Earlier a customer would Google a query and pick a link to research. Today, people ask ChatGPT a question or read the summaries provided by Google AI Overviews and trust the information they see. If your business is mentioned in that information, you will be recognized.
At Viral Mafia, an SEO agency in Kerala, business owners inquire to us about this on a weekly basis. The best part is that you do not need to rely on shady tactics or shortcuts to get this kind of result. You need solid fundamentals, that is what we provide.
What Are ChatGPT Mentions and Google AI Overviews?
Google AI Overviews are snippets of AI-powered information summarizing the answer for the query above the regular search results. ChatGPT can search the web and also mention or link to businesses and websites within its search results. Both tools work in the same way, they try to find clear, trustworthy information and provide it to the person asking. Being a trustworthy information source should be the aim for getting recognized. Let’s discuss the process step by step.
Step 1: Allow AI Tools To Index Your Website
This is the step that most businesses are miss or are not aware of. Google says that in order for a page to appear in Google Search with a snippet preceding it, the page must be indexed, thus making it eligible to appear in Google Search.
ChatGPT has a similar process. OpenAI uses the OAI-SearchBot crawler to bring websites into ChatGPT search results and it recommends allowing it in your robot.txt file. Sites blocked from it will not be seen in ChatGPT search results. Blocking GPTBot is not a concern, it only governs whether your content can be used to train OpenAI’s models. Once the robot.txt file has been altered, OpenAI says its systems can take about 24 hours to adjust. Ask your web developer to look this over. It takes a few minutes and it will have a huge impact.
Step 2: Answer Your Customers’ Real Questions
AI tools love content that directly answers queries. Think about what your customers ask you through various sources, like:
- What are the prices?
- How long does it take?
- Which package is right for me?
- Is it Better to follow this path?
Write blog posts or pages that answer these in simple language. Lead with brief answers first, then explain. Write headings like questions and avoid industry jargon. If a 12-year-old could understand the page, your AI tool can understand it too.
Step 3: Showcase Real People Behind Your Business
Google’s guidance for AI features is that they follow the same principles as Google’s Search, that is, helpful, reliable, people-first content. This means showing real people behind the brand, for that:
- Create an About page that provides your story and your team
- Add your full address, number, and opening times
- Publish customer reviews and case studies
- Add author names to your blog posts
- Customers are able to trust in real people as much as they trust in content.
Step 4: Optimize Your Google Business Profile
If you are working on a local or city-based business, it is absolutely vital that you maintain an optimized Google Business Profile. Keep your Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP), Categories, Photos, and hours the same across the web. Ask customers to leave honest reviews and respond to positive, negative, and neutral comments. When someone asks for “the best clinic near me” or “a reliable interior designer in Calicut,” this is the information AI tools lean on.
Step 5: Get Mentioned Outside Of Your Website
AI tools do not rely on a single source, when your company is featured on different, trusted websites, it is pretty much easier for it to be recognized and recommended. Try, getting listed on respected local and industry directories, Sharing advice with local newspapers, blogs, or business magazines, Encouraging mentions from partners, suppliers, and customers, Being active on LinkedIn, YouTube, and other platforms your customers are using, and Focus on having a real, helpful presence on these sites rather than spam.
Step 6: Keep Your Content Updated and Organized
Update old pages with new information, such as revised prices or added services. Make sure to link related pages together so customers and search engines can easily navigate through your site. Schema markup can help search engines understand your content, although Google says no specific markup is required to appear in AI Overviews.
Tips For Small and Large Businesses
If you own a small or local business: Focus on your Google Business Profile and local pages, and encourage customer reviews. Be the best answer for your local area.
If you are a high-end or multi-site organization: Create dedicated pages for every element of your service, keep the local information updated across all sites, and build a library of rich content to demonstrate your expertise.
How to Check Whether AI Tools Already Mention Your Business
Check what kind of answers you get when asking the same questions as a client. Try using ChatGPT and Google and write queries similar to those you see on your site like – best (your service) in (your city), “how much does (your service) cost?”, and others. Pay attention to which organizations are mentioned, which sites are cited, and what information is provided. If competitors’ names appear while yours does not, consider that as a starting point.
Take a closer look at the data in Google Search Console. Google officially states that pages with AI Overviews and AI Mode content are included in the Search Console statistics. This means you should take a closer look at which queries and pages bring you traffic. Ask your developer to check whether ChatGPT can crawl your site. You can see if your server has received requests from OAI-SearchBot by checking your server’s access logs. If you do not see this user agent, you should look at the robots.txt file to see if the crawler is blocked.
You should run these checks at least once a month. The reason is that AI algorithms are constantly changing, and you need to react in a timely manner. It is a good idea to keep track of all findings in an Excel file or similar program. Then you will see which optimizations have the most significant impact on your results.
A Note On Guarantees
No one can guarantee that ChatGPT or Google will mention your business. These tools rely on complex AI and frequently change their criteria, what you can do is build a discoverable, understandable, and trustworthy online presence that will also benefit your ranking on regular search. That is what we do at Viral Mafia, our SEO service in Kerala specialize in technical tweaks and the content that suits both humans and AI. Get in touch with us today and let’s make your business better.
