By Nazreen Daud, Malay web consultant and marketer in Singapore, Managing Director of Roquepress · Originally shared on LinkedIn, 8 October 2026
The short answer: before you pay anyone for an "AI strategy", type five questions your clients ask, plus your town, into ChatGPT and see whose website comes up. If it isn't yours, the fix is mostly ordinary SEO: consistent business details, a complete Google Business Profile, clear service pages and genuine local mentions.
Why does AI search matter to a small service business?
Because some of your prospects have already stopped "googling" in the old way. They ask an AI assistant a full question and act on the shortlist it gives them.
Someone shared a story online from the owner of a family-law firm that had been in business for 12 years. Prospects had told the firm, "I asked ChatGPT for a lawyer and your firm didn't come up."
That stings. Twelve years of good work, and a new kind of search simply skipped them. But I don't think the right reaction is panic, or buying the first "AI SEO package" that lands in your inbox. The fix is less mysterious than it sounds.
How do I check if my business shows up in ChatGPT?
Run this test. It takes about ten minutes, and you don't need any tools beyond a free ChatGPT account.
- Write down five questions real clients ask you before they buy. Use their words, not your industry's. ("Who can fix a leaking aircon in Tampines?" rather than "HVAC maintenance services".)
- Add your town or area to each one.
- Type each question into ChatGPT, and if you can, into Google too, where an AI Overview may appear at the top.
- Note which businesses and websites get named or linked.
- Count how many times your business appears out of five.
Then compare. Who keeps coming up? What do their websites say that yours doesn't? This is the most honest audit you can do, because it shows you the answers your prospects are actually seeing.
Is optimising for AI search different from SEO?
Mostly, no. Google's own guide to AI features in Search says that optimising for them is still SEO. It describes its AI features as rooted in its core Search ranking and quality systems, and it says you don't need special AI files or to chop your content into tiny pieces. (Google Search Central: AI features and your website)
That is good news for small businesses. The basics you may have been putting off are the same basics that help you appear in AI answers.
| What people assume AI search needs | What actually does the heavy lifting |
|---|---|
| Special "AI files" or secret markup | Clear, crawlable pages that answer real questions |
| Content chopped into tiny chunks | Normal, well-structured pages written for people |
| A brand-new AI strategy | Consistent business details and genuine reputation |
| Gaming the chatbot | Being the obvious, trustworthy answer in your area |
What are the four basics that help most?
1. Your name, location and services, written the same way everywhere
Your business name, address, phone number and core services should match across your website, Google Business Profile, social profiles and directory listings. Small differences, such as an old address or a different business name on one site, make it harder for any system to be sure all those mentions are the same business.
2. A Google Business Profile that's complete and up to date
Fill in every relevant field: categories, services, opening hours, service areas, photos, and a description that says plainly what you do. Reply to reviews. For a local service business this profile is often the first thing people see.
3. Service pages that say who you help, where you are and what real clients say
One page per main service is a good start. Each one should answer the questions from your five-question test: what the service is, who it's for, the area you cover, what's included, and what happens next. Add real client feedback where you have permission to use it.
4. Genuine mentions on local lists and directories, not bought ones
Being listed on relevant local directories, associations and "best of" lists helps both people and machines trust that you exist and do what you say. Bought links and fake listings tend to do the opposite.
What should I avoid?
Be careful with anyone promising guaranteed placement in ChatGPT, or selling "AI optimisation" as a mysterious new service that has nothing to do with your website. As a Malay web consultant working with service businesses in Singapore, my advice is to fix the basics first. Something exotic won't help much if your Google Business Profile still shows last year's opening hours.
No dark arts. Just faithful housekeeping, done consistently. Not very exciting, I know, but it's what we start with at Roquepress too.
Want a second pair of eyes? If you ran the five-question test and didn't like the result, book a call with me and we'll walk through what's missing.
A simple 30-day plan
- Week 1: Run the five-question test and write down who comes up.
- Week 2: Make your business name, address, phone number and services consistent everywhere.
- Week 3: Complete your Google Business Profile and ask a few happy clients for reviews.
- Week 4: Rewrite your main service page so it answers your five client questions clearly.
Then run the test again. You may not see changes in a week, but you'll know exactly what you've fixed and why.
FAQ
How do I know if ChatGPT recommends my business? Ask it the questions your clients ask, including your town or area, and note which businesses it names. Repeat with five different questions. If you rarely appear, focus on consistent business details, a complete Google Business Profile and clear service pages before trying anything more advanced.
Do I need an llms.txt file or special AI markup to appear in AI search? According to Google's guidance, you don't need special AI files or special markup to appear in its AI features. Its advice is that optimising for AI features is still SEO. Clear pages, accurate business information and a good reputation matter far more for a small business.
Is SEO dead because of AI search? No. Google says its AI features are rooted in its core ranking and quality systems, so good SEO still underpins visibility. What changes is how people ask: longer, more conversational questions. Pages that answer those questions clearly tend to serve both readers and AI tools.
How long does it take to show up in AI answers? There's no fixed timeline, and anyone who guarantees one is guessing. Fixing your business details and Google Business Profile can be done within a month. How quickly search systems reflect those changes varies, so re-run your five-question test every few weeks.
Ready for the next step?
If you'd like help with your website, SEO or AI search visibility, book a call with me. You can also read more about me, see the tools I use, or explore my ventures, including Roquepress.