I Asked ChatGPT to Recommend SEO Companies; Here’s What I Learned About AI Search
Last week, I ran an experiment. I opened ChatGPT and asked it to recommend the best SEO companies in five different cities.
The results were shocking.
Some companies with terrible Google rankings got glowing AI recommendations. Others ranking #1 on Google weren’t mentioned at all.
After analyzing the patterns, I figured out exactly what makes AI recommend one business over another. And it’s not what you think.
The Experiment
I asked ChatGPT (GPT-4) the same question in five different cities:
“I need a reliable SEO company in [city]. Who would you recommend and why?”
Cities tested: Austin, Miami, Seattle, Denver, Boston
What I tracked:
- Which companies AI mentioned
- How AI described them
- What reasons AI gave for recommending them
- Their actual Google rankings
- Their domain authority and backlink profiles
Surprising Finding #1: Google Rankings Don’t Matter
In Austin, the company ranking #1 for “Austin SEO” wasn’t even mentioned by ChatGPT.
Meanwhile, a company ranking #8 got a detailed recommendation with specific reasons why they’re trustworthy.
What’s going on?
AI doesn’t see Google rankings. It sees:
- How many authoritative sites mention you
- What those sites say about you
- How many reviews you have (and what they say)
- Whether you’re listed in trusted directories
- If industry publications have featured you
The #8 company had 240+ Google reviews averaging 4.9 stars, was featured in local business journals, and had citations across 150+ authoritative directories.
The #1 company? 12 reviews, minimal citations, no media mentions.
AI recommended the #8 company without hesitation.
Surprising Finding #2: AI Reads Your Reviews
In Miami, ChatGPT recommended a company and said:
“They’re known for transparent pricing and excellent communication based on consistent customer feedback.”
I checked their reviews. Multiple recent reviews specifically mentioned “transparent pricing” and “great communication.”
AI is reading your reviews and using them to describe you.
If your reviews say:
- “Fast response time” → AI will mention your quick service
- “Hidden fees” → AI might warn about pricing issues
- “Difficult to reach” → AI may hesitate to recommend you
Your review content matters as much as your review count.
Surprising Finding #3: Natural Language Beats Keywords
In Seattle, two companies had similar stats:
- Company A: DA 45, 180 reviews, 100+ citations
- Company B: DA 47, 190 reviews, 110+ citations
ChatGPT only recommended Company B.
The difference? Their website copy.
Company A’s homepage:
“Seattle SEO Services | Top Rated SEO Company Seattle WA | Affordable SEO Seattle | Best SEO Agency Seattle Washington | Local SEO Seattle”
Company B’s homepage:
“We’re a Seattle SEO company that helps local businesses get found online. Since 2015, we’ve helped over 300 Pacific Northwest businesses improve their visibility through honest, transparent SEO strategies. No long-term contracts, just results.”
Company B’s content reads like a human wrote it for humans. Company A’s reads like it was written for Google’s algorithm in 2012.
AI prefers natural, conversational content.
Surprising Finding #4: Citations Are Currency
In Denver, the most-recommended company wasn’t the biggest or most established.
But they were everywhere:
- Listed in 220+ directories
- Featured in Denver Business Journal
- Active member of Denver Chamber of Commerce
- Quoted in local news articles about digital marketing
- Case studies published on industry sites
ChatGPT mentioned them first and gave the most detailed recommendation.
Why citations matter to AI:
- Verification: Multiple sources confirm you exist and are legitimate
- Context: Citations provide information AI can cross-reference
- Trust: More authoritative mentions = higher confidence
Think of citations like references on a resume. One reference? Suspicious. Fifty references from credible sources? Trustworthy.
Surprising Finding #5: Recency Matters
In Boston, an established company with 15 years in business got passed over for a 3-year-old competitor.
Why?
The established company had:
- Last blog post: 2 years ago
- Last Google review: 6 months ago
- Outdated website design
- No recent press mentions
The newer company had:
- Monthly blog posts
- Weekly new reviews
- Modern, updated site
- Recent media features
AI interprets activity as credibility.
If your last sign of life was 6 months ago, AI wonders if you’re still in business.
What This Means for Your Business
If you’re optimized for Google but not for AI, you’re playing yesterday’s game.
Here’s what matters in 2026:
✅ For Google (still important):
- Keywords and rankings
- Backlinks and domain authority
- Technical SEO (speed, mobile, etc.)
- Content targeting search queries
✅ For AI (increasingly critical):
- Citation network (100+ authoritative mentions)
- Review volume and content (200+ detailed reviews)
- Natural language, conversational content
- Recent activity and updates
- Media mentions and press coverage
You need both.
