How ChatGPT, Gemini, and Bing Decide Which Local Businesses to Recommend

And what that means for your business today

Quick Summary

To show up in AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Bing Copilot, your business needs clear, consistent information across your website, listings, reviews, and Bing’s search index. These tools don’t guess, they pull from the data you’ve already put online.

Our tests across local businesses show that when core details (services, hours, location, reviews) are missing or inconsistent, AI tools simply skip the business, even when it’s well-rated. In most cases, missing or incomplete listings and gaps in Bing indexing were the biggest reasons businesses didn’t appear in ChatGPT results.

This article explains, in plain language, how these AI tools decide which businesses to recommend, and what steps you can take to make sure you’re not invisible.

The Real-World Problem

Here’s a simple example.

A family dentist in Seattle has been on Google for years. Strong reviews. Clean website. Local clients love them.

But when people ask ChatGPT:

“Who are the best dentists near Ballard?”

The practice never appears.

Nothing negative is happening, they just don’t exist to the AI. The site’s information is unclear, their listing isn’t indexed in Bing’s search results, and reviews aren’t fresh. So the AI plays it safe and mentions other clinics instead.

This is happening across thousands of small businesses. The issue isn’t quality of service, it’s lack of clear signals for modern AI-based search.

The good news: the fix is straightforward once you understand how AI tools decide who to show.

What We Discovered: Where AI Tools Actually Find Local Businesses

In visibility audits, we looked at how ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, and Google Gemini respond when users ask for local recommendations (“best hair salon near me”, “affordable plumbers in Phoenix”, etc.).

Here are the clearest patterns explained simply.

Insight #1: AI Tools Get Information From Your Listings, Website, and Reviews

ChatGPT and other AI tools don’t access Google Business Profile directly. Instead, they look at:

• Information in Bing’s search results (including Bing Places data)

• Your website content

• Review sites (Google Maps, Yelp, Facebook)

• Your business listings on review platforms

• Directory listings

So what?

If your listings are incomplete, your website unclear, or your Bing search presence weak, you’re invisible to AI tools.

Now what?

Complete your Google Business Profile, ensure you appear in Bing search results, keep your website clear and consistent, and maintain fresh reviews across platforms.

Insight #2: Your Website Maters More Than Most People Expect

AI tools prefer clear, structured information — what you do, where you’re located, your hours, your services, FAQs.

So what?

If your website doesn’t clearly say what you do and where, the AI won’t confidently recommend you.

Now what?

A simple update to your homepage and adding a short FAQ can make a major difference.

Insight #3: Reviews Act as “Credibility and Activity Signals”

AI tools look at:

• Recency (how fresh the reviews are)

• Average rating

• Review volume (how many reviews you have)

• Consistency of feedback

• Reviews across multiple platforms

So what?

If your reviews are old or sparse, you look less active — even if you’re the best in town.

Now what?

A small push to gather fresh reviews each month keeps you visible and credible.

Insight #4: Your Presence on Multiple Platforms Matters

AI tools often reference and cross-check:

• Yelp

• Apple Maps

• Google Maps

• Facebook

• Industry directories

• Local mentions and features

So what?

Being listed consistently across multiple platforms signals legitimacy and relevance.

Now what?

Ensure your information is consistent and complete across the platforms where your customers are.

Curious how your business actually shows up in ChatGPT and Bing today?

Get a Free AI Visibility Audit from Halospot

The 4 Main Data Sources AI Tools Check

Let’s break this down simply. Whenever someone asks an AI tool for a local recommendation, it pulls from four main areas.

1. Your Website

AI tools scan your website for:

• What you offer

• Where you’re located

• Your hours

• Your services or specialties

• Direct answers to common questions (FAQ)

If AI can’t find this quickly and clearly, it assumes you’re not relevant.

Tip: Start your homepage with one clear sentence that states exactly what you do and where. Example: “We’re a family dentistry practice in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, open Monday-Friday 7am-6pm.”

