As more people use AI tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Perplexity to research products and services, businesses are asking the same question: how do these platforms decide which companies to recommend?
The answer is more complex than a list of ranking factors. AI tools don’t simply copy Google’s search results or randomly select businesses to mention. Instead, they use a combination of publicly available information, trusted sources, and contextual understanding to generate responses.
While no business can guarantee that it will appear in AI-generated answers, there are practical ways to improve your visibility. The businesses most likely to be recommended are typically those that demonstrate expertise, build authority, answer real customer questions, and maintain a consistent, trustworthy online presence.
In this guide, we’ll explore how AI recommendations work, the signals that appear to matter most, and the practical steps businesses can take to become more visible in the next generation of search.
For years, most online journeys started in the same place.
Someone opened Google, typed a few keywords, scanned the search results and clicked through a handful of websites before making a decision.
Today, that journey is beginning to look very different. Instead of searching for:
“marketing agency Newcastle”
people are increasingly asking:
“Who specialises in marketing for engineering businesses?”
Rather than comparing ten different websites, they’re expecting an AI assistant to analyse the available information, summarise the options, and recommend businesses that appear relevant to their needs.
It’s a subtle shift, but an important one.
Where traditional search engines primarily return a list of webpages, AI-powered search aims to return an answer.
That means businesses need to think about more than simply ranking well. They also need to consider whether their website provides the kind of information AI systems can confidently understand and reference.
Since ChatGPT introduced web search and Google expanded AI Overviews, we’ve noticed a common theme in conversations with clients.
The question isn’t usually:
“How do I rank number one on Google?”
It’s:
“How do I become one of the businesses AI recommends?”
And it’s a sensible question.
If people are increasingly relying on AI to shortlist suppliers, compare services, and answer questions, then visibility inside those answers could become just as important as visibility on traditional search engine results pages.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation around this topic.
Some articles claim they’ve discovered secret ranking factors. Others promise guaranteed visibility in ChatGPT. But the reality is much more nuanced.
No agency, software provider, or consultant can guarantee that an AI platform will recommend a particular business. Every AI model works differently, and those systems continue to evolve at a remarkable pace.
However, that doesn’t mean recommendations are random. Patterns are beginning to emerge.
The businesses that appear consistently visible across AI-powered search tend to have one thing in common: they make it easy for both people and machines to understand who they are, what they do and why they can be trusted.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that AI simply knows everything.
In reality, modern AI systems generate responses using a combination of different information sources, depending on the platform being used.
These may include:
Every platform works differently.
For example, Google AI Overviews draw heavily from Google’s own understanding of the web, while ChatGPT can use live search to gather current information when appropriate. Perplexity cites sources directly, while other AI assistants may combine multiple information sources before generating a response.
Although their methods differ, they all face the same challenge. They need to determine whether a piece of information is reliable enough to include in an answer.
That means AI isn’t simply looking for content that exists, it’s looking for content that appears credible.
Behind all the technical language, AI recommendation systems are attempting to answer a surprisingly human question:
“If someone asked an expert this question, which information would they be most likely to trust?”
That changes the way we should think about online visibility.
For years, businesses have been encouraged to think about algorithms. Today, it may be more helpful to think about credibility.
Imagine two companies offering exactly the same service.
The first has:
The second has:
Which business would you trust if you were making a recommendation? It’s a fairly easy decision for most people.
AI systems appear to be trying to make that same judgement using the information available to them online. That doesn’t mean the second business will always be recommended, but it does mean it has provided far more evidence that it understands its subject and can be trusted.
One thing we’ve noticed while working with clients across sectors including engineering, HR, professional services, and property, is that the businesses with the strongest content aren’t necessarily the ones employing full-time marketing teams. They’re usually the businesses with the deepest knowledge.
The challenge isn’t a lack of expertise. It’s that much of that expertise never makes it onto their website.
Some of our best-performing blog ideas haven’t come from keyword research tools, they’ve come from conversations with clients, questions asked during meetings, problems customers raise repeatedly, and industry myths that need correcting.
Those conversations often become the exact topics people later search for online and increasingly, they’re also becoming the questions people ask AI tools.
Businesses that consistently capture and publish that knowledge aren’t simply creating marketing content, they’re building a growing library of expertise that both people and AI systems can learn from.
Every AI platform uses its own methods for finding, interpreting and presenting information. OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Perplexity don’t publish a checklist of ranking factors in the same way search engines have historically discussed SEO.
