Artificial intelligence is changing how people discover businesses online. Instead of typing “best web design company in Perth” into Google and browsing ten websites, many users now ask ChatGPT, Google AI, Gemini, Claude or Perplexity a direct question and expect a single, trustworthy answer.

How to Get Your Business Featured in ChatGPT, Google AI & AI Search

Businesses that adapt to this shift early have an opportunity to gain visibility in a new generation of search results. Those that rely only on traditional SEO may find themselves competing in an environment where AI systems summarise information, compare providers and recommend businesses based on multiple trust signals rather than rankings alone.

This guide explains how AI search works, what influences business recommendations, and the practical steps you can take to improve your visibility across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and other AI-powered search platforms.

Whether you’re a local business in Perth, an Australian company or an international organisation, the principles covered here will help you prepare your website for the future of search.

How do you get your business featured in ChatGPT?

There is no application form or paid placement that guarantees your business will appear in ChatGPT or other AI assistants. Instead, AI systems rely on a combination of trusted public information, authoritative websites, high-quality content, structured data, brand reputation, reviews, citations and overall website quality when generating responses.

Businesses are more likely to be mentioned when they:

• Publish genuinely helpful, authoritative content.
• Demonstrate expertise in their industry.
• Implement accurate Schema.org structured data.
• Build a strong, recognisable brand across the web.
• Earn positive customer reviews and reputable backlinks.
• Keep business information consistent across trusted directories.
• Maintain a technically sound, fast and secure website.
• Cover topics comprehensively instead of creating thin pages.

AI search optimisation is not about manipulating algorithms. It is about becoming a credible source that both search engines and AI systems can trust.

Why This Matters in 2026

Search behaviour is evolving rapidly.

People are increasingly asking questions such as:

• What is the best web design agency in Perth?
• Which SEO company should I hire?
• Who builds Shopify websites in Australia?
• What is the best software development company for small businesses?
• Who offers affordable website design near me?

Instead of returning a list of ten blue links, AI-powered search tools often provide a direct answer, comparing businesses, summarising information and recommending providers based on the information they can confidently verify.

For businesses, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

If your website is difficult for AI systems to understand, lacks authority or provides limited information, it is less likely to be included in AI-generated responses. On the other hand, businesses that invest in high-quality content, technical SEO and a strong digital presence can increase their chances of being surfaced when users ask for recommendations.

This shift means success is no longer measured solely by ranking #1 in Google. Increasingly, businesses also need to become trusted entities that AI systems recognise and understand.

AI Search Is Different from Traditional SEO

Traditional SEO focused heavily on ranking individual pages for specific keywords.

Modern AI search goes further.

Instead of simply matching keywords, AI systems attempt to understand:

• What your business does.
• Where you operate.
• Which services you provide.
• Whether your content demonstrates genuine expertise.
• Whether other trusted sources mention your business.
• Whether customers speak positively about your brand.
• Whether your website provides comprehensive answers to users’ questions.

This is why many businesses with technically well-optimised websites still fail to appear in AI-generated answers. Strong rankings alone do not necessarily translate into strong AI visibility.

The businesses most likely to succeed in AI search combine technical SEO with authoritative content, consistent branding, structured data, and a reputation that extends beyond their own website.

Why We Wrote This Guide

At Apex Digital Agency, we’ve seen search evolve from simple keyword optimisation to entity-based search, semantic understanding and now AI-powered discovery.

Businesses today need more than a visually appealing website. They need a digital presence that search engines and AI systems can accurately interpret, trust and confidently reference.

This guide brings together current best practices in:

• AI Search Optimisation (AISO)
• Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)
• Structured Data (Schema.org)
• Brand Authority
• Technical SEO
• Local SEO
• Content Strategy

Whether your goal is to improve visibility for Web Design Perth, SEO Services Perth, Custom Software Development Perth, Mobile App Development Perth, or another competitive service, the principles in this guide provide a framework for building long-term authority rather than chasing short-term tactics.

How ChatGPT Finds Information About Businesses

One of the biggest misconceptions is that businesses can simply “submit” their website to ChatGPT and expect to appear in responses.

That is not how modern AI search works.

Large language models, including ChatGPT, evaluate information from a wide range of trusted sources. Rather than relying on one directory or one ranking factor, they identify businesses that consistently demonstrate authority, trustworthiness, and expertise across the web.

