Tanya Euler is Creative Director & Founder, Artifex Marketing Studio, with 25+ years of experience in branding, graphic design, websites, and small-business marketing.
At the Logan Small Business Conference and Showcase on Friday 15th May, I spoke about something that most small business owners have not thought much about yet: whether artificial intelligence tools are recommending their business when someone asks. I asked… “Is AI Talking About YOUR Business?”
The short answer, for most of you, is probably not. But that is about to matter a lot more than you might think.
Here is what I shared, expanded with more detail for anyone who wants to dig deeper.
Search has split
For the last 20 years, getting found online meant one thing: showing up on Google. That was the game. If your website ranked well and your Google listing was solid, you were in good shape.
That is no longer the full picture.
Today, people are discovering businesses across multiple platforms and AI tools. Around 31% of Gen Z now start their searches using AI chatbots rather than Google. Over half of all Google searches now end without anyone clicking a single link, because Google is answering the question itself, right there on the results page, using AI-generated summaries called AI Overviews.
And 67% of local searches now trigger one of these AI Overviews before the traditional results even appear.
What does this mean for your business? It means the question is no longer just whether you rank on Google. It is whether AI, across multiple platforms, knows enough about your business to recommend you.
Why different AI platforms give different answers
If you ask ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini the exact same question, you will often get four different answers. That catches people off guard, but there is a straightforward explanation.
Each platform was built differently. They learned from different data, at different times. Some are designed to be creative. Some prioritise accuracy. Some search the web in real time; others rely on what they already know from their training.
Think of it like asking six tradies for a quote on the same job. Same brief. Very different answers. All of them think they are right.
Understanding these differences helps you choose the right tool for the right task, and understand why your business might appear on one platform but not another.
What each platform is actually good at
ChatGPT (by OpenAI)
- The most widely used AI tool.
- A strong all-rounder for writing, brainstorming, generating images, and even building simple automations.
ChatGPT was trained on a broad cross-section of:
- publicly available web content (websites)
- books and articles
- public forums
- Wikipedia, and
- code.
It can search the web, but it does not always do so unless you ask. For local business questions, what it says about you depends entirely on what is already publicly written about your business online.
Claude (by Anthropic)
Claude is the “deep thinker” of the group. It is strongest at:
- long-form writing
- analysis
- reasoning through complex problems, and
- reviewing documents.
If you need to work through a detailed proposal, review a contract, or think through a business strategy, Claude is well suited.
Like ChatGPT, it was trained on publicly available web content. It can search the web when enabled, but its default strength is thinking carefully with what it already knows.
Perplexity
This is the one to watch for local business owners. Perplexity works like a search engine powered by AI. It searches the web live every single time you ask a question, and it always shows its sources with clickable links.
Unlike the other platforms, Perplexity does not primarily rely on old training data. It looks at your current website, your current Google listing, your current reviews, and your current directory profiles. If those are strong and up to date, Perplexity is more likely to recommend you by name.
Copilot (by Microsoft)
Built on the same engine as ChatGPT, but connected to Microsoft’s Bing search engine. Copilot searches the web by default, so it pulls from Bing’s index of business listings, websites, and reviews. If your business shows up well in Bing search results, it is more likely to appear in Copilot’s answers.
Gemini (by Google)
This is Google’s AI, and it matters because it powers the AI Overviews that now appear at the top of Google search results. Gemini pulls directly from Google Business Profiles, Google Maps, and Google Reviews.
67% of local searches now trigger an AI Overview. Your Google Business Profile is now arguably your most important free marketing asset, because it is the primary data source Gemini uses when deciding whether to recommend your business.
Grok (by xAI)
Grok was built by Elon Musk’s xAI and has one unique feature: real-time access to public posts on X (formerly Twitter). Its strength is current events and social commentary rather than local business discovery. Less directly relevant for most small business owners, but worth knowing about.
The exercise: does AI know about your business?
During the presentation, attendees paired up and asked their preferred AI tool a simple question: ‘Can you recommend a [their neighbour’s industry] in [their neighbour’s area]?’
The results were 50/50. And that was the point.
It is not a failing on the part of the business owners who weren’t in the results. Most small businesses are simply not showing up in AI-generated answers yet. But the businesses that start building their presence now, while competitors are not even thinking about it, will have a genuine first-mover advantage.
Five things you can do this week to show up in AI answers
You cannot control what AI says about your business. But you can influence it. Here are five practical steps you can start this week.
