Finding a business with ChatGPT: your customers’ new habit

Why do your customers look for a business on ChatGPT?

Your customers use ChatGPT because it gives a direct answer, in everyday language, to a precise question. Instead of comparing ten websites, they get a short selection with reasons.

Take an example. A parent is looking for a speech therapist for their child. On Google, they type “speech therapist Montrouge”, then open five tabs. On ChatGPT, they write: “My 6-year-old son struggles to read, which speech therapist near Montrouge is taking new patients?” The question is longer, more human. So is the answer.

A habit spreading in France

The shift is no longer limited to young people or tech enthusiasts. According to the Arcep barometer, almost one person in two in France already uses generative AI. And 91% own a smartphone, so they have an AI assistant in their pocket.

Increasingly local questions

Local questions follow. A BrightLocal survey shows that 45% of consumers now use an AI to find a business near them. A year earlier, only 6% did. It’s no longer a fad. It’s a new habit.

Is Google disappearing?

No, Google isn’t disappearing: the number of searches there is even at record highs. What changes is that your customers use several tools one after the other.

In its quarterly results in spring 2026, Google’s CEO announced record query numbers. He attributes this rise partly to the AI answers built into the search engine. In other words, AI is moving into Google too.

A customer’s real journey in 2026

In real life, the journey often looks like this:

1. The customer asks ChatGPT their question or reads an AI summary on Google.
2. They keep two or three names in mind.
3. They check those names on Google Maps: reviews, photos, opening hours.
4. They visit one or two websites.
5. They call, book or send a message.

Each step can eliminate you. If the AI doesn’t cite you, you’re out at step 2. If your profile is empty, you’re out at step 3. If your website is slow, you’re out at step 4.

What happens if AI doesn’t cite your business?

If AI doesn’t cite you, the customer doesn’t even compare you: you are excluded before the choice begins. And since the list is short, every place counts enormously.

Consumers already look at few options. According to another BrightLocal study, 72% of them look at three businesses or fewer before deciding. An AI answer narrows that choice even further. Being the fourth name is almost useless.

Fewer clicks to websites

AI answers also reduce clicks. A Pew Research Center study measured 8% of clicks on a result when an AI summary appears, versus 15% without one. The customer reads the answer, and often stops there. Being cited in the answer therefore becomes more valuable than being ranked below it.

How do you become one of the businesses ChatGPT cites?

To be cited, your business must be easy to read, easy to verify and consistent wherever it appears. There’s no shortcut, but there is a method.

Pages that answer real questions

Your customers ask precise questions. Your pages must answer them. One page per service, with what you do, for whom, where, how fast and from what price if you show one. A vague page, like “We offer tailored solutions”, gives nothing to cite.

Also think about the questions people ask you on the phone. “Do you work on Saturdays?” “Are your quotes free?” “How long does a session last?” Every recurring question deserves a written answer on your website, for example in an FAQ. That’s exactly the kind of sentence an AI likes to reuse, because it answers the customer’s request directly.

The same information everywhere

Same name, same address, same phone number, same opening hours. On your website, on your Google profile, on directories, on your social media. An AI that finds two different versions has doubts. And an AI with doubts cites someone else.

A well-kept Google profile

Many customers check the names cited on Google Maps. Your profile must therefore be complete: exact category, services, area, opening hours, recent photos and replies to reviews. It’s often the first fix we make. It takes little time, and it serves Google Maps, AI answers and customers who search for you by name, all at once.

Real, detailed reviews

Reviews are the final judge. According to BrightLocal, 88% of consumers check the reviews cited by an AI. We help our clients ask for reviews at the right moment, and reply to them. It’s all detailed on our Google reviews page.

How do you know whether customers find you through AI?

You can measure it in two ways: in your visit statistics, and by testing the assistants yourself. The two complement each other.

In your statistics, visits from ChatGPT often show chatgpt.com as their source. On the Google side, Search Console offers a dedicated report on appearances in its AI answers. We combine these two measures in our clients’ monthly report.

And ask your customers

The simplest method is often the best. When a new customer calls, ask them how they found you. Many now answer: “I asked ChatGPT.” Write it down. It’s a valuable measure, and it costs nothing.

Should you abandon classic SEO for AI?

No, you must not abandon SEO: it feeds a large part of AI answers. Google explains that its AI features rely on its usual index, and ChatGPT also relies on search engines.

The right approach is therefore to strengthen the foundation: a fast, clear website, solid local SEO, a complete profile and real reviews. Then add the settings specific to AI. Working on one without the other is like building the roof before the walls.