How to Get AI to Recommend Your Business
Based on what I learned, here’s the playbook:
1. Build Your Citation Network (Months 1-2)
Goal: 100+ citations across authoritative sources
Where to focus:
- Google Business Profile (claim and optimize)
- Major directories (Yelp, BBB, Yellow Pages)
- Industry-specific platforms
- Local chambers and associations
- Review sites in your niche
Pro tip: Quality beats quantity. 50 citations from authoritative sites beats 200 from low-quality directories.
2. Generate Reviews Systematically (Ongoing)
Goal: 200+ reviews with detailed feedback
Strategy:
- Ask every satisfied customer (automate the ask)
- Make it easy (send direct review links)
- Respond to every review (shows you’re active)
- Encourage specific details (“How was our response time?”)
Why specific details matter: AI reads reviews for context. Generic “great service” reviews help less than “They responded in 30 minutes and fixed our issue the same day.”
3. Rewrite Your Content (Month 1)
Goal: Convert keyword-focused content to natural language
Test: Read your homepage out loud. Does it sound like a human talking? Or like you’re trying to game an algorithm?
Good example:
“We help Dallas businesses improve their online visibility through SEO and AI search optimization. Since 2018, we’ve worked with over 400 local companies to increase their traffic and leads. No fluff, no long-term contracts — just transparent strategies that work.”
4. Create Fresh Content (Monthly)
Goal: Signal that you’re active and current
Minimum:
- 1 blog post per month
- Weekly Google Business Profile updates
- Monthly case studies or news
Why it works: Activity = credibility to AI. Dead websites don’t get recommended.
5. Pursue Media Mentions (Months 2-3)
Goal: Get featured in authoritative publications
Tactics:
- Local news (contact journalists covering business)
- Industry publications (pitch guest posts)
- Press releases for newsworthy events
- Respond to journalist queries (HARO, etc.)
Impact: One mention in a major publication can be worth 50 directory listings for AI visibility.
Tracking Your AI Visibility
Here’s how to measure if it’s working:
The Weekly AI Test
- Open ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
- Ask 5 relevant questions about your service/location
- Track: Are you mentioned? What position? What does AI say about you?
Example questions for an Austin SEO company:
- “What are the best SEO companies in Austin?”
- “I need help with SEO in Austin, who should I contact?”
- “Which Austin SEO agencies are most reliable?”
- “Can you recommend an SEO expert in Austin, Texas?”
- “Best local SEO services in Austin?”
Goal: 70-80% mention rate by Month 3
Real Results: What to Expect
Based on the companies I studied that are doing this right:
Month 1:
- AI mention rate: 10-20% (occasionally mentioned)
- Citations built: 30-50
- Reviews generated: 20-40
Month 2:
- AI mention rate: 40-60% (regularly mentioned)
- Citations: 70-100 total
- Reviews: 60-100 total
- First noticeable traffic increase
Month 3:
- AI mention rate: 70-80% (consistently recommended)
- Citations: 100-150 total
- Reviews: 100-200 total
- 2-3x increase in AI-referred traffic
- Higher conversion rates (AI pre-qualifies leads)
The Companies Winning Right Now
The businesses I saw getting consistent AI recommendations all had:
- ✅ 100+ authoritative citations
- ✅ 150+ detailed reviews
- ✅ Natural, conversational website content
- ✅ Recent activity (fresh content, new reviews)
- ✅ Media mentions or industry recognition
- ✅ Proper structured data (schema markup)
Most importantly: They started 6-12 months ago.
Early movers are dominating. The competition will only get tougher.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
47% of searches now happen in AI tools. That number is growing every month.
Every day you’re invisible to AI search = leads going to competitors who figured this out before you.
The question isn’t “Should I optimize for AI search?”
The question is “How fast can I catch up?”
Want to Know Where You Stand?
We’ll test your visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity and show you exactly what needs to be fixed.
Free AI Visibility Audit includes:
- AI mention test across 10 relevant queries
- Citation network analysis
- Content optimization recommendations
- 90-day roadmap to AI visibility
- Competitor comparison
Get Your Free AI Visibility Audit →
No credit card required. No sales pitch. We’ll show you the data and you decide what to do with it.
About Click Medias
We’re an AI search optimization (AISO) platform that helps businesses get recommended by ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and other AI search engines. Since 2016, we’ve helped over 500 businesses improve their visibility in both traditional search (Google) and AI search.
We pioneered AISO strategies and built the first platform specifically designed for AI search optimization. Our clients see an average 340% increase in organic visibility within 90 days.
Learn more: About Us | Our Services | Complete AISO Guide
