A dentist in San Antonio asked us last month: “My daughter says her friends ask ChatGPT for restaurant recommendations instead of Googling. Is that happening with dentists too?”

Yes. And plumbers, and roofers, and electricians.

Gartner Research projects that traditional search traffic will drop 25% by 2026 as consumers shift to AI assistants. For local businesses, this means a new battlefield — and most of your competitors don’t even know it exists.

What AI Search Actually Looks Like

When someone asks ChatGPT “who’s the best roofer in San Antonio?”, it doesn’t search Google. It draws from:

  1. Your website content — especially detailed, helpful pages that answer specific questions
  2. Review platforms — Google reviews, Yelp, BBB, industry directories
  3. Local directories and citations — consistent name, address, phone across the web
  4. Third-party mentions — Reddit threads, forums, and “best of” roundups that name you
  5. Content that mentions you — articles, press, industry features

If your business has thin content, few reviews, and inconsistent citations, AI simply doesn’t have enough signal to recommend you.

The 5 Things That Actually Get You Into AI Results

1. Detailed, Question-Answering Content on Your Website

AI loves pages that directly answer the questions people ask. Instead of a generic “Services” page, create pages like:

Each page should be 500+ words with specific details — prices, timeframes, materials, your process. Generic content gets skipped.

2. Volume and Recency of Google Reviews

AI weighs review count heavily. A business with 150 reviews at 4.7 stars is far more likely to be recommended than one with 8 reviews at 5.0 stars.

According to BrightLocal’s 2025 Consumer Review Survey, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. AI models use the same signal — more reviews with consistent quality = stronger recommendation.

3. Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) Everywhere

AI cross-references your business information across dozens of sources. If your phone number is different on Yelp vs. your website vs. Google, the AI isn’t confident you’re a real, active business.

Run a quick check: Google your business name and verify the phone number and address are identical on at least your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook.

4. Mentions in Real Conversations

This is the one most business owners miss. AI tools lean heavily on third-party sources — roughly 60% of the local citations behind Google’s AI answers come from sites like Yelp and Reddit. When a real person on r/sanantonio recommends your company by name, that’s a signal AI weighs more than anything on your own website.

You can’t fake it, but you can earn it. Spread your reviews beyond Google so Yelp and BBB add validation, answer questions in your city’s subreddit using your real business name, and make yourself easy to include when a local blogger writes “best [your trade] in [your city].”

5. Industry-Specific Directory Listings

AI doesn’t just check Google. It pulls from industry directories:

Being listed on 2-3 directories relevant to your industry dramatically increases your AI search presence.

What NOT to Do

Don’t try to “hack” AI search. Creating fake review profiles, stuffing keywords into your website, or paying for backlinks will backfire. AI models are trained to detect manipulation.

Don’t ignore Google while chasing AI. Google is still where 90%+ of local searches happen. The good news: everything that helps you in AI search also helps you in Google. There’s no tradeoff.

Don’t wait. The businesses building AI search presence now will have a massive first-mover advantage. In two years, every business will be trying to get into AI results. The ones who started early will already be entrenched.

Check Your AI Search Readiness

Not sure where you stand? Run a free Google presence audit — it scores your business across the factors that matter for both Google and AI search. Takes 30 seconds, no email required.