AI assistants are increasingly used to research local businesses and services. A current, structured profile gives systems another source to interpret, but no service promises to find, mention or accurately represent a business. Here's how to make your information clear and shareable.
Step 1: Claim and complete your structured identity page
A useful first step is to create a verified, shareable identity page that uses schema markup, such as LocalBusiness JSON-LD. It publishes your business name, category, service area, hours and contact details in a machine-readable format for systems that choose to access it.
Don't rely on your website alone. Most business websites aren't structured this way by default. A dedicated identity page that explicitly uses schema markup gives you an owner-controlled place to keep details current and share them, though systems may still choose other sources or no source.
Step 2: Fill in every detail completely
Complete information gives people and systems more context, although it does not guarantee access, use or citation. Complete your profile with business category, precise location, service descriptions, operating hours and the year you were established. More complete means more useful detail is available to consider.
What to include
Business name (exactly as you operate), primary category, specific services offered, suburb and city (not just a general region), phone number, website URL and a clear description of who your ideal customer is.
Step 3: Answer real questions from real customers
Q&A can add useful AEO context. When a customer asks "do you do emergency callouts?" and you answer it clearly, that question-and-answer pair becomes machine-readable information about your business. Systems may use owner-verified answers, but they evaluate and represent sources independently.
Aim to have at least 5–10 answered questions covering your most common customer queries: pricing, turnaround times, areas you serve, what sets you apart and what you don't do.
Step 4: Be consistent across every surface
AI systems may aggregate data from multiple sources. If your business name appears differently on your website, your identity page and your social profiles, a system may have difficulty reconciling the details. Keep the same name, category description and contact details current wherever you control them.
Audit your Google Business Profile, Facebook page and any directory listings. Make sure they all say the same thing your identity page says.
Step 5: Share your identity URL everywhere
A structured identity page is easy for people and systems to access when you share its URL. Share it where useful: in your email signature, social bio, website footer, on business cards as a QR code and in relevant WhatsApp or text threads with customers.
Sharing your identity page makes the owner-controlled source easier to reach and helps customers find the details you intend to publish. Links do not control whether AI systems access, trust, mention or use the page.
The honest truth about timelines
AI access isn't instant or predictable. Models and retrieval systems update on different schedules—some monthly, some quarterly, and some continuously. Setting up a structured identity makes current information available when a system next accesses it, but there is no guaranteed update cycle.
The effort is front-loaded. Once your identity is set up, owner-controlled details can be kept current and the profile can be shared continuously. No ongoing campaign is required, though reviewing details as the business changes keeps the source useful.