"Who's a good plumber in Prescott Valley?" More customers now type that into ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI Mode instead of scrolling a list of links. The assistant names a handful of businesses, and the rest might as well not exist. So how do AI assistants decide who to recommend? An August 2026 study of 1,851 local businesses gives the clearest answer yet.
What the 2026 data shows
- Only 44% of sampled local businesses were named by at least one AI assistant. ChatGPT named 36%; Google's AI Mode named 18%. Just 10% were named by both.
- Businesses that got named had a median of 444 Google reviews, versus 192 for those that didn't, a 2.3× gap.
- Star ratings barely differed (4.9 vs. 4.8). A good rating is the entry ticket, not the tiebreaker.
- Every named business already ranked in Google's top 20 for its trade and city. AI visibility builds on regular local SEO; it doesn't replace it.
- The answers were grounded largely in Google's business data: the name, phone, website, rating and review count on a Google Business Profile.
How AI assistants pick local businesses
Assistants don't have a secret directory. When someone asks for a local recommendation, they search the web and business databases, then summarize what they find. To be recommended, your business has to be findable (in the sources they search), clear (it's obvious what you do and where), and credible (many recent reviews and consistent information across sources). If different sites show different phone numbers or names, the assistant has less confidence that you're one real business.
The 8-step playbook
- Complete your Google Business Profile. Primary category, every service, service area, hours, photos, and a description that says what you do in plain words.
- Build review volume and recency. Ask every satisfied customer, every week. Volume was the strongest difference between named and unnamed businesses.
- Ask customers to mention the job and town. "Replaced our water heater in Chino Valley" tells an assistant more than "Great service!"
- Say it plainly on your website. One page per main service, with the towns you serve, prices or ranges, your license number and how to reach you, in text, not just images.
- Keep your name, address and phone identical everywhere: Google, your website, Facebook, Yelp, BBB, Nextdoor and industry directories.
- Get listed on trusted directories with full profiles. Each consistent listing is one more independent source confirming who you are. See our free listing sites list.
- Add structured data (LocalBusiness schema) to your website so machines can read your name, services, hours and service area. Every Great Local Pros profile includes it automatically.
- Answer real questions. An FAQ section with questions customers ask you on the phone ("Do you charge for estimates?" "Do you work on weekends?") gives assistants quotable answers.
How to check whether AI recommends you
Once a month, ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI Mode the questions your customers ask, like "best [your trade] in [your town]" and "who does [service] near [town]?" Note who gets named and which sources are cited. If competitors appear and you don't, compare their review count, website and listings with yours. That gap is your to-do list.
What doesn't work
- Buying or faking reviews. It violates Google's policies and the FTC's rule on fake reviews, and it can get your profile suspended.
- Stuffing keywords into your business name. "Bob's Plumbing Best Plumber Prescott" is a common reason for Google suspensions.
- Paying for "guaranteed AI placement." No one controls what an assistant says. Be skeptical of anyone selling it.