Sorry to be the one to say it.

Just because you’re the best offer in town, doesn’t always mean you’re the one showing up in ChatGPT answers.

You could have 10x better service.

You might care for your customers more.

You might even get more referrals.

But your competitor is showing up in AI search results, and you don’t.

They get the click. They get the call. They get the job. And you get nothing.

Even if they’re worse. Even if they’re not even local. Even if they use Comic Sans on their homepage 🤢

Welcome to AI search in 2025. It’s not always fair. But it is predictable, once you know exactly what’s going on.

Here’s why they’re getting picked (and you’re not)

We see this across dozens of industries and small businesses every day.

The ones getting mentioned in AI tools like ChatGPT have these basics sorted:

• They’ve answered specific questions on their website in plain English
• They’re using schema, especially FAQ and local business markup
• They mention their service area clearly – not just where they’re based
• They’re consistent everywhere. Same name, address, phone across every directory
• They’re creating specific content to answer specific customer questions

Most of them aren’t SEO pros.

They’re just business owners who are either very methodical – or very lucky!

But luck runs out.

There is a way to win the AI game.

How to fix this (and get your brand in ChatGPT)

If you’re reading this thinking “I’m better than my competitor, but no one’s seeing me,”…

Here’s what to focus on:

1. Start answering questions; don’t just describe your service

Instead of “We offer emergency plumbing”, write a quick page that answers the questions your customers ask the most. For example, “What should I do if my pipes burst at night?”

2. Add local markers to every page

Don’t just say where you are. Say where you work. “We help clients across [list of areas]” makes the difference when AI platforms crawl your content.

3. Mark up your content and pages

Use a plugin to add FAQ schema, or get someone to set it up properly for you. AI tools love structure. It’s like giving them a map for how to use or interpret your site.

4. Update your old contact details

If a directory in your Google listing says one phone number, but your website says another, you’re in trouble. Inconsistency tells ChatGPT that it can’t trust your data.

5. Post to your blog daily or weekly

Have a list of questions that customers tend to ask. Answer them in as much detail as you can. Show a bit of your personality for the audience, but keep the information clear and concise. Trust me, it works(!).

It’s not about being louder. It’s about being clearer.

You don’t need to tick every box overnight. But the moment you start answering better than your competitors…

The tide will begin to shift.

Search is changing forever.

The old “get to page one” game?

It’s not the whole story anymore.

Now you’re competing to be the answer that gets surfaced by AI assistants.

That means you don’t need to be the biggest. Or the most technical.

You just need to be more helpful.