Getting found in Google and ChatGPT: the basics

Getting found in Google and ChatGPT: the short answer

Getting found in Google and in ChatGPT starts from the same foundation. Your site says clearly what you do, for whom and where. It loads quickly and is technically sound. And your details are the same everywhere.

AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini search the web live for many questions. To do that, they lean on search engines: Gemini on Google, Copilot on Bing, and ChatGPT uses Bing, among others, for part of its search results. So what works for Google and Bing also helps with AI.

One thing up front: nobody can guarantee you the top spot. Google and AI assistants decide for themselves who they show. What you can control is listed below. I build websites myself, so I have a stake in this topic. You can use this list with any builder.

One clear topic per page

A search engine wants to understand what each page is about. A page about everything is, to Google, about nothing. So give each service its own page, with one main question you answer there.

• Use your customers' words. They search for 'bathroom renovation', not 'integrated sanitary solutions'.
• Put the answer at the top. Start with what it is, who it's for and what it costs, then go into detail.
• Use logical headings: one main title per page and clear subheadings.
• Link your pages to each other, with link text that says where the link goes.

Titles, descriptions and structured data

Every page has a title and a description that you don't see on the page itself, but do see in Google. The title is the blue link in the search results, the description the lines below it. Keep the title short, around 60 characters, with the main topic first. The description says in one or two sentences what someone will find on the page. Google sometimes rewrites them, but good titles and descriptions give you the best chance.

Structured data is extra code in your page that says, in a fixed format, who you are: your business name, service area, opening hours, prices and frequently asked questions. Visitors don't see it, but search engines and AI services can read it. It doesn't guarantee any extras in the search results, but it removes doubt about what's on your page.

Fast and technically sound

A slow site loses you visitors, especially on a phone. Google also measures how quickly and smoothly your pages load, with what it calls Core Web Vitals. That's one of many signals, not a magic switch. But a fast site is never a disadvantage. Check these points:

• Images at the right size and no heavy scripts nobody needs.
• A secure connection: https, the padlock in the browser.
• A sitemap: a list of all your pages for search engines.
• A robots.txt that doesn't shut search crawlers out by accident. That's a file telling crawlers what they may visit. If you want to appear in AI assistants, don't block their crawlers.
• If your site is in two languages, tell search engines which page belongs to which language.

Google Business Profile, Search Console and Bing

For a local business, your Google Business Profile matters at least as much as your website. It's the panel with your address, opening hours, photos and reviews that you see in Google Maps and in the search results. It's free and in your own name. Fill it in completely: the right category, your service area, opening hours, photos and a link to your site.

On top of that, register your site with two free services, plus one useful extra:

• Google Search Console. This shows which searches you appear for, which pages are in Google and what's going wrong. You also submit your sitemap here.
• Bing Webmaster Tools. The same for Bing. More important than it looks, because Copilot and, in part, ChatGPT lean on Bing.
• IndexNow. A quick signal to Bing and others whenever you add or change a page, so it's picked up sooner.

Clear facts about prices and service area

If someone asks ChatGPT who can fix a gutter in Breda and what it costs, an AI assistant can only use your site if it contains concrete facts. Vague lines like 'we're happy to think along with you' don't answer anything. Put this on your site:

• Prices, or at least an indication: a starting price, an hourly rate or a typical range.
• Your service area, with place names.
• What you do and don't do, and for whom.
• Who you are: your name, your background and your company registration number.
• The same business name, contact details and opening hours everywhere: on your site, in your Business Profile and elsewhere.

Reviews and mentions on other sites

Reviews on your Google Business Profile count towards how you appear in local search results and on Google Maps. And they help a hesitant customer decide.

• Ask happy customers for a review, for example with a direct link in your email after a job.
• Respond to reviews, including the critical ones. Short and friendly.
• Don't buy reviews or write them yourself. It's misleading, and Google removes fake reviews.