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# Why ChatGPT Keeps Recommending Your Competitor (And How to Change That) Last week, Sarah from Pickerington searched ChatGPT for "best family dentist near...
Last week, Sarah from Pickerington searched ChatGPT for "best family dentist near me." Three practices got recommended. Her current dentist wasn't one of them.
That dentist has been serving families for 15 years. Five-star reviews. Modern equipment. Great bedside manner. But when AI did the choosing, they might as well have been invisible.
This is happening right now in Nationwide. Real customers are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Meta AI which businesses to choose. And most local businesses have no idea these conversations are even happening.
Your customers aren't just Googling anymore. They're having conversations with AI.
Instead of searching "Columbus plumber reviews," they're asking ChatGPT: "I have a leaky pipe under my kitchen sink and water is starting to pool. Who should I call in Columbus and what should I expect to pay?"
ChatGPT gives them three plumber recommendations, explains what's probably wrong, and estimates the cost. One conversation, complete answer.
The question is: Are YOU one of those three recommendations?
Try it yourself. Ask ChatGPT for the best [your type of business] in your city. See who gets mentioned. If your name isn't there, you're losing customers to businesses that are.
AI doesn't play favorites. It follows patterns.
When ChatGPT recommends a business, it's because that business has created what AI considers "trust signals" - digital breadcrumbs that prove they're legitimate, active, and worth recommending.
Businesses AI recommends have:
Businesses AI ignores have:
The difference isn't luck. It's strategy.
Getting AI visibility isn't complicated, but it is specific. There are three pillars that consistently work:
ChatGPT can't recommend what it can't understand. If your website is just service pages and an "About Us" from 2020, you're invisible.
AI needs to see recent proof that you're the expert in your field. A blog post from last month about "5 Signs Your Furnace Needs Attention" tells AI you're an active HVAC expert. A static website from three years ago tells AI nothing.
The content doesn't need to be Shakespeare. It needs to be helpful and current.
When Columbus Business First mentions your restaurant, or the Delaware Gazette quotes you as a local real estate expert, AI pays attention.
These mentions act like endorsements. AI thinks: "If local media trusts this business enough to quote them, they're probably worth recommending."
You don't need to be on the evening news. A quote in a neighborhood blog about small business trends. A mention in your chamber of commerce newsletter. These count.
AI checks timestamps. A bunch of 5-star reviews from 2019 don't prove you're still great in 2025.
Fresh reviews tell AI you're actively serving customers and they're happy about it. But it's not just about quantity - it's about recency and authenticity.
One detailed review from last month carries more weight with AI than ten generic 5-star reviews from two years ago.
Take Mark's auto shop in Grove City. Six months ago, if you asked ChatGPT for the best mechanic in Grove City, Mark wasn't mentioned.
Mark started writing one blog post per month about common car problems. Nothing fancy - "Why Your Check Engine Light Comes On" and "How to Know if You Need New Brakes."
He got quoted in a local neighborhood Facebook group about winter car prep. The Grove City chamber newsletter mentioned his shop in a local business spotlight.
His customers started leaving reviews that mentioned specific problems he solved, not just "great service."
Now when you ask ChatGPT for Grove City mechanics, Mark's shop is the first recommendation. Three new customers last week said they found him through "asking ChatGPT."
Here's what most business owners don't realize: You're still early to this.
Most of your competitors haven't figured out AI visibility yet. They're still thinking in terms of Google rankings and Facebook ads.
But that window is closing. In six months, every smart business in Nationwide will be optimizing for AI recommendations. The ones who start now will be the ones AI knows and trusts by then.
You don't need to understand how AI works. You need to understand what AI looks for.
Start with one blog post this month about a question customers always ask you. Make it genuinely helpful. If you're a chiropractor, write about "Why Your Lower Back Hurts After Sitting All Day." If you sell insurance, write about "What Actually Happens When You File a Homeowner's Claim."
Look for opportunities to be the local expert. When someone in a Facebook group asks about your type of business, give a helpful answer. Local reporters need quotes for stories - be available.
Ask your happy customers to leave reviews that mention the specific problem you solved, not just that you're "great."
Do these three things consistently, and AI will start noticing you. Keep doing them, and AI will start recommending you.
The question isn't whether your customers will start asking AI for recommendations. They already are.
The question is whether you'll be ready when they do.