2. Your Business Listings

Listings on review platforms and in Bing search results matter greatly.

AI tools use them to validate:

• Your location

• Your phone number

• Your hours

• Your business category

• Your photos

• Your reviews and ratings

Key detail: AI tools pull information from Bing’s search results and review platforms, not directly from Google Business Profile. If your details are missing, outdated, or inconsistent across platforms, AI treats it as low-confidence information.

Tip: Make sure your Google Business Profile, Bing appearance, and review site listings all show the same information — address, phone, hours, services.

3. Your Reviews

AI tools examine:

• How recent your reviews are

• Your overall rating

• What customers mention in reviews

• The number and consistency of reviews

They use these signals to understand your business reputation and activity level.

Tip: Encourage customers to mention what service they received — “Great experience with my teeth cleaning” or “Amazing waxing service” — this helps AI understand what you’re known for.

4. Your Online Presence Across Platforms

Examples:

• Your appearance in Yelp search results

• Your listing on Apple Maps

• Your Facebook business page

• Industry-specific directories

• Local business guides or “best of” lists

Multiple consistent mentions across platforms help AI validate your legitimacy.

Tip: Being listed consistently (with matching information) across 3-5 major platforms significantly improves how AI perceives your credibility.

What This Means for Your Business

Here’s the straightforward translation:

• If your information is inconsistent across platforms (phone number different on Yelp vs. your website, hours wrong on review sites), AI tools get confused about which is correct and may skip you.

• If your reviews are old, you look less active than you really are.

• If you don’t appear in Bing search results, ChatGPT may never see you.

• If your website isn’t clear about what you do and where you serve, AI can’t extract the basics with confidence.

• If you’re missing from major review platforms, AI has fewer signals to validate your legitimacy.

Most small businesses are leaving visibility on the table simply because their digital presence is scattered or incomplete. Fixing these core areas gives you a real edge in an environment where many competitors haven’t caught up yet.

Key Takeaways So Far

• AI tools need clear, consistent information across your website, listings, and reviews.

• Bing search indexing matters more than many business owners realize — it directly impacts ChatGPT visibility.

• Reviews aren’t just for customers — they’re key signals for AI about your activity and credibility.

• A few hours of cleanup across your main platforms can dramatically improve AI visibility.

6 Actions You Can Take This Week to Improve AI Visibility

You don’t need a technical background to start.

Priority 1 (Fastest Impact — Do These First)

1. Verify and Complete Your Google Business Profile

Claim and verify your GBP if not already done. Fill out every field: description, categories, hours, phone, website, photos. This ensures your business appears clearly in search results that AI tools reference.

Time: 15-20 minutes | Impact: Direct visibility boost

2. Add a Short FAQ Section to Your Website

Answer 5-10 common customer questions: prices, appointments, insurance accepted, parking, services, etc. AI tools prioritize websites with FAQ sections because they provide direct answers. You can add this to your homepage or create a dedicated page.

Time: 20 minutes | Impact: Major AI clarity signal

Priority 2 (Medium Impact — Do This Week)

3. Check That You Appear in Bing Search Results

Search your business on bing.com. Make sure you appear in the search results (not just Bing Maps). If not, ensure your Google Business Profile is verified—this helps Bing index you.

Time: 5 minutes | Impact: Critical for ChatGPT visibility

4. Make Sure Your Name, Address, Phone, and Hours Match Everywhere

Consistency builds trust for both humans and AI tools. Verify across:

• Your website

• Google Business Profile

• Yelp

• Facebook

• Apple Maps

• Any industry directories you’re listed on

Even small inconsistencies (like “Suite 101” vs. “Ste 101” or different phone formats) confuse AI systems.

Time: 30-45 minutes | Impact: High-confidence AI signals

5. Claim and Complete Your Yelp Listing

Go to yelp.com, search for your business, and claim it. Fill out your category, hours, website, description, and photos. Yelp is a major source AI tools reference.

