Did you know around 180 million people use generative AI tools regularly? More people are turning to platforms such as Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for recommendations and information that they would normally have gotten through search engines such as Google.

So what does this mean for business and online visibility? It means that companies that want to be seen where people are and show up where it matters need to rank in Generative AI results. This post is going to look at exactly how you can do this.

Use Clear Structured Content

AI prefers content that’s easy to scan and clear about its purpose; it won’t pull from articles that are vague or buried in unnecessary details. They want clear, well-written content that’s structured and well organized and includes descriptive headers, information that’s broken down into digestible sections, and content that answers questions.

If you’re already doing all of this, great, chances are you’re likely to show up where it matters for the content that deserves it. If not, you can work with generative engine optimization specialists who can work with you to make sure your content is doing what it needs to be so it gets picked up.

Get Mentioned by Other Reputable Sites

Just like traditional search engines weigh up how often and where a website is mentioned, so too does AI. Generative AI tools draw on a wide range of resources to form their replies. And if you’re regularly getting mentioned on high-performing authority websites or you are in directories or mentioned by other businesses,  this signals you as an authority, and it will automatically pull your content.

It takes time; it’s not instant, but if you can work on building up your mentions and you can get links from reputable sites, this will be massively beneficial.

Answer The Questions

Not just any questions, the questions your customers are asking. The thing is, people use generative AI to ask questions they need the answers to, and if you can answer these questions, if it’s relevant to what you do, then you’re putting yourself in a better position of being picked up. This also includes things like phone numbers, contact details, opening hours, or social media accounts. Gen AI needs to answer their questions to give users clarity and confidence in finding the right business.

From here, think about the questions you’re asked regularly pertaining to what you do, the products you sell, the services you offer, etc. The more questions you can answer, the more likely you’ll be to be found when the AI tools search for similar questions.

Keep Your Business Information Accurate and Consistent Online

Generative AI tools often pull their information from various sources, meaning you need to make sure any details online about your company are correct and consistent wherever they can be found. If you’ve changed anything, you need to make sure all instances mentioned are also changed so the information is correct and relevant. Otherwise, it just leads to confusion. This means checking that opening hours and contact details are the same on your website, social media accounts, and any trade publication directories or listings you’re featured in too. Consistency and accuracy matter.