For example, if someone asks:

“Who is the best web design agency in Perth?”

ChatGPT is more likely to recommend businesses that are recognised across multiple trusted sources instead of simply selecting the website with the highest number of keywords.

ChatGPT Considers Signals From Multiple Sources

Although the exact weighting is proprietary and continually evolves, businesses are more likely to be referenced when they have strong signals across sources such as:

• A well-optimised website with valuable, original content
• Google Business Profile
• Google Search results
• Google AI Overviews
• Bing Search
• Microsoft Bing Places
• Apple Maps Business Connect
• Industry-specific directories
• High-authority websites
• News publications
• Business citations
• Customer review platforms
• Professional associations
• Government websites
• Educational institutions
• Expert blogs
• Wikipedia (where applicable)
• Public datasets
• Company knowledge panels
• Consistent business information across the web

The more consistently your business appears across trusted sources, the stronger your digital entity becomes.

Your Website Is Still Your Most Important Asset

Many business owners assume AI has replaced SEO.

It hasn’t.

Your website remains the foundation of your online authority.

A modern website should clearly communicate:

• What your business does
• Who you serve
• Where you operate
• Your areas of expertise
• Your services
• Your experience
• Evidence of successful projects
• Reviews and testimonials
• Contact information
• Structured Schema.org markup

For example, a Web Design Perth page should clearly explain:

• Website design services
• WordPress development
• Shopify development
• eCommerce websites
• custom software development
• mobile app development
• UI/UX design
• branding
• SEO services

Rather than simply repeating the phrase “Web Design Perth“ dozens of times. AI systems understand topics and relationships—not just keywords.

Why Authority Matters More Than Ever

Modern AI systems don’t simply ask: “Does this page contain the keyword?” Instead, they ask questions like:

• Is this business legitimate?
• Is this information consistent?
• Is the company recognised elsewhere?
• Is the content genuinely helpful?
• Is the business an expert in this topic?
• Would people trust this recommendation?

This shift means that authority has become one of the strongest ranking signals for both traditional search engines and AI-powered search experiences.

Example: How AI Evaluates a Web Design Agency

Imagine two agencies both targeting Web Design Perth.

Agency A

• Thin service pages
• No case studies
• No schema markup
• Few reviews
• Minimal backlinks
• Little original content

Agency B

• Comprehensive service pages
• Original blog content
• Detailed case studies
• Strong Google reviews
• Local citations
• Industry backlinks
• Structured schema markup
• Consistent branding
• Active Google Business Profile
• Helpful resources that answer customer questions

Even if both agencies target the same keywords, AI systems are far more likely to recommend Agency B because it demonstrates stronger expertise, trust, and authority.

How Apex Digital Agency Builds AI Authority

At Apex Digital Agency, our approach extends beyond traditional SEO.

We help businesses build a strong digital presence by combining:

• Professional Web Design Perth services
• Technical SEO
• Local SEO
• Structured Schema.org implementation
• AI Search Optimisation (Generative Engine Optimisation)
• Content strategy
• Entity optimisation
• Google Business Profile optimisation
• Brand authority development
• High-quality educational content
• Custom software and digital solutions that support long-term growth

Rather than focusing on short-term ranking tactics, we build websites and digital strategies designed to earn trust from both search engines and AI systems.

1. Build a Website That AI Can Understand

AI doesn’t “see” your website the way people do.

It analyses your content, relationships between pages, structured data, brand mentions and topical authority.

That means your website should clearly answer:

• Who are you?
• What services do you provide?
• Where do you operate?
• Who are your ideal customers?
• Why should someone choose you?

If your website doesn’t answer these questions clearly, AI has little confidence recommending your business.

For example, instead of writing:

We create amazing digital experiences.

Write something AI understands immediately:

Apex Digital Agency provides professional Web Design Perth, SEO Services Perth, Shopify Development, WordPress Websites, Mobile App Development and Custom Software Development for businesses across Perth and Australia.

The clearer your content is, the easier it is for AI to understand and retrieve.

2. Create Topical Authority (Not Just Individual Pages)

One of the biggest changes in AI Search is that it prefers experts, not websites with one well-optimised page.