That means nobody outside those organisations can say with certainty, these are the ten things AI uses to choose a business.
However, by looking at how modern search works, how AI systems retrieve information, and the businesses that consistently appear in AI-generated responses, some clear themes are beginning to emerge.
Rather than chasing shortcuts, businesses should focus on building strong trust signals across their entire online presence.
One of the strongest signals you can give any search engine or AI system is genuine expertise.
AI tools have access to an enormous amount of information. Simply repeating what hundreds of other websites have already said is unlikely to make your business stand out.
Original content does.
That doesn’t mean every article needs to contain groundbreaking research. It means your content should reflect your own experience, knowledge and perspective.
For example:
These are insights that only people working in those industries can provide. They help establish experience and authority while giving AI systems something genuinely valuable to reference.
Publishing one excellent article is a good start, but publishing twenty connected articles around the same specialist subject is far more powerful. This is known as topical authority.
Rather than trying to write about everything, you’re demonstrating consistent expertise within a clearly defined area.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve chosen to build this AI search content hub.
Instead of producing a single article about AI search, we’re exploring the topic from multiple angles:
Each article supports the others and, collectively, they demonstrate far more expertise than one standalone blog ever could.
This approach benefits both readers and search engines.
One surprisingly common issue is that many websites never clearly explain what the business actually does.
Business owners know their services inside out, but visitors don’t and neither do AI systems.
Imagine landing on a homepage that says:
“Helping businesses grow through innovative solutions.”
It sounds impressive. But what does the company actually do?
Now compare that with:
“We help engineering and manufacturing businesses generate more enquiries through marketing, PR, SEO, social media and copywriting.”
The second example removes ambiguity. It makes it easier for potential customers to understand the business, and it gives AI systems much clearer context.
Clarity beats cleverness every time.
One of the biggest differences between traditional SEO and AI-powered search is the increasing importance of evidence beyond your own website.
It’s easy to tell people you’re an expert but it’s much more powerful when other people say it for you. That’s where independent trust signals become valuable.
Examples include:
These all help create a broader picture of your reputation, demonstrating that your business exists beyond its own marketing.
This is also why PR deserves to be part of the AI search conversation.
For years, digital PR has been viewed primarily as a way of generating backlinks and increasing brand awareness.Those benefits still matter, but PR also creates something equally valuable – independent validation.
When respected publications, industry organisations, and external websites reference your business, they provide additional evidence that your organisation is credible.
Think about every place your business appears online.
If each platform describes your business differently, it becomes much harder to build a clear picture of who you are.
Consistency matters. That doesn’t mean copying exactly the same paragraph everywhere, it means ensuring your business name, services, location, and expertise are presented consistently across your digital footprint.
This creates confidence for both customers and AI systems.
As well as being informative, content needs to be easy to understand.
Clear headings, logical page structure, descriptive titles, FAQs, and well-organised content all help search engines interpret information more effectively.
Structured data, such as the FAQ schema we’ve discussed throughout this series, also provides additional context by explicitly telling search engines what certain pieces of information represent.
It’s another example of making your expertise easier to understand.
The internet changes quickly.
AI systems are trying to provide users with current, accurate information.
That’s one of the reasons regularly reviewing and updating existing content can be just as valuable as publishing something new.
Refreshing an article with updated examples, current guidance, and additional insights demonstrates that your website is being actively maintained.
For many businesses, improving existing content will have a greater impact than continually starting from scratch.
This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding AI search.
Some people assume AI platforms favour content written by AI. They don’t. AI tools are trying to provide useful answers, they aren’t rewarding content simply because another AI wrote it.
In fact, as AI-generated content becomes more common, original thinking is becoming increasingly valuable. Businesses that simply publish generic articles with little real insight risk blending into an ever-growing sea of similar content.
That’s one of the reasons we encourage clients to use AI as a tool rather than a replacement for expertise.
AI can help generate ideas, organise information or improve efficiency. But your experience, opinions, client stories and industry knowledge remain the things that make your content genuinely different.
They’re also the parts that are hardest to replicate.
The businesses most likely to succeed won’t necessarily be the ones producing the most content, they’ll be the ones producing the most useful content.
As AI search becomes more popular, it’s inevitable that myths and misconceptions start to appear. Let’s tackle some of the most common ones.
Not in the way you can pay for traditional search advertising.
