Short answer: there's no secret trick. Google says there are no extra requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode beyond normal SEO. AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity tend to recommend businesses whose websites can be crawled, clearly answer real customer questions, and are mentioned by other trusted sites. Make your site fast, factual and easy to quote, and get your business talked about elsewhere.
What Google says about AI Overviews and AI Mode
Google's own documentation, AI features and your website, is unusually direct:
"There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary."
It also says you "don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, or markup to appear in these features." Instead, Google points to the same best practices as normal search, including:
- allowing crawling in robots.txt and in your hosting or CDN settings,
- making content easy to find through internal links,
- giving visitors a good page experience,
- keeping important content in text form (not only in images),
- making sure structured data matches what's visible on the page,
- keeping your Business Profile information up to date.
So the foundation for AI search is simply a well-built website.
8 steps to get recommended by AI assistants
1. Make sure AI crawlers aren't blocked
Many hosting and security services can block bots. Check your robots.txt and your hosting or CDN settings (for example, Cloudflare has a setting that blocks AI crawlers). If assistants can't read your site, they can't recommend it.
2. Answer the question in the first two sentences
AI tools quote short, clear answers. Start each page or article with the direct answer, then explain. "We fix boilers across Leeds, usually same day, from £75" beats a paragraph about your passion for heating.
3. Use the questions customers actually ask as headings
"How much does a boiler service cost?" "Do you cover Harrogate?" Turn these into headings with clear answers underneath. An FAQ section on key pages helps both people and machines.
4. Be specific: prices, areas, times and numbers
Vague pages are hard to quote. Give price ranges, the towns you cover, opening hours, how long jobs take and what's included.
5. Structure pages so they're easy to scan
Headings, short paragraphs, bullet lists and tables make it easy to pull out facts. Usability expert Jakob Nielsen's GEO guidelines recommend summaries, comparison tables and FAQ sections, written "for scanners: both human and silicon."
6. Add structured data that matches the page
Structured data (schema markup) tells search engines your business name, services, location and FAQs in a standard format. Google is clear that it must match the visible text, so never mark up things that aren't on the page.
7. Get mentioned on other websites
AI assistants build their picture of a business from many sources, not just your site. Reviews, local directories, your Google Business Profile, industry associations, local news and partner websites all help. Nielsen's guide argues that "AI constructs its understanding of a brand" from every public source.
8. Keep it fast and up to date
Slow pages may be skipped when AI tools fetch information in real time, and out-of-date prices hurt trust. Refresh your key pages a few times a year.
What doesn't work
- Stuffing pages with keywords or near-duplicate pages for every town.
- Mass-produced, low-quality AI articles. Nielsen warns against "spammy, AI-bait content", and search engines are getting better at spotting it.
- Special "AI files" as a shortcut. Some sites add an llms.txt file. It's harmless, but Google says it isn't needed for its AI features, so don't rely on it.
How to check if AI assistants mention you
Every month or so, ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity the questions your customers would ask, like "best plumber in Leeds" or "affordable website designer for a café". Note whether you appear, what's said and which sources are cited. Over time, also watch referral traffic from AI tools in your analytics.
Want a website that's built for this?
Every Launchday website is built fast and mobile-first, with clear page titles, structured data and crawl-friendly settings as standard. The consultation and a home page prototype are free.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my business to show up in ChatGPT?
Make sure your website can be crawled, clearly states what you do, where and for how much, and answers common customer questions. Then build mentions elsewhere: reviews, directories and local press. There's no paid way to be recommended in ChatGPT's answers.
Do I need special SEO for Google AI Overviews?
No. Google says there are no additional requirements or special optimisations needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Standard SEO best practice applies.
Do I need an llms.txt file?
No. Google says you don't need AI text files or special markup to appear in its AI features. An llms.txt file won't hurt, but it isn't a substitute for clear, useful pages.
How long does it take to appear in AI search answers?
It varies. Pages first need to be crawled and indexed, which can take days to weeks, and building the outside mentions that AI tools rely on usually takes months.
Does schema markup help with AI search?
Structured data helps search engines understand your business, and Google recommends making sure it matches the visible text. It supports good content but won't make up for pages that don't answer questions.