1. How AI answers choose what to show
Google says its AI Overviews and AI Mode draw on pages that are already indexed and eligible to appear in Search, and that there are no extra technical requirements or special markup needed to be included. In plain terms: if Google cannot crawl, index and understand a page, it will not be used in an AI answer either.
ChatGPT search and Perplexity run their own crawlers (OAI-SearchBot and PerplexityBot) and also lean on traditional search indexes. They tend to cite pages that answer the exact question clearly, come from a business that is easy to identify, and are backed up elsewhere on the web.
No one can guarantee a citation. Each platform changes often and personalises answers. What you can do is make your business the easiest, most trustworthy source to quote for the questions your customers actually ask.
2. Make sure the AI crawlers are allowed in
Check your robots.txt file and any security or firewall settings. Blocking Googlebot removes you from Google Search and its AI features. Blocking OAI-SearchBot stops your pages being shown in ChatGPT search answers; blocking PerplexityBot does the same for Perplexity.
Google-Extended is different: it controls whether Google can use your content to train Gemini models, and Google states it does not affect inclusion in Search. You can block training without disappearing from search answers.
Pages that only load their main text with JavaScript, hide services behind tabs, or sit behind a login are harder to read. Your key service information should be in the page itself.
3. Answer the questions customers actually ask
AI answers are built around questions, not keywords. Write down the twenty questions your reception, intake or sales team hears most, then make sure each one has a short, direct answer on the right page, followed by the detail.
Clinic examples: what a treatment involves, recovery time, who it suits, whether a referral is needed, typical cost ranges and how to book. NDIS examples: which supports you provide, the areas you cover, whether you work with self-managed, plan-managed or agency-managed participants, and what happens after someone enquires. Home-improvement examples: suburbs serviced, how quoting works, timeframes, warranties and licences.
Lead each section with the answer in one or two sentences. Use clear headings that match the question. Avoid vague claims like ‘industry-leading’ that give an AI nothing it can quote.
4. Make your business easy to identify
AI systems need to be confident who you are. Keep your business name, address, phone, service areas and opening hours identical across your website, Google Business Profile, Facebook, directories and industry listings.
Add an About page with real people, qualifications and registrations that are current and verifiable (for example AHPRA registration for practitioners, NDIS registration status, or trade licence numbers). Add structured data such as LocalBusiness or MedicalClinic only where it matches what the page visibly says.
One page per core service, and one per genuine location, beats one long page that lists everything. It gives each question an obvious home.
5. Build proof beyond your own website
AI answers favour businesses that other sources mention. Steady, genuine Google reviews, local media, association memberships, partner pages and helpful guest content all count. Reply to reviews in a way that adds useful detail about the service.
Regulated industries need care. AHPRA’s advertising guidelines restrict testimonials about clinical aspects of regulated health services, and NDIS providers must not mislead participants about what they can deliver. Keep proof factual: years operating, services offered, areas covered, credentials and published case studies.
6. Measure what you can, honestly
There is no complete AI ranking report. Track what is measurable: Search Console impressions for question-style searches, referral visits from chatgpt.com and perplexity.ai in Google Analytics, and how new enquiries say they found you.
Once a month, ask the main assistants the questions your customers ask, and note whether your business appears and whether the description is accurate. Fix inaccurate information at the source, usually your own site or business profiles.
Most importantly, connect visibility to enquiries and bookings. A mention that never turns into a phone call is not a result.
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