How AI assistants pick who to recommend
Assistants name the businesses the websites they read agree on. What they read, what they weigh, and why being mentioned isn't the same as being recommended.
There's no secret list of approved businesses. When someone asks for a recommendation, the assistant searches the web, reads a handful of pages and names the businesses those pages agree on, with a line about why.
What they read
Mostly other people's websites. In our Local AI Index, 62% of what assistants cited was a directory, a review site or a best-of list, and 29% was businesses' own websites. Google's AI leans on Google's own business listings; ChatGPT leans on best-of lists.
Where AI looks in your market
6 of 14 listed
Sample data
What they weigh
- Agreement: the same name, services and towns on many trusted sites.
- Reviews: how many, how good, how recent, and what they say.
- Specifics they can repeat: prices, timings, guarantees, who you're best for.
- Clear facts: hours, phone, the area you serve, all matching everywhere.
Mentioned isn't recommended
Sometimes an assistant lists you but recommends someone else first. The difference is usually proof: more reviews, a clearer specialty, a stronger record. Being named is the first step; being the safe pick is the second.
Do this before the next lesson
- Ask an assistant your customers' question, and open the websites its answer links to.
- Note which of them mention you, and which mention your competitors but not you.
In Groow
Groow lists the websites AI cites for your questions, and shows which of them name your competitors but not you.
Put this to work on your business
Groow checks how ChatGPT, Google and Google Maps see your business every week, tells you what to fix first, and drafts the work for your OK.