How to Get Your Business Featured in AI Generated Search Results
- Matthew Dorrington
- Aug 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 11
The way people find information online is changing... fast.
With Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT Search (OpenAI) , Perplexity, and other AI powered platforms, customers are no longer scrolling through 10 blue links on Google searched, they’re asking a question and getting a summarised answer instantly often without ever clicking on a website.
If your business isn’t showing up in those AI generated answers, you could be missing out on a growing share of customers.
In this guide, we’ll break down how artificial intelligence search is different from traditional Google rankings, what factors determine whether your business appears in artificial intelligence answers, and how you can start optimising for this next generation of search.
1. Google SERPs vs AI Overviews – What’s the Difference?
Google SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) list websites ranked by relevance, authority, and optimisation. Users click through to find their answer within the google search results.
AI Overviews and artificial intelligence driven search engines read online content, extract the most relevant facts, and present them as a short answer often with links to sources for verification.
Think of it like the difference between:
SERPs: A library index card that tells you which book to read.
AI Overviews: A librarian who reads the books and summarises the key points for you.
The challenge? You don’t just need to rank on page one anymore, you need to be the source AI tools choose to summarise to help bring your brand customers.
2. Why Brand Authority Matters More Than Ever
AI systems are trained to pull information from trustworthy, authoritative sources.
That means you need more than just keyword optimisation, you need brand signals that tell AI: “This business knows what they’re talking about.”
Ways to build brand authority for AI search:
High-quality, expert content that answers questions in detail.
Consistent brand mentions across the web, from news sites to industry blogs.
Positive online reviews on platforms like Google Business Profile and Trustpilot.
Active presence on authoritative platforms such as LinkedIn or niche forums.
The stronger your brand authority, the more likely AI will trust your content over your competitors.
3. Structured Data: Speaking Artificial Intelligence Language
AI search tools don’t just read your content, they interpret it. And structured data (schema markup) makes it much easier for them to understand.
For example:
Local Business schema can tell AI exactly where you are, what you do, and your contact details.
Product schema can provide details like pricing, reviews, and stock levels.
FAQ schema can make your answers more likely to be quoted directly in AI results.
Think of schema like giving AI a neatly labelled folder instead of a messy pile of papers.
Here is a free tool for writing structured data. (Simply add it into your pages source code)
4. Citations: Getting Credible Mentions Elsewhere
Just like traditional SEO, AI search engines check citations, references to your business or content from other reputable websites.
These don’t have to be backlinks (although backlinks help), even name-only mentions on trusted sites can boost your credibility.
Ideas for earning citations:
Be quoted in industry articles or local news
Contribute expert tips to roundup posts.
Get listed in high authority directories like the local chamber or networking groups.
The more independent, credible mentions you have, the more likely artificial intelligence will consider you a trustworthy source.
5. Real World Examples
We’ve already seen businesses getting featured in AI-generated answers because they’ve nailed brand authority, structured data, and citations:
A local law firm appeared in Google’s AI Overview for “What to do after a car accident” because their FAQ page was perfectly marked up and cited by other legal blogs.
A specialist coffee roaster was recommended by ChatGPT for “best artisan coffee in kent” thanks to a mix of positive Google reviews, strong local PR, and features in food blogs.
These results didn’t happen by accident, they were planned with AI search in mind by a SEO Agency like Tootle Works.
Get Your Business Found in AI Search Results
AI generated search results are here to stay and the brands that optimise for them now will have a huge advantage over those that wait.
At Tootle Works, we use artificial intelligence powered tools and proven SEO strategies to make sure your business doesn’t just rank in Google, it shows up in AI Overviews, ChatGPT answers, and other generative search results.
Our Done-for-You AI Search Visibility Package includes:
AI-optimised content creation.
Full structured data implementation.
Brand authority building and citation strategy.
Let’s make sure your business gets recommended by artificial intelligence, not your competitor.
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