Ask ChatGPT "best plumber in London Ontario" and it names names. Not a list of links to click through - a direct answer, usually 2-3 specific businesses. Getting into that answer takes a different, more local-specific approach than ranking on Google. Here's the playbook.
What ChatGPT is actually pulling from
Modern AI assistants combine training data with real-time web search and structured data, especially for local, time-sensitive questions like "who's the best [service] in London." That means the same underlying signals that help you rank locally - consistent NAP data, genuine reviews, clear service descriptions - feed AI answers too, but the bar is different: instead of being one of ten blue links, you need to be clearly and unambiguously the answer to a specific question. Our general ChatGPT optimization guide covers the underlying mechanics; this post focuses on what's specifically local about it.
Step 1: Make your NAP data bulletproof
Your business name, address, and phone number need to match exactly across your website, Google Business Profile, and every directory you're listed on. AI tools cross-reference multiple sources to build confidence about who you are and where you operate - inconsistent data creates ambiguity that makes an AI system less likely to confidently recommend you by name.
Step 2: Write content that directly answers the question
A page that vaguely describes "quality service since 2010" doesn't give an AI system anything concrete to cite. A page that clearly states what you do, who you serve, where you're located, and what makes you a fit for a specific need ("emergency plumbing repairs across London, St. Thomas, and Strathroy, available same-day") gives it exactly the kind of concrete, quotable statement AI answers are built from.
Step 3: Structured data and schema markup
LocalBusiness schema, FAQPage schema, and Review schema all give AI crawlers a machine-readable version of the same information a human reader sees - reducing the chance of misinterpretation and making your key facts easier to extract accurately. Every page on our own site carries this structure, which is part of why we can credibly write about it.
Step 4: Genuine, recent reviews across multiple platforms
Reviews on Google, Facebook, and industry-specific platforms (not just one) give AI systems multiple independent confirmations of your reputation. A thin or single-platform review presence is a weaker signal than a consistent, positive footprint spread across several sources.
Step 5: An llms.txt file (optional, but easy)
Some AI crawlers reference a plain-text `llms.txt` file at your site root summarizing your business, services, and key pages in a format built for machine consumption rather than human browsing. It's not a guarantee of a mention, but it's a low-effort way to remove any ambiguity about what your business actually does. This site runs one, which you can see at bradlexseo.com/llms.txt as a working example.
Getting started
Most London businesses have never checked what ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Overviews currently say about them - a genuinely useful first step before optimizing anything. Our AI search optimization service covers the full process above, and a free SEO audit can flag where your current AI visibility gaps are.