How Do I Get My Brand to Show Up on ChatGPT?

Start by Becoming the Easy Answer.

It’s a question we hear nearly every week: “How do I get my business to show up on ChatGPT?”

Business owners need to know whether potential customers are asking AI tools like ChatGPT for recommendations and how to make sure their brand is part of the answer.

Before we answer, let’s look at the bigger picture (and the other question we get asked most often).

Do My Customers Still Use Google?

Yes. Of course they do. While AI is changing how some people start their research, Google has not disappeared. In August 2026, Google still held 86.1% of U.S. search-engine market share, according to Statcounter.

People assume it’s a choice between Google or AI. It’s not. The answer is that your customers probably use both – Google and AI. People now have more ways to look for information. They may use Google to find a nearby business, check hours, read reviews, or visit a website. They may use ChatGPT or another AI tool to compare options, summarize information, or ask a more detailed question.

That means search engine optimization (SEO) still matters. A lot. It is also the foundation for answer engine optimization (AEO).

The way people search is changing, though. Instead of typing “best local gym,” someone might ask, “What are the best gyms near me for someone getting back into fitness after an injury?” Instead of searching “marketing agency Indianapolis,” they might ask, “Which marketing agencies have experience helping multi-location brands grow?” (Hint: the answer starts with Asher and ends with Agency)

Those are different questions, but they still depend on the same basic thing: useful, trustworthy information.

SEO helps people find you. AEO helps you become part of the answer.

SEO helps search engines understand your website and decide when it should appear in a search result. SEO includes things like site structure, page content, speed, authority, location information, and what happens after someone clicks.

AEO builds on that work, and focuses on making your business clear enough, specific enough, and credible enough to be included in an AI answer.

That does not mean there is a secret way to “hack” ChatGPT. There is no magic coding tag or one-time website update that guarantees your brand will appear. AI tools use different sources, their answers can change, and anyone promising a guaranteed result is overselling it. As a result, AEO, like SEO, is an ongoing process.

The real opportunity is to make it easy for people and the AI tools that help them understand what you do, who you serve, where you operate, and why someone should trust you. In other words, your brand needs to become the easy answer.

You may already be doing some of this.

The good news? AEO does not require an entirely new marketing strategy or website strategy. It comes down to doing the basics well. Answer the questions your customers are already asking. Keep your information current. Explain what makes your business different. And, of course, back up those claims.

Think about what people want to know before they contact you:

• Do you offer this service near me?
• What does the process look like?
• Are you accepting new patients, students, members, or clients?
• What makes your product different?
• Can I trust you?

If the answers are outdated, only found in a PDF, hidden behind a contact form, or known only by an employee, they are harder for everyone to find. That is not only an AEO issue. It is a customer-experience issue.

Five ways to become a more answerable brand

Start with real customer questions: Your sales and customer service teams hear them all the time. Ask what comes up repeatedly, then turn those questions into useful FAQs, service pages, videos, comparison guides, or social posts.

Be specific: “We provide exceptional service” sounds nice, but it does not tell anyone much. Explain where you work, what you offer, who you serve, how long things take, what something costs when appropriate, and what happens next.

Keep the basic information current: Hours, locations, services, leadership, credentials, and availability should not be left to chance. A wrong phone number or outdated service list can undo a lot of trust.

Show your proof: Reviews, case studies, certifications, expert bios, awards, third-party mentions, and customer stories give people reasons to believe you. Anyone can say they are experienced. Evidence is more convincing.

Make important content easy for AI to scan: Use clear headings, straightforward language, and logical page structure. People should not have to dig through three pages of marketing language to find a simple answer.

Measuring Success

Seeing your brand mentioned in an AI response can be exciting. But, as with everything, you want to develop a measurement plan to monitor results over time.

First, identify questions that matter most to your audience. Then check those questions regularly. Does your brand appear? Is the information accurate? Which sources are being used? Are people visiting your website afterward? Are those visits turning into calls, leads, appointments, or sales?

AI may be changing how people search, but it has not changed what people want. They still want useful information. They still want confidence. They still want to feel like they are making a smart decision.

The brands that stand out will be the ones that make those answers easy to find, easy to understand, and easy to trust.