1. Make your Google Business Profile bulletproof
Complete every field. Post updates regularly. Respond to every review. Add real photos, not stock images. AI Overviews pull directly from your Google Business Profile, so accuracy here directly impacts whether AI recommends you. Treat it like social media for Google: at least one update a month, review responses within a few days, and fresh photos whenever something changes.
2. Add FAQ content to your website
Think about the last 10 questions a customer asked you before buying. Those are your FAQs. Write them out clearly on your website with straightforward answers. This becomes what AI tools pull from when generating answers about your industry. Well-structured question-and-answer content is one of the formats AI handles best.
3. Be findable across multiple sources
Directories, review sites, industry associations, local business groups. AI pulls from an average of 9 to 16 sources per answer. If you are only on your own website, you are invisible to a significant chunk of the AI ecosystem. The more places your business name, address, and phone number appear consistently, the more likely AI is to trust and recommend you.
4. Reviews matter more than ever
AI now summarises your reviews for users. A review that says ‘great plumber in Springfield, fixed our hot water system same day’ is far more useful to AI than ‘5 stars, great job.’ Encourage customers to mention the service they received and your location. And respond to every review, because AI sees that too.
5. Schema markup
This is a technical one, but you do not need to understand the detail yourself. Ask your web developer to add LocalBusiness structured data to your website. It helps AI platforms understand what your business does, where you operate, and when you are open. If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast or RankMath can handle this. The code itself is free.
Is AI Talking About Your Business – The bottom line
AI is already answering questions about your industry. Your customers, and your potential customers, are starting to ask these tools for recommendations. The question is not whether this is happening. It is whether your business is part of the answer.
The good news is that the steps to improve your visibility are practical, achievable, and mostly free. And because most small businesses have not started thinking about this yet, there is a real window of opportunity for those who move now.
Want to know what AI is saying about your business?
We have built a free AI Visibility Report that checks whether your business appears in AI-generated answers across multiple platforms, and gives you a clear set of next steps to improve your chances of being recommended.
Common AI Questions, Answered.
Which AI platform should I use?
It depends on the task. Start with ChatGPT for everyday tasks like writing and brainstorming, and Perplexity when you want to research something or find out what AI says about a business. Claude is well suited for longer, more complex work. Gemini is worth using if you are already in the Google ecosystem.
Are AI platforms free to use?
All of the major platforms have a free tier. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Grok all offer free access. Copilot is free with a Microsoft account. Paid plans unlock more features, but you can get started without spending anything.
How do I set up or update my Google Business Profile?
Google your business name and look for the 'Manage your Business Profile' option, or go to business.google.com and log in with your Google account. Complete every field, add real photos, respond to reviews, and post updates regularly.
How often should I update my Google Business Profile?
Treat it like social media for Google. Post at least once a month, respond to reviews within a few days, and update your photos and services whenever something changes. Active profiles signal to AI that your business is current and trustworthy.
What questions should I put on my FAQ page?
Think about the last 10 questions a customer asked you before buying, or the questions you get asked most often. You can also ask an AI tool like ChatGPT or Claude to generate common questions for your industry and location.
What is schema markup and how much does it cost?
Schema markup is code added to your website that helps search engines and AI understand your business details: what you do, where you are, and when you are open. A web developer can usually add it in under an hour. If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast or RankMath make it straightforward. The code itself is free.
Will AI replace Google?
Not entirely, and not yet. But AI is increasingly sitting between people and traditional search results. Google itself is putting AI-generated answers at the top of its own search pages. The question is not Google vs AI. The question is whether your business shows up in either.
Does it matter what people say in reviews, or just how many I have?
Both matter, but the content of reviews matters more now. AI summarises your reviews for users. A review that mentions the specific service and location is far more useful to AI than a generic five-star rating. Encourage detailed reviews and respond to every one.
Can AI give wrong information about my business?
Yes. And you cannot directly correct it yet. The best defence is having accurate, consistent information across multiple sources: your website, your Google listing, and your directory profiles. If AI has good data to pull from, it is more likely to get it right.
What if my competitor shows up in AI answers but I do not?
Your competitor likely has a stronger or more consistent online presence across more sources. Check where they are listed and where you are not. Directories, review sites, and industry associations are a good place to start closing the gap.
Do I need to be on social media for this to work?
Not necessarily, but it helps. AI pulls from multiple sources, and active social profiles add to your overall online footprint. The priorities are: website first, Google Business Profile second, directories and review sites third. Social media is a bonus, not a requirement.
Can I ask AI not to mention my business?
Not practically, no. You cannot opt out of being mentioned or not mentioned. You can only influence what is out there about you by ensuring the information AI finds is accurate, positive, and consistent.