For example, instead of only having:

Web Design Perth

You should also publish supporting content such as:

• WordPress Web Design Perth
• Shopify Web Design Perth
• Ecommerce Web Design Perth
• Website Cost Guide
• Website Maintenance Guide
• Best Website Platforms
• Website Speed Optimisation
• UX Design Best Practices

The same applies to SEO.

Instead of one SEO page, build an entire knowledge hub covering:

• Local SEO
• Technical SEO
• Ecommerce SEO
• Enterprise SEO
• Google Business Profile Optimisation
• AI Search Optimisation
• Content Marketing
• SEO Audits

This tells AI:

“This business is genuinely knowledgeable in this topic.”

That’s exactly what large language models reward.

3. Use Schema Markup

Yes.

Schema Markup absolutely helps AI understand your website.

While Schema alone won’t make ChatGPT recommend your business, it makes your content significantly easier for AI systems to interpret.

Important schema types include:

• LocalBusiness
• ProfessionalService
• Service
• Organisation
• WebSite
• WebPage
• Breadcrumb
• FAQ
• Article
• Author

These schemas provide structured information that explains:

• your services
• business location
• contact details
• expertise
• service areas
• relationships between pages

Think of Schema as giving AI a blueprint of your website.

4. Build Real Brand Authority

One of the strongest ranking signals isn’t a keyword.

It’s brand recognition.

If your business is consistently mentioned across the web, AI becomes far more confident recommending it.

Strong authority signals include:

• Google Business Profile
• Google Reviews
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Industry directories
• Local business citations
• News websites
• PR mentions
• Guest articles
• Podcasts
• Interviews

When AI repeatedly encounters the same business across trusted websites, it treats that business as more credible.

5. Reviews Matter More Than Ever

Can ChatGPT read reviews?

Indirectly, yes.

AI models frequently use information that originates from review platforms, business listings and publicly available customer feedback.

High-quality reviews help establish:

• trust
• expertise
• customer satisfaction
• business reputation

It’s not just about having hundreds of reviews.

Consistent, genuine and detailed reviews are far more valuable than generic five-star ratings.

6. Answer Real Questions

One of the easiest ways to appear in AI-generated answers is to publish content that directly answers questions people actually ask.

For example:

• What is the best website platform for a small business?
• How much does Web Design in Perth cost?
• How long does it take to build a website?
• Does SEO still work in 2026?
• Is Shopify better than WordPress?
• What is AI Search Optimisation?
• How do I rank in ChatGPT?

AI loves concise, factual answers followed by detailed explanations.

This format mirrors exactly how AI generates responses.

7. Keep Your Information Consistent Everywhere

AI cross-checks information across multiple sources.

Your business name, address, phone number, website and services should remain consistent on:

• your website
• Google Business Profile
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• industry directories
• local citations

Conflicting information reduces confidence and makes AI less likely to recommend your business.

8. Publish Helpful Content Regularly

AI rewards businesses that consistently demonstrate expertise.

Publishing one blog every six months isn’t enough.

Instead, regularly create content that genuinely helps your audience.

Examples include:

• practical guides
• tutorials
• industry updates
• comparisons
• checklists
• FAQs
• case studies

Over time, this builds topical authority that both search engines and AI systems recognise.

Expert Recommendation

If your goal is to appear when someone asks:

“Who is the best web design agency in Perth?”

or

“Recommend an SEO agency in Perth.”

Then don’t focus solely on ranking one keyword.

Focus on becoming the most trusted and authoritative source about web design, SEO, branding and digital growth in Perth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

AI search is changing how people discover businesses.

Instead of scrolling through ten blue links, users increasingly ask direct questions such as:

• “Who is the best web design agency in Perth?”
• “Can you recommend an SEO company near me?”
• “Who builds Shopify websites in Perth?”

Businesses that invest in technical SEO, structured data, authoritative content and a strong online reputation are the ones most likely to appear in these AI-generated recommendations.

At Apex Digital Agency, we help businesses prepare for the future of search by combining Web Design Perth, SEO Services Perth, AI Search Optimisation, WordPress Development, Shopify Development, Custom Software Development, Mobile App Development, and Branding into a long-term digital growth strategy.

Whether you’re looking to improve your Google rankings today or increase your visibility across ChatGPT, Google AI, Gemini and other AI-powered search platforms, building authority—not shortcuts—is the strategy that delivers lasting results.