6% → 45%
BrightLocal’s US consumer surveys reported 6% in 2025 and 45% in 2026 using AI for local recommendations. The 2026 survey covered 1,002 adults.
AEO · GEO
AI search optimization.
Help AI understand
and recommend your brand.
Customers increasingly ask AI instead of typing a search query. We test their actual questions, then improve your website, content, profiles and reviews to help your brand appear in useful answers.
AI Visibility Check
AI visibility audit
Mention
Mention rate
Accuracy
Information accuracy
Source
Citation sources
Traffic
AI referrals
Measured Engines
Ask → Measure → Improve
1Ask ChatGPT directly
2Cross-check Gemini and Perplexity
3Record mentions and accuracy
4Repeat the same questions each month
Why now
From search queries to conversations.
54.5%
Opensurvey’s AI Search Trend Report 2026 H1 found 54.5% of Korean search users had used ChatGPT in the previous three months in December 2025 (n=989), versus 39.6% in March (n=990). The survey covered ages 10–59.
83%
In Local Falcon’s February 2026 restaurant-tracking sample, 83% were absent from the ChatGPT results examined, versus 14% from Google. Results do not represent all restaurants.
Our method
AEO starts with a question, not just a keyword.
We test three layers of customer questions. Where your business appears—and where it is absent—helps determine what to work on first.
Brand questions
“What is this business like? Is it worth visiting?”
We check whether AI recognizes your brand and accurately describes its address, hours and menu. Audits often uncover confusion with similarly named businesses in other areas.
Category questions
“Recommend a [business type] in Gangnam.”
We check whether your brand appears alongside competitors in category recommendations—the point where AI discovery can lead to real visits and sales.
Specific, long-tail questions
“Is there a [business type] with parking?”
These questions include specific needs or conditions. They may offer less competitive opportunities, but useful answers require relevant content.
What we do
How we manage AI search optimization
Measure AI visibility directly
We ask dozens of real customer questions directly in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI, measuring brand mentions and information accuracy. We begin with observations, not assumptions.
Improve your website and schema
Your own website is a major source for local AI answers. We structure menus, prices, location details and FAQs with schema that helps machines interpret the information.
Create question-led content
We publish answers to customer questions with statistics and cited sources. Research suggests that evidence-backed content can improve AI citation visibility.
Profiles, directories and brand mentions
We align your Google Business Profile, review-platform information and external brand mentions. Ahrefs’ Google AI Overviews study found a stronger correlation with web mentions than backlinks; correlation does not establish causation.
Monthly AI visibility reports
We repeat the same question set each month to measure changes in brand mentions. Identifiable website visits from AI are tracked separately.
Transparent measurement
AI answers change, so we do not guarantee a particular ranking. We explain our testing method and assess trends across repeated measurements.
Roadmap
Audit → Foundation → Content → Mentions → Reporting
Our roadmap prioritizes the sources AI uses for local answers: your website, external brand mentions and directories.
Free AI audit
See what ChatGPT says when asked about your business—and whether it mentions you at all.
Build the foundation (months 1–2)
We prepare core website pages, schema, profiles and directory listings that AI can reference.
Build content and reviews (months 3–5)
We publish question-led content and strengthen review signals to support discovery in category and specific-needs questions.
Expand brand mentions (month 6 onward)
We develop external website and media mentions that reinforce a consistent, credible brand presence.
Monthly reporting and adjustments
AI citation sources change frequently. We review the latest observations each month and adjust the work accordingly.
FAQ
AI search optimization: frequently asked questions
What is AEO, and how is it different from SEO?
AEO—Answer Engine Optimization—helps tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity understand and reference your brand when answering customer questions. SEO focuses on visibility in search results; AEO focuses on inclusion in AI answers. The signals overlap but are not identical, so a strong Google ranking does not automatically mean AI visibility.
Do AI searches really bring customers?
In BrightLocal’s 2026 survey of 1,002 US adults, 45% reported using AI for local recommendations, versus 6% in 2025. This measures reported use, not conversions. We measure AI referrals and inquiries for each site instead of assuming they convert better than search traffic.
When can results be measured?
We establish a numerical baseline in the first month. Initial changes from foundation work are generally assessed from months two to three. AI citations can be sensitive to freshness, so we structure the service around continued monthly updates rather than a one-off setup.
Can you guarantee our business will appear in AI answers?
No. Be cautious of anyone promising this: AI answers vary from one response to another. We explain our measurement method and repeat the same question set each month to assess trends in brand mentions, rather than promise a fixed position.
Insights
Want to understand what AI search changes? Read more.
Why doesn't our clinic appear when patients ask ChatGPT?
Common gaps among clinics missing from AI recommendations.
Read the guideFive traits of clinics recommended by Perplexity and ChatGPT
A look at information signals from clinics cited by AI.
Read the guideHow Google AI Overviews are changing healthcare advertising
Changes in search advertising following the introduction of AI Overviews.
Read the guideA five-sentence answer structure for AI citations
Examples of answer structures designed to be easy for AI to reference.
Read the guideContact
Get a free audit
We review your visibility in search, Maps and AI answers and help you prioritize improvements.