Right now, while you're reading this, someone is asking ChatGPT about your type of business. They're not Googling "restaurants near me" anymore. They're asking "What's a good place for dinner tonight that has outdoor seating and serves gluten-free options?"
And ChatGPT is giving them an answer. The question is: does that answer include your business?
Most business owners have no idea what AI thinks about their company. They've spent years building their Google reputation, getting Yelp reviews, and perfecting their website. But they've never once asked an AI assistant about their own business.
That's like running a restaurant and never tasting your own food.
Here's how to find out what AI actually thinks about your business. This takes five minutes, and the results might surprise you.
Test 1: Ask for yourself directly Open ChatGPT and type: "Tell me about [Your Business Name]." Use your exact business name, including your city if you're a local business.
Does ChatGPT know you exist? Can it describe what you do accurately? Or does it apologize and say it doesn't have current information about your business?
Test 2: Ask for category recommendations Now ask the question your customers are actually asking: "What's the best [your service] in [your city]?" or "I need recommendations for [your industry]."
Do you show up in that list? Are you mentioned at all? This is the test that matters most because this is what your potential customers are doing.
Test 3: Try Perplexity Go to Perplexity.ai and ask the same questions. Perplexity often pulls from different sources than ChatGPT, so you might get different results.
Test 4: Check Google's AI Overview Search Google for "[your service] near me" or "[your service] in [your city]." Look for the AI-generated summary at the top. Are you mentioned in that overview?
Test 5: Ask Meta AI If you use Facebook or Instagram, try asking Meta AI the same questions. Different AI assistants have different information sources.
If AI knows nothing about you: You're invisible to AI search. This means you have no online content that AI can read and understand. No blog posts, no local news mentions, no detailed service descriptions.
If AI knows you exist but gets details wrong: You have some online presence, but the information isn't clear or detailed enough. AI is making educated guesses about what you do.
If AI mentions competitors but not you: Your competitors are creating content and getting mentioned in places that AI can access. You're not.
If AI recommends you accurately: You're ahead of most businesses. But check if the information is current. Is AI pulling from your 2019 website or your current services?
Your Google ranking shows where you appear when someone searches for you. Your AI reputation shows whether AI thinks you're worth recommending at all.
These are completely different things.
A business can rank first on Google for their own name but be completely unknown to ChatGPT. Meanwhile, a smaller business with great content might be the first recommendation AI gives for their service category.
Customer behavior is shifting fast. People ask AI for recommendations the same way they used to ask friends. "What's a good accountant?" "Where should I get my car serviced?" "I need a reliable plumber."
AI doesn't care about your ad spend or your Google ranking. It cares about whether it can find clear, helpful information about what you do and whether other trusted sources mention you.
Signal 1: Your own content Does your website explain what you do in clear, specific language? Do you have blog posts that answer real customer questions? AI can't recommend what it can't understand.
Signal 2: Third-party mentions Does anyone else online mention your business? Local news sites, industry publications, customer testimonials on external sites? When other sources mention you, AI sees you as legitimate.
Signal 3: Fresh information Is your online information current? AI pays attention to dates. A business with 2019 reviews and no recent content looks inactive.
If AI knows nothing about you, start with your own content. Write clear descriptions of your services. Answer the questions customers actually ask you. Make it easy for AI to understand what you do.
If AI knows you but gets details wrong, update your online information everywhere. Your website, your Google Business Profile, your social media. Make sure the story is consistent.
If AI recommends competitors but not you, look at what those competitors are doing differently. What content do they have that you don't? Where are they getting mentioned that you aren't?
The businesses that figure this out first will have a massive advantage. While their competitors wonder why phone calls are slowing down, they'll be the ones AI is recommending to everyone who asks.
Check your AI reputation this week. Because your customers already are.
Ai Is How People Find Businesses Now. We Make Sure They Find You.
Modern Humans helps local businesses get discovered by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity.
Franklin, Tennessee
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