see it first, because if Google can’t see your pages, ChatGPT usually can’t either. My guide to why a Lovable website isn’t showing on Google shows how to check and fix it.

2. Describe your business in one clear sentence, and use it everywhere#

AI assistants quote short, clear descriptions. So, write one sentence that says who you are, what you do, where you’re based and what makes you different. Then use the same wording on your homepage, About page, Google Business Profile, social profiles and directory listings.

Here’s mine:

I’m Jay, founder of codeJay, a Melbourne-based freelance web developer and UI/UX designer with 8+ years of experience, building fast, SEO-friendly websites and web apps.

Use the same business name, location and contact details everywhere too. When every source agrees, AI tools can be confident they’re all describing the same business.

3. Complete your Google Business Profile and Bing Places listing#

These are the business listings Google and Bing show on their maps. Why does your Google Business Profile matter for AI answers? Gemini and Google’s AI Overviews lean on it for local questions, and it’s where most of your Google reviews live.

• Google Business Profile: fill in every section: category, services, service area, hours, photos and a description using your one-line sentence. Post an update every few weeks.
• Bing Places for Business: it’s free, and you can import your details from Google in a few minutes.

4. Collect genuine reviews#

Do reviews and mentions on other websites help? Yes. Reviews are one of the clearest signs of trust for both people and AI. Ask happy clients for a review on your Google profile first. Then, add the review sites that matter in your industry, such as Facebook, Yelp, TripAdvisor or a specialist directory. Ask regularly rather than all at once, because recent reviews count for more.

5. Get mentioned on other trusted websites#

If you’re wondering how to get mentioned in ChatGPT, this is the step that matters most. AI tools look for what other people say about you, not just what you say about yourself. Good places to be mentioned include:

• industry directories and associations
• local news sites and community pages
• “best of” lists and round-ups in your area or industry
• partners, suppliers and clients who credit your work
• podcasts, interviews and guest articles

In my case, Fiverr featured me on a billboard in Times Square. That’s the kind of story that gives other sites a reason to write about you; I shared it in From Blank Profile to Times Square Billboard. You don’t need a billboard, though. A local newspaper story or an industry award works the same way.

6. Write service pages AI tools can quote#

AI answers are built from specific facts. A page that says “we offer quality services” gives an AI nothing to quote. Instead, answer the questions customers actually ask:

• what you charge, or at least a price range
• where you work and who you work with
• how your process works and how long it takes
• real examples, with client names and results where you can
• a short FAQ on your main pages

7. Add the technical extras#

These help machines understand your site, but they’re the icing, not the cake.

• Structured data (schema markup): hidden code that labels your business name, location, services and reviews. Most SEO plugins, such as Yoast, add the basics for you.
• llms.txt: a simple text file that gives AI tools a summary of your site. Google says it doesn’t need one for its AI features, but it takes ten minutes, and some other AI tools may read it.
• A fast website: slow pages frustrate people and bots alike. My guide to why your website is slow covers the main fixes.

How to test what ChatGPT says about your business today#

Once a month, ask ChatGPT and Gemini the questions your customers would ask. For example:

• “Who’s the best [your service] in [your city]?”
• “Can you recommend a [your service] near [your suburb]?”
• “What do people say about [your business name]?”

Then note who gets mentioned and which websites the answer links to. Those linked sites are where you want to be listed or mentioned too.

Keep in mind that AI answers change from person to person and day to day. So look for a trend over a few months rather than judging by one answer. Also, check Google Search Console each month: it shows which searches bring people to your site.

What doesn’t work#

As AI search grows, so do the shortcuts. Avoid these:

• Fake reviews. They break Google’s and most review sites’ rules, and they can get your profile suspended.
• Stuffing keywords into your business name. Calling your Google profile “Best Plumber Melbourne Cheap” instead of your real name can get it suspended.
• Paying for a “guaranteed” spot in ChatGPT or Gemini. Nobody can guarantee it. AI answers vary for every person and every question.
• Calling yourself “the best” on every page. AI tools look for proof from other people, such as reviews, awards and mentions, not claims you make about yourself.
• Hundreds of thin pages written by AI. Pages that say nothing new don’t earn trust from Google or from the AI tools built on it.

In the end, the businesses AI recommends are usually the ones people already trust and talk about. The steps above simply make that trust easy for AI to see.

Want help with AI search in Melbourne?#

I offer a simple AI search check. I’ll review your website and online profiles, and show you exactly what’s stopping ChatGPT and Gemini from recommending you. From there, I can fix the website side for you: clear service pages, FAQs, structured data, speed and llms.txt.

Message me on Fiverr with your website address and the questions you’d like to be found for. Messages, orders and payments are all handled securely on Fiverr.

I’m a freelance web developer in Melbourne, and I work with businesses, brands and individuals across Australia and around the world.

Common questions#

How do I get my business on ChatGPT?#

Make sure ChatGPT’s search bot (OAI-SearchBot) can read your site, add your site to Bing, and keep your business details, reviews and profiles consistent and complete. Then build mentions on other trusted sites over time.

How can I increase my visibility on ChatGPT?#

Give ChatGPT facts it can quote and proof it can check. Clear service pages with prices, locations and FAQs help, along with genuine reviews and mentions on trusted sites. Keep your business details the same everywhere, too.

How do I appear on ChatGPT?#

To appear in ChatGPT’s search answers, your robots.txt file must not block OpenAI’s search bot, OAI-SearchBot, and it helps to be indexed in Bing. OpenAI says robots.txt changes can take about 24 hours to take effect.

How do I get my business recommended by Google Gemini?#

Start with a complete Google Business Profile and genuine Google reviews. Then make sure your website is indexed in Google and clearly describes what you do and where.

Can I pay to appear in ChatGPT or Gemini answers?#

No. Nobody can guarantee a place in AI answers, because they change for each person and question. Be wary of anyone who promises one.

Do I need an llms.txt file?#

It’s optional. Google says you don’t need one for its AI features. However, it’s quick to make and some other AI tools may read it.

How long does it take to show up in AI answers?#

Usually a few months. Website fixes can be picked up within weeks, but reviews and mentions on other sites take time to build.

Sources#

• Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, BrightLocal, February 2026 (1,002 US consumers)
• AI features and your website, Google Search Central, updated December 2025
• Overview of OpenAI crawlers, OpenAI
• How does ChatGPT conduct local searches?, Damian Rollison, Search Engine Land