How local businesses get recommended by AI
Updated: · Orbtown
When someone asks an assistant for the best dentist nearby, it needs evidence that you exist, where you are and that people trust you. Most of that evidence lives outside your website.
The evidence an assistant looks for
There is no public formula and no independent academic study of local recommendations yet. Practitioner reports consistently mention the same inputs: business profiles, review platforms, directories, comparison articles and local news, with more confidence when several agree.
A four-week plan
Week 1: your foundations
- Write down your exact name, address and phone. Use this wording everywhere.
Week 2: your profiles
- Complete your Google Business Profile and Bing Places listing. ChatGPT search and Copilot are commonly linked with Bing data, so do not skip it.
- Add your company to directories of your trade and country, including Orbtown.
Week 3: real reviews
- Ask satisfied customers for reviews on the platforms people in your trade use.
- Reply to them. Never buy reviews or write your own: fake consumer reviews are banned in the EU.
Week 4: be mentioned
- Offer local media a story or data they can use.
- Ask partners, suppliers and associations to list you.
- Ask assistants your customers' questions and log what they say.
What to expect
Fixes on your own site can register within days. A reputation across other sources takes months. Answers differ between runs and between assistants, so judge the trend, not a single reply.
Common questions
Is Google Business Profile important for AI?
Practitioner reports often name it as a major source, and Google's own systems use it. It is free, so complete it first.
How many directories do I need?
A few relevant, accurate listings beat dozens of low-quality ones. Consistency matters more than volume.