The short version: AI looks things up, then writes a list
When a customer types “best dentist near me” into ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or Google’s AI Mode, the assistant does not recall a ranked list. It searches, reads what it finds, and writes a short answer with a few names. Google describes this for its AI features as “query fan-out”: the system runs multiple related searches across subtopics and data sources, then shows a broader set of links than classic search.
That means the businesses named are the ones whose information is easy to find and easy to confirm in the places the assistant looks. This page is part of our guide to how customers see you. It covers what the studies say about dentists, home trades (contractors, plumbers, roofers, HVAC) and med spas.
A caution first. No AI company publishes how it picks local businesses. Everything here comes from outside studies, many of them by firms that sell local marketing. They describe patterns, not rules.
Where each assistant looks
| Assistant | What the evidence says |
|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews and AI Mode | Google says a page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet, and that no special markup is required. It also says Google Business Profiles can help businesses appear in AI responses. |
| ChatGPT search | OpenAI says its OAI-SearchBot crawler surfaces sites in ChatGPT search, and sites that opt out are not shown in answers. In Steady Demand’s test, ChatGPT cited directories far more often than business sites. OpenAI’s help page for ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu says those plans send search queries to Bing. OpenAI does not say the same for consumer ChatGPT, so treat Bing’s role there as reported, not confirmed. |
| Gemini | SOCi’s 2026 index says Gemini relies solely on Google Maps for location information. In Steady Demand’s test it cited business websites in 49.6% of cases. |
| Perplexity | Tech press reported in March 2024 that it had added Yelp data (maps, reviews and photos) to local answers. Yext found Perplexity spreads citations across sources such as MapQuest and TripAdvisor. |
The practical reading: no single listing wins everywhere. Your Google Business Profile, your website, Yelp and the directories for your trade all feed some assistant.
Dentists: Google and Yelp lead, healthcare directories trail
BrightLocal analyzed 1,967,762 citations from Google AI Overviews, AI Mode and ChatGPT for 1,355 locations in the US, UK and Australia (published August 2026). For dentists, the sector breakdown covered 25,005 citations.
| Source | Share of dentist citations |
|---|---|
| google.com (Google Business Profile) | 57% |
| yelp.com | 15.4% |
| facebook.com | 1.9% |
| zocdoc.com | 1% |
| healthgrades.com | 0.5% |
The sample for each trade is small, about 25 to 34 locations, so read the shares as a direction. Yext’s broader study of healthcare found listings made up 52.6% of citations, with directories such as WebMD and Vitals prominent. The two studies measure different things, so they are not in conflict, but neither proves that a given directory will get you named.
For a dental practice, that points to three jobs: a complete Google profile with services and insurance, a Yelp page that is claimed and accurate, and a website with a page for each treatment.
Contractors and home services: profile, Yelp and trade directories
BrightLocal published a plumber breakdown, the closest match for the home trades (26,672 citations).
| Source | Share of plumber citations |
|---|---|
| google.com (Google Business Profile) | 54% |
| yelp.com | 13.8% |
| facebook.com | 3.1% |
| angieslist.com (Angi) | 2.2% |
| homeadvisor.com | 0.9% |
| bbb.org | 0.9% |
Steady Demand’s study of 1,500 “best X near me” questions across 50 US metros and 10 local-service categories adds a trade-directory view. Angi, HomeAdvisor, BBB and ConsumerAffairs appeared in all 50 metros, and Thumbtack and Expertise.com in most. For ChatGPT, 46.0% of citations went to general business directories and 27.2% to local-service directories and marketplaces. The author runs a local SEO agency and calls the data a short-lived snapshot.
For a roofer, plumber or HVAC company, that points to: a complete Google profile with your service area, Yelp and Facebook pages that match, a claim on the one or two trade directories your customers use, and a website page for each service and each town you serve.
Med spas: no trade study, so test your own prompts
We could not find a study that measured how AI picks med spas. BrightLocal’s study had no med spa or beauty breakdown, and beauty, wellness and fitness businesses were only 2.05% of the locations it studied. Yext’s healthcare findings are the nearest evidence, and they cover healthcare broadly, not med spas.
So treat the med spa as a case where you test, not assume. Run the prompts in our 30-minute self-test for each treatment you sell (for example Botox or laser hair removal), and note which sites the assistants cite. Those sites are your directory list.
What the studies suggest you publish
These steps follow from the sources above. They are practical advice, not a formula.
Every trade
- A complete Google Business Profile: categories, services, hours, service area, photos. See the Google Business Profile checklist.
- The same name, address and phone number on your website and listings. SOCi’s report found hours and address errors in ChatGPT and Perplexity answers and says small inconsistencies can drop a business from consideration. See Apple Business Connect, Bing Places and Yelp.
- Reviews that keep coming. See do reviews affect AI recommendations.
- A site that search and AI crawlers can read, with text, not only images.
Dentist
- A page per treatment (checkups, implants, emergency visits) with who it is for and what to expect.
- Insurance plans you accept, new-patient steps and emergency hours in plain text.
- Dentist names and credentials on the about page.
Contractor, plumber, roofer, HVAC
- A page per service and per town you serve, with a “from” price or typical range if you can state one.
- Licenses and insurance you hold, stated as facts.
- Real project photos with the town and the job type.
- Response times for emergency calls, if you can keep the promise.
Med spa
- A page per treatment, with who performs it, what a first visit involves and who should not book it. Staff handle clinical questions, so keep medical advice off the page.
- Prices or “from” prices for your most-asked treatments.
- Provider names and credentials.
- Booking link and cancellation policy in text.
The questions customers ask AI
Write your pages to answer the questions in the form customers type them. Examples:
- “Who is an emergency dentist in [town] open on Sunday?”
- “How much does a new roof cost in [town] and who can do it this month?”
- “Is [med spa] safe for first-time Botox, and what does it cost?”
- “Which HVAC company in [town] offers same-day repair?”
If your website has a clear answer to each one, an assistant has something accurate to quote.
What we do, and what nobody can promise
Nobody controls what ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, AI Mode or Perplexity recommend. We cannot promise placement, and we would not trust anyone who does. What we do is check your website, your profiles and how you answer a test call and inquiry, record what the assistants say about you, and write up what we find. That is the check on how customers see you. Standard check: from $395. The deep check adds your competitors and a fix plan in priority order. A free demo is the shorter version.
Published . Updated .