More and more people skip the search results and just ask an AI assistant: "Who's a good web designer on Long Island?" or "What does this company do?" The answer they get shapes their first impression of your business, whether or not they ever visit your website.
So it's worth knowing what tools like ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity are saying about you.
How to check
Open a few AI assistants and ask the questions a potential customer would ask. Try a mix:
- "What does [your business name] do?"
- "Who are the best [your service] providers in [your area]?"
- "Is [your business name] a good choice for [your service]?"
- "What are the hours and phone number for [your business name]?"
Write down what each one says. Look for wrong details, outdated information, missing services, or answers that recommend competitors but never mention you.
Where AI gets its information
AI assistants build their answers from what's available about you online. Some search the web in real time, and others rely on information they learned during training. Either way, the sources are similar:
- Your own website, especially your homepage, about page, and service pages.
- Your Google Business Profile and other directory listings.
- Reviews on Google and other platforms.
- Mentions of your business on other websites, like local news, partners, and associations.
If AI gets something wrong about your business, the fix is almost never in the AI tool itself. It's in the information about you across the web.
How to help AI get it right
- Say clearly what you do. Your homepage and about page should plainly state your services, who you serve, and where.
- Give each service its own page with clear headings and straightforward language.
- Add an FAQ that answers the questions customers actually ask.
- Keep your business details consistent everywhere online.
- Use structured data so machines can read your business information easily.
- Earn reviews and mentions, which give AI more trustworthy sources to draw from.
Keep checking
AI answers change as tools update and new information appears. Check again every few months, especially after big changes to your business.
If you'd like help, I'll check how the major AI tools describe your business, find where the wrong details are coming from, and help make sure they get it right.
