27 May 2026
Is my website visible to ChatGPT and other AI search engines?
Millions of people search via ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. Is your website visible there? Read how AI findability works and what you can do.
Is your website visible to ChatGPT?
Google is no longer the only way people search for businesses. Increasingly, people ask their questions to ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity: “Which gardener has good reviews near me?” or “What does an installer cost in my area?” These systems give a direct answer, and in that answer they only mention businesses they know and trust.
Is your business one of them?
How do AI search engines work?
ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity crawl the internet, much like Google. But they do something different: instead of showing a list of links, they formulate an answer. They cite the sources they consider reliable.
Your website therefore needs to be not only findable for Google, but also readable and trustworthy for AI systems. This is called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Is your website even allowed to be visited by AI crawlers?
This is determined by the robots.txt file on your website. Many web agencies and WordPress plugins add rules that block AI crawlers, sometimes unintentionally.
If GPTBot or ClaudeBot are not allowed to visit your website, you simply do not exist for those AI systems.
Five ways to be more visible to AI
1. Check your robots.txt. Make sure GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot and Google-Extended have access. Your web manager can check this in five minutes.
2. Write direct answers to questions. AI systems prefer to cite websites that answer questions concisely. Do you have a services page? Also explain who it is suitable for and how someone can get in touch.
3. Add structured data. Schema.org markup tells AI systems what a piece of text means: this is an address, this is an opening time. Your web manager can add this.
4. Keep your Google Business Profile up to date. AI systems pull local business information from Google Business Profiles. A complete profile increases the chance that you are cited for relevant questions.
5. Build trust through mentions. Mentions in local media or trade organisations reinforce the picture that your business is reliable.
Frequently asked questions
Question: I rank well on Google. Am I also visible to ChatGPT? Answer: Not automatically. AI systems also look at how well your content answers questions, whether you have structured data, and whether you have trust signals.
Question: How do I know whether ChatGPT knows my business? Answer: Just ask. Type into ChatGPT: “What do you know about [your business name] in [your town]?”
Question: Is this already relevant for a small local business? Answer: Yes, and it is becoming more relevant quickly. If you are mentioned when someone asks for the best bicycle repair shop in their area, you have a customer you might never have found through Google.
Question: Does AI optimisation cost a lot of money? Answer: The basics cost nothing extra. Checking your robots.txt, writing your content more directly and keeping your Google Business Profile up to date take little time.
Question: What is the difference between SEO and GEO? Answer: SEO focuses on Google. GEO focuses on AI-generated answers. In practice they overlap considerably, but GEO requires extra attention for direct answers and structured data.
What can you do today?
- Ask your web manager to check your robots.txt for AI crawlers
- Check that your website clearly explains what you do and who it is for
- Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date
- Request a PVwebsites analysis for a complete overview