How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT and other AI assistants
AI assistants recommend businesses they can find, understand and verify. That means clear pages explaining what you do and for whom, the same name, address and services everywhere the assistant looks, answers to the questions customers actually ask, and other trustworthy sites mentioning you. None of it is a trick; it is making your expertise easy to read and easy to check.
Search has changed
A growing number of people ask an AI assistant instead of scrolling through a list of links. The assistant replies with an answer and a short list of names. Being on page one used to be the goal. Now the goal is to be one of the names in the answer.
What assistants look for
Pages that state plainly what the business does, where, and for whom. Consistent details across the website, business profiles and directories. Content that answers real questions in plain language. Structured information that software can read, such as the services offered and the area served. And mentions on other credible sites, which act as references.
Practical steps for a Zimbabwean business
Make sure each service has its own clear page. Set up and complete a Google Business Profile. Keep the business name, address and phone number identical everywhere. Publish answers to the questions customers ask before they buy. Add structured data to the website. Ask satisfied clients for reviews and, where they agree, case studies. Make sure search engines and AI crawlers are allowed to read the site.
How long it takes
There is no switch to flip. Some changes are picked up quickly; reputation built through mentions and reviews accumulates over time. Anyone promising a guaranteed position in AI answers is promising something they do not control.
Measuring it
Ask the assistants the questions your customers ask, regularly, and record which businesses they name. Watch which pages bring visitors from search. Adjust based on what actually changes.
Questions buyers ask
Is this different from SEO?
It builds on the same foundations. The difference is the target: being cited in an AI answer rather than ranked in a list.
Can a new website be recommended?
Yes. Clear, useful, well-structured content can be picked up without years of history.
Do we need to pay the AI companies?
No. Recommendations in AI answers are not sold. They depend on what the assistant can find and trust.
What is llms.txt?
A plain-text summary of a website written for AI assistants. It helps them understand the site quickly. It supports, but does not replace, good pages.
Book a platform briefing
A 15-minute technical discussion with an engineer. Tell us how the work runs today and we will say plainly what could be automated with what you already own. Email sales@eigenstatesystems.com or message us on WhatsApp at +263 77 636 6999.