Does ChatGPT Recommend Your Business? A 15-Minute Test for Small Businesses

More people are asking AI tools for recommendations. Instead of searching "plumber Waterford" and scrolling through results, they ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI answers who they should call, and they get a short list of names. If your business isn't on that list, you may never know you were left out.

This is a practical test you can run in about 15 minutes to see whether AI tools know your business, what they say about you, and what to do about it. If you want the background on why this matters, my guide to GEO for Irish SMEs explains it in more depth. This post is the hands-on version.

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The short answer

Ask two or three AI tools the questions your customers would ask, then ask them directly about your business. Note whether you're mentioned, whether the details are right, and who gets recommended instead. Many small businesses find they're either missing or described inaccurately. The fix usually starts with making sure your website, Google Business Profile and directory listings all state the same clear facts about you.

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Why this is worth 15 minutes

Use of AI for local recommendations is growing quickly. In BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 45% of consumers said they used ChatGPT or other AI tools for business recommendations, up from 6% the year before. That survey is of US consumers, but Irish businesses are paying attention too. In team.blue's State of European Business 2026 survey, published for Ireland by LetsHost, 72.2% of Irish businesses said they expect AI to change how customers discover them, while only 23.5% felt prepared.

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Before you start

You'll need:

• a notepad or a blank document
• access to at least two AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot or Perplexity (the free versions are fine)
• a private or incognito browser window if you're signed in, so your own history has less influence

AI answers vary from one day to the next and from one person to another. Treat what you find as a snapshot, not a score, and repeat the test every few months.

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Step 1: Ask the questions your customers ask (5 minutes)

Write three questions a real customer might type. Make them specific to your service and area:

• "Who are the best [your service] in [your town]?"
• "I need [the problem you solve] in [your county]. Who would you recommend?"
• "What's a good [your type of business] near [a local landmark or area]?"

Ask each question in each tool. For every answer, note:

• Are you mentioned?
• Who is mentioned instead?
• Where does the tool say its information came from, if it shows sources?

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Step 2: Ask about your business by name (5 minutes)

Now ask directly:

• "What do you know about [your business name] in [your town]?"
• "What services does [your business name] offer, and what do they cost?"
• "What do customers say about [your business name]?"

Check every detail against reality: what you do, where you are, your opening hours, your prices, your contact details. Mark anything wrong, out of date or missing. Wrong information is often more damaging than no information, because a customer may act on it.

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Step 3: Check what the tools are reading (5 minutes)

AI tools build their answers from information they can find about you online. Spend five minutes checking the sources they're most likely to draw on:

• Your website. Does your homepage say plainly what you do, who for and where? Is there a page for each main service?
• Your Google Business Profile. Is it complete, with the right category, hours, services and a description that matches your website?
• Your reviews. Do you have recent reviews that mention what you do?
• Directories and listings. Search your business name and check that your name, address and phone number are the same everywhere they appear.

If any of these disagree with each other, that's likely part of the problem. An AI tool that finds three different descriptions of your business can't be confident about any of them.

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How to read your results

• You're recommended and the details are right. Good. Keep your information consistent and keep collecting reviews.
• You're known by name but not recommended. The tools know you exist but don't see you as a strong match for the question. Make your services and location clearer on your website, and build up recent reviews that mention them.
• The details about you are wrong. Fix the source first. Update your website, Google Business Profile and listings so they all say the same thing.
• You're not known at all. Start with the basics: a clear website, a complete Google Business Profile and consistent listings. AI visibility builds on those.

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What to fix first

1. Make your Google Business Profile complete and accurate. My setup guide walks through it.
2. Rewrite the top of your homepage to state what you do, who for and where, in plain words.
3. Give each main service its own clear page.
4. Ask every happy customer for a Google review. My guide to getting more Google reviews explains how to do it within Google's rules.
5. Check your name, address and phone number match across directories.

Then run the test again in three months.

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What not to worry about

You'll see services promising to "get you into ChatGPT" quickly. Be wary of anyone who claims they can buy you a place in these tools' recommendations. The basics above do most of the work. For a small business, clear and consistent information beats any shortcut.

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When to get help

If you'd like someone to run this check properly, alongside your website, search visibility and messaging, it's part of my Marketing Health Check. You get the three things that will make the biggest difference, in order, for €249. Or book a free consultation and we can talk it through.

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Frequently asked questions

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How do I know if ChatGPT recommends my business?

Ask it the questions your customers would ask, such as "Who are the best [service] in [town]?", and note whether you're mentioned. Then ask about your business by name and check the details are correct. Repeat in other AI tools, since each can give different answers.

Why does ChatGPT recommend my competitor and not me?

Usually because there's clearer, more consistent information about them online: a website that states what they do and where, a complete Google Business Profile, recent reviews and consistent listings.

Can I pay to be recommended by ChatGPT?

Be wary of anyone who says you can. The reliable way to improve your chances is to make clear, accurate and consistent information about your business easy to find.

How often should I check AI search for my business?

Every three months is reasonable for most small businesses, and after any big change such as new services or a move.

What is GEO?

GEO, or generative engine optimisation, means making your business easier for AI tools to find, understand and recommend. For small businesses, it builds on the same foundations as local SEO.