Time: 10 minutes | Impact: Direct visibility increase

Priority 3 (Ongoing Maintenance)

6. Ask for 3–5 Fresh Reviews Each Month

Recent reviews signal that your business is active. Ask satisfied customers directly — it’s more effective than hoping they leave reviews on their own. Aim for reviews on Google, Yelp, and industry-specific platforms.

Time: 10 minutes to request | Impact: Consistent activity signal

Want a done-for-you checklist?

Schedule a call today

How Different AI Tools Work (Slightly Different Approaches)

It’s helpful to understand that while all these tools follow similar patterns, they have slight differences:

ChatGPT: Shows a curated list of recommendations with sources cited. Pulls from Bing’s data, review sites, and web search results.

Bing Copilot: Similar to ChatGPT in approach, uses Bing’s data heavily.

Google Gemini: Pulls from Google data and search results, with some cross-reference to external sources.

Perplexity: Aggregates from multiple sources including Bing, Google, and others.

Good news: All of them benefit from the same foundational actions (clear website, complete listings, fresh reviews, consistent information). You don’t need a different strategy for each tool — consistency across the web helps you everywhere.

Where Halospot Helps

Most small business owners don’t have the time to verify listings, manage reviews, update websites, and ensure consistency across multiple platforms. That’s exactly why we built Halospot.

Here’s how we help:

• We audit your AI visibility — how (or if) you show up in ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, Gemini, and other tools.

• We verify and optimize your Google Business Profile so you appear clearly in Bing search results.

• We update your website with clear information and FAQs that AI tools can easily read.

• We help you develop a review strategy so you consistently gather fresh feedback.

• We ensure consistency across your listings and platforms.

• We track your visibility so you can see your progress over time.

If you want us to handle this for you, most audits take less than 15 minutes, and we identify quick wins you can implement immediately.

[Start with a Free AI Visibility Audit]

FAQs

1. Do I need to be technical to improve my AI visibility?

No. Most improvements involve updating your listings, clarifying your website, and keeping reviews fresh. The technical pieces (like structured data and schema) can be handled for you.

2. Is this the same as traditional SEO?

Not exactly. SEO helps you show up on Google Search. AI visibility helps you show up in AI conversations — ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, Gemini, and similar tools. They overlap (good practices help both), but they’re distinct. You can rank well on Google and be invisible to ChatGPT, or vice versa.

3. Will optimizing for AI hurt my Google rankings?

No. Everything you do for AI — clearer information, consistency, better reviews — helps your Google presence as well. You’re not trading one off for the other.

4. How long does it take to see results?

Quick wins (7-14 days): Completing your GBP and ensuring Bing indexing can show impact almost immediately as tools re-crawl your information.

Medium-term gains (1-2 weeks): Website clarity improvements (homepage updates, FAQ sections) show impact quickly.

Ongoing benefits (4-6 weeks): Reviews take time to accumulate and influence AI patterns. Aim for a 4-6 week window to see meaningful changes from gathering fresh reviews.

5. Can I do this myself?

Absolutely. Most basics — listings, reviews, website clarity — are manageable on your own. Halospot simply helps you do it faster and more thoroughly, and we catch things you might miss (like inconsistencies or missing profile fields).

6. What types of businesses benefit most?

Any business where customers search locally benefits significantly:

• Health and wellness businesses

• Restaurants and cafes

• Beauty and personal care services

If customers search “near me” or your location + your service type, you need to be visible in AI tools.

7. How often do I need to update things?

A light monthly check is enough:

• Update photos monthly (show your business in current state)

• Add or refresh FAQ answers quarterly

• Update hours/services when they change

• Ask for 3-5 reviews each month

• Check one directory or platform weekly to ensure consistency

Think of it like maintaining your business itself — regular, light maintenance beats emergency fixes.