Why doesn't ChatGPT know about my business?

ChatGPT learns about businesses from public web information, but it doesn't automatically index every business like Google does. Your business needs clear authority signals, structured information, and content that AI systems can understand and cite.

How do I check if my business appears in ChatGPT?

Ask ChatGPT questions your customers would ask. For example: "Who is the best [your service] in [your city]?" or "Can you recommend a [your business type] near [your location]?" See if your business is mentioned.

How long does it take to appear in ChatGPT?

With proper optimization, most businesses see improved AI visibility within 4-8 weeks. This is faster than traditional SEO because AI systems update their knowledge more frequently than Google re-crawls websites.

Can I pay to appear in ChatGPT?

No. ChatGPT doesn't sell placements. The only way to appear is through organic optimization—making your business information clear, authoritative, and structured for AI understanding.

Is this different from Google SEO?

Yes. While good SEO helps, AI systems use different criteria. They look for answer-ready content, clear authority signals, and structured data. A business ranking #1 on Google might be invisible to ChatGPT.

Why Your Business Isn't Showing Up in ChatGPT (And How to Fix It)

Why ChatGPT Doesn't Know About Your Business

A guide for business owners wondering why AI ignores them

You've built a great business. You have happy customers, good reviews, maybe even strong Google rankings. But when someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation in your industry, your business is nowhere to be found.

You're not alone. Over 70% of local businesses are invisible to AI search engines.

Here's why—and what you can do about it.

How ChatGPT Finds Businesses

Unlike Google, which crawls and indexes websites automatically, ChatGPT:

Learns from patterns in its training data
Browses the web when asked for current information
Evaluates authority based on different signals than Google
Synthesizes answers rather than listing links

The key insight: Just because Google knows about your business doesn't mean ChatGPT does.

The 5 Reasons AI Can't Find You

1. Your Information Isn't Structured for AI

AI systems need clear, extractable information. If your website says:

"We've been serving the community for 20 years with dedication to quality..."

ChatGPT can't easily extract what you do, where you're located, or what makes you special.

What AI needs: "Smith's Plumbing is a licensed plumbing company in Austin, TX, specializing in emergency repairs, water heater installation, and bathroom remodels."

2. You're Not Answering the Questions Customers Ask

When someone asks ChatGPT "Who's the best plumber in Austin?", the AI looks for content that directly answers that type of question.

If your website doesn't have content addressing common customer questions, AI has nothing to cite.

3. Your Business Lacks AI Authority Signals

Google uses backlinks as authority signals. AI systems look for:

Consistent business information across the web
Mentions in authoritative sources
Clear expertise indicators
Reviews and testimonials that AI can understand

4. You Haven't Implemented Schema Markup

Schema markup is code that tells AI systems exactly what your business is. Without it, AI has to guess—and often guesses wrong or gives up.

5. Your Content Is Written for Humans Only

Good business content should serve both humans AND AI. Most websites are written only for human readers, leaving AI struggling to extract useful information.

The Real Cost of AI Invisibility

Consider this:

40% of younger consumers now prefer AI for finding local services
AI users convert at 3x higher rates than traditional search
AI search is growing 400% year-over-year

Every day you're invisible to AI, you're losing customers to competitors who are visible.

How to Fix It: The Business Owner's Action Plan

Step 1: Check Your Current AI Visibility (5 minutes)

Ask ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity:

"Who's the best [your service] in [your city]?"
"Can you recommend a [your business type] for [specific need]?"
"What's the best [your service] company near [your area]?"

Note whether you're mentioned, and how you compare to competitors.

Step 2: Get a Professional Audit (90 seconds)

Our free AI visibility audit tests your business across all major AI platforms and gives you a detailed score with specific recommendations.

[Get Your Free AI Audit →]

Step 3: Implement Basic Fixes

Based on your audit, prioritize:

Add Schema Markup: Tells AI exactly what you do
Create FAQ Content: Answers questions AI users ask
Structure Your Information: Make it AI-extractable
Build Authority Signals: Get consistent across the web

Step 4: Consider Professional Help

If you don't have time to implement fixes yourself, our done-for-you service handles everything:

Complete AI optimization implementation
Ongoing monitoring and updates
Guaranteed visibility improvement

[Learn About Our Services →]

The Bottom Line

AI search isn't a future trend—it's happening now. Every day, potential customers are asking ChatGPT for recommendations in your industry. If you're not being mentioned, those customers are going to your competitors.

The good news: Most businesses haven't optimized for AI yet. That means early movers have a significant advantage.

Start with a free audit to see exactly where you stand—and what it takes to get cited.

---

Ready to Get Found by AI?

Free AI Visibility Audit: See your scores for ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity in 90 seconds. Done-For-You Optimization: Let us handle everything while you focus on your business.

[Get Your Free Audit Now →]