AI assistants are becoming the first place customers look. Here's how to become the business they recommend.
Search is splitting in two. Half your future customers will still type a query into Google. The other half will simply ask an assistant who the best option is — and take the answer at face value.
Being cited by an AI assistant comes down to three things: a clear entity, consistent structured data, and content that directly answers real questions in plain language.
Start by making your business unmistakable. Identical name, address and phone details everywhere. A detailed Google Business Profile. Organisation and LocalBusiness schema on your website that agrees with both.
Then write content the way people ask questions. Short, direct answers near the top of the page, supporting detail underneath. Models retrieve passages, not pages.
Finally, build citations. Mentions in reputable Australian directories, industry bodies and local media give assistants the corroboration they need before recommending you.