Some AI platforms include sponsored content or advertising in certain circumstances, but there is currently no equivalent of paying to become ChatGPT’s recommended business. Recommendations are generated based on the platform’s understanding of the question being asked and the information available to it.
No.
Large organisations often have strong authority because they’ve spent years building their online presence. They may have extensive websites, thousands of reviews, widespread media coverage, and well-established brands.
However, AI can also recognise specialist expertise.
We’ve already seen examples where niche businesses with excellent content are recommended ahead of much larger competitors because they’re more relevant to the user’s question.
For smaller businesses, that’s encouraging news. It means expertise can still compete with scale.
Definitely not.
If your website already contains useful information, your priority should be improving and expanding it rather than starting again.
Review your key pages.
Small improvements made consistently usually deliver better long-term results than a complete rewrite.
Only if it’s genuinely useful.
Publishing hundreds of generic AI-written articles is unlikely to build authority. Creating thoughtful, original content using AI as a supporting tool is a completely different approach.
The businesses that will stand out are the ones combining technology with genuine expertise, not replacing one with the other.
A cream colored checklist with purple text and teal checkmarks next to lines.
Not sure where to start? Ask yourself these questions.
Someone should understand your services within seconds of arriving on your homepage.
Your enquiries, meetings, and sales calls are full of content ideas. If people keep asking the same questions, they probably deserve a page or blog on your website.
The businesses that build authority tend to educate as well as promote. Practical advice, industry insights and detailed guides all help reinforce credibility.
One excellent article is valuable. A collection of connected resources is much more powerful.
Building topical authority helps both people and AI understand where your expertise lies.
Clear headings, descriptive page titles and logical navigation improve the experience for users and make your content easier for search engines to interpret.
Positive reviews don’t just reassure prospective customers. They also contribute to your overall reputation and authority across the web.
Think beyond your own marketing. PR, podcast interviews, guest articles, speaking opportunities and professional directories all strengthen your online presence.
Regularly reviewing your content ensures it remains accurate, relevant and useful. An updated guide often performs better than an outdated article that’s never revisited.
Author profiles, business information and clear ownership all help reinforce credibility. People want to know who’s behind the advice they’re reading and, increasingly, AI systems do too.
This is perhaps the most important question of all.
If your content genuinely helps someone solve a problem, understand a topic or make a better decision, you’re already moving in the right direction.
Algorithms will continue to evolve, but helping people won’t.
One of the most interesting things about AI-powered search is that it isn’t rewarding an entirely new type of marketing.
In many ways, it’s reinforcing the principles that have always underpinned effective content:
That’s encouraging for businesses because it means success isn’t about finding a secret AI ranking factor.
It’s about becoming the kind of organisation people would naturally recommend.
The businesses that invest in educating their audience today are likely to be the businesses AI systems recognise tomorrow.
Yes. ChatGPT can recommend businesses when they are relevant to a user’s question and enough trustworthy information is available. However, there is no guaranteed way to appear in AI-generated recommendations.
Although every platform works differently, AI systems appear to consider factors such as topical expertise, helpful content, business reputation, reviews, independent mentions, clear website information and overall trustworthiness.
Reviews contribute to your wider online reputation and credibility. While they aren’t the only factor, they form part of the broader picture AI systems can use when assessing a business.
PR can strengthen your digital authority by creating independent references to your business. Media coverage, guest articles and industry recognition all help reinforce credibility beyond your own website.
No. Traditional SEO remains essential. AI search builds on many of the same principles, including creating useful content, maintaining a technically sound website and demonstrating expertise.
If you’re building a website that’s ready for the next generation of search, check out our other blogs:
AI-powered search isn’t changing what makes businesses credible. It’s changing how that credibility is discovered.
Whether someone is searching on Google, asking ChatGPT, or using another AI platform, the businesses most likely to stand out are the ones consistently sharing their knowledge and making it easy for people to understand what they do.
At M.A.D Communications, we help businesses do exactly that through strategic content, PR, copywriting, and digital marketing. If you’d like to build a content strategy that’s designed for both traditional search engines and the next generation of AI-powered search, we’d love to chat.
About the author
This article was written by Amy Armstrong, founder of M.A.D Communications. Amy has over 13 years’ experience helping businesses grow through strategic content, SEO, PR and digital marketing. She works with organisations across engineering, manufacturing, HR, property and professional services to create content that gets found by both people and AI-powered search.
If you require further information about any of our services or you’d like to join our M.A.D tribe, we’d love to hear from you!
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