AEO Series #2: What AI actually looks for when it recommends a business
What makes AI pick one business over another? The answer fits in one sentence.
Last time we asked whether AI tools were already recommending you. If you've had a play with Claude or Perplexity since, you'll have a feel for what they're doing now — answering questions directly, not just throwing up a list of links.
Today, the question is simpler: what makes them pick one business over another?
The honest answer fits in one sentence. AI tools tend to recommend businesses that are:
Clearly described
Consistently mentioned
Trusted by others
That's it. No tricks, no algorithm gaming. Three things, and the work to improve each is the kind of practical, unglamorous stuff that helps your real customers find you too.
1. Clearly described
When someone asks Claude "who does small-business websites in Bristol?", the answer it gives isn't pulled from one place. It's stitched together from your website, your Google Business Profile, any directories you're listed in, and anywhere else your business shows up online.
For that stitching to work, the description of what you do has to be consistent and clear. Not clever. Not industry jargon. Plain language a normal person would use.
If your website's tagline says "transformative digital experiences" but your Google profile says "web designer in Bristol" and your Instagram bio says "making brands sparkle ✨", AI tools have a tougher time settling on what you actually do.
The fix is unglamorous: pick a clear, plain-English description of your work, and use it everywhere.
2. Consistently mentioned
Search has always cared about consistency. AI search just amplifies it.
If your name, address, and phone are listed three different ways across the web — different spellings, old phone numbers, an address from when you moved last year — those small inconsistencies pile up into a confidence problem for AI tools. They can't tell which version of you is current.
The fix here is also unglamorous: an hour with a notebook, listing every place your business shows up online (website, Google Business Profile, social media bios, industry directories, your accountant's page if they list clients) and making sure every entry matches.
3. Trusted by others
This is where it gets a touch more nuanced. AI tools weight businesses that other reputable sources have mentioned, quoted, or linked to.
That sounds intimidating, but it usually isn't. It's the kind of thing small businesses already do — being listed in a local directory, getting a Google review, being mentioned on a partner's website, being cited in a community group, your work being shared on someone else's social.
The trick is to notice when it happens and lean in. Ask a happy client to drop a review. Get listed in your local Chamber or industry body. Make sure your work is visible in places that have their own audience.
What this means in practice
If you're looking at this list and thinking "I've got bits of all three but nothing's locked down" — that's most businesses, actually. The point isn't to be perfect at any one of them. It's to be intentional about all three.
Next in this series: Is your Google Business Profile doing enough? — the single most useful thing most businesses can update right now. It touches all three of the points above, which is exactly why it's the highest-impact action you can take.
If you'd like a proper look at where your site and your online presence sit against these three — for both Google and AI search — the new Site Health & AI-Readiness Audit on the Growth Hub does exactly that. WebCare clients, use code WEBCARE15 for 15% off.
