How to Get Your Business to Show Up in AI Searches

If you've ever wondered how to get your business to appear in AI-generated responses (like those from ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, or Perplexity), you're not alone. As AI-driven search becomes more mainstream, showing up in these results can dramatically increase your visibility. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what AI search is, why it matters, and what practical steps you can take to get your business noticed by these platforms.

Let’s get into the most important questions:

How do I get my business to show up in AI search results?

To get your business included in AI-generated search results, you need to focus on three key areas: structured content, authoritativeness, and technical SEO. Here's a step‑by‑step breakdown:

1. Use natural, conversational language on your site.

AI tools often source content that directly answers questions. Use clear headers (H2s and H3s) that are phrased as questions, and answer them in short, precise paragraphs.

2. Optimize for “answer intent.”

Create content that mirrors the way people ask questions. For example, instead of writing “About Our Services,” write blog posts or FAQs like “What services does [Your Business Name] offer in [City]?”

3. Implement structured data (schema markup).

Use schema types like  LocalBusiness ,  FAQPage ,  HowTo , and  Service . This helps AI understand and index your content more accurately.

4. List your business in trusted data sources.

Make sure your business is consistently listed across:

• Google Business Profile
• Bing Places
• Apple Maps
• Yelp
• Local directories
  AI models often pull data from these sources.

5. Build topic authority on your website.

Publish high‑quality content around your niche. A site with multiple relevant, accurate, and interlinked articles is more likely to be referenced by AI systems seeking reliable answers.

6. Get cited in trusted third‑party sites.

AI tools weigh backlinks and citations—so aim for mentions in news articles, local blogs, or industry websites.

7. Make your site technically sound.

Clean code, fast loading, HTTPS, mobile‑friendly design, and no broken links help AI crawlers read and index your site properly.

How many Google searches now include AI-generated answers as of June 2025?

As of mid-2025, AI-generated summaries like Google AI Overviews are appearing in a growing percentage of search results. According to multiple industry sources:

• Nearly 50% of all search results now feature AI Overviews—up from 25% in August 2024 wordstream.com+2xponent21.com+2semrush.com+2semrush.com+5xponent21.com+5xponent21.com+5.

• Data from Advanced Web Ranking and Xponent21 report AI Overviews appear in over half of searches (≈51%) as of June 2025 xponent21.com+1xponent21.com+1.

This means about half of all Google searches now include AI-powered answers—making it essential for businesses to optimize for this new format.

Why AI Search Optimization Matters for Businesses

When AI summaries show up in search, traditional organic rankings often get pushed down—making quick, answer-ready content critical. Gartner predicts that by 2026, around 30% of all searches will be done via AI tools nypost.com+10en.wikipedia.org+10xponent21.com+10. If you're not optimized for AI, you risk losing visibility to competitors.

Author: Sarah‑Cortney Chin

Founder, SC Marketing Technologies | SEO Strategist | Web Designer

Sarah‑Cortney Chin leads SC Marketing Technologies, a digital agency based in Springfield, MO. With over a decade of experience in SEO and local search strategy, she helps businesses get found—especially now through AI-powered platforms. Known for her strategic, no‑fluff SEO approach, Sarah frequently assists businesses in adapting to the fast-changing landscape of generative search.