Cracking the ChatGPT Code: Make Your Brand Visible in AI Search

With the launch of ChatGPT search, AI-driven tools are becoming powerful search engines.OpenAI's announcement highlighted how ChatGPT now pulls up-to-date, and even location-specific information, giving users highly relevant answers to complex queries.

For marketers, this shift is a game-changer. ChatGPT isn't just responding to casual conversation anymore; it's becoming a key tool for customer discovery. For marketers, this shift means one big thing: if your brand's information isn't optimized for AI-driven search, you're missing out on a huge opportunity.

Here are four steps to make sure your brand's information is visible, trustworthy, and ready for ChatGPT (and other AI-driven search experiences):

ChatGPT is great at crafting nuanced responses to specific questions, but to do that, it pulls from both structured and unstructured data to create answers. To show up in AI search, your brand's information needs to be organized, clear, and consistent — everywhere.

• Centralize your data with a Knowledge Graph (KG): A KG works like a master database for your brand. It connects your core details — like hours, locations, and offerings — so AI can see a complete, accurate view of your brand.

• Link unstructured data to structured information: Use conversational language in FAQs, blog posts, and reviews. These natural-language details give AI the context it needs to answer specific customer questions.

Pro tip: Don't just say "Dog-friendly" on your listings and local pages. Create an FAQ that says you're dog-friendly, encourage customers to mention that when they leave you a review, and use this term when responding (or even engaging) with customers through social posts. AI will recognize it faster if it sees it everywhere.

AI tools pull data from diverse sources, and they rely heavily on accuracy and consistency to determine which information to use. If your details differ across sites, AI may not trust your brand.

• Centralize updates with a Knowledge Graph so changes are reflected everywhere, at once.

• Update often — fresh content signals reliability to AI.

Pro tip: If you change your hours for a holiday, use a Knowledge Graph to update them everywhere in one step. That way, Google, Yelp, and all local directories stay consistent.

To surface in ChatGPT conversations, your content needs to sound natural and human — not robotic or stuffed with keywords.

• Be conversational: Write content that feels like a friendly chat. Drop the corporate tone and speak how your customers do.

• Use intent-based phrases: Instead of stuffing broad keywords like "gluten-free bakery," optimize for natural, specific queries like "Where can I find gluten-free bakeries that have outdoor seating close to downtown?"

• Reframe website content: Update product descriptions, local pages, and blog content to sound human. Don't just list features — answer questions.

Pro tip: Before publishing, read your content out loud. If it sounds like something a person would actually say to a friend, you're on track. If it sounds stiff or overly formal, rewrite it with a more natural, conversational tone.

FAQs and reviews are AI goldmines for surfacing your brand in search. Why? They offer clear, specific, and real-world context that ChatGPT can pull into answers.

• Build location-specific FAQs: Address hyper-local questions like parking availability, unique services, and store hours. If you have multiple locations, tailor FAQs for each one.

• Mine reviews for insights: Monitor reviews for recurring themes (like "best rooftop bar" or "super fast delivery") and update your FAQs to match those phrases.

• Sync it with your structured data: If reviews consistently mention "great patio seating," add that phrase to your Knowledge Graph, listings, and FAQs to reinforce AI trust.

Pro tip: Pay attention to how customers phrase their questions in reviews or user-generated FAQs, and use that exact language for your content.

ChatGPT's search functionality has opened up a massive opportunity for brands to connect with customers in real-time. This shift is happening fast — and the brands that act early will come out ahead.

By centralizing your data into a KG, maintaining accuracy, embracing conversational content, and leveraging FAQs, you'll position your brand to thrive in this AI-driven search landscape.

Click here to learn more about where AI models get their local business information.