How to Be the First Brand ChatGPT Recommends in Your Industry

AI assistants like ChatGPT are rapidly becoming the first stop for business discovery. Whether someone asks "what’s the best wellness studio near me?" or "which marketing agency specializes in hospitality?", the brands that show up first aren't there by accident—they're strategically positioned.

If you want your brand to be the one AI recommends first, here’s the modern playbook.

1. Own Your Category Online (Category Leadership)

AI pulls from structured and unstructured data across the web. If your brand positioning isn’t clear, AI won’t confidently recommend you.

Action Steps:

• Define your niche clearly across your homepage, About page, and social profiles.

• Use specific, keyword-rich headlines. (Example: "A boutique marketing agency for hospitality and wellness brands.")

• Consistently align your messaging across LinkedIn, business directories, and any online profiles.

Why it Works: AI looks for clear patterns. When your brand consistently claims a category, it’s easier for AI to associate you with that space.

2. Build Topical Authority and Content Depth

AI doesn’t recommend random businesses—it recommends experts.

Action Steps:

• Publish blog posts answering real client questions.

• Create in-depth guides, resources, and FAQs.

• Target long-tail, conversational keywords (e.g., "how to grow a pilates studio on Instagram").

• Regularly update your existing content.

Why it Works: The more high-quality content AI finds linked to your brand, the more confident it feels recommending you as an expert.

3. Earn Third-Party Mentions and Links (Digital Reputation)

What others say about you matters as much as what you say about yourself.

Action Steps:

• Collaborate with industry partners for guest blogs and interviews.

• Collect client reviews on Google, Yelp, and niche platforms.

• Get featured in roundups, directories, and awards lists.

Why it Works: AI favors brands that are vouched for across credible third-party sources. Mentions act like digital endorsements.

4. Show Transparency and Humanization (E-E-A-T Principles)

Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) guide AI's assessment of brands.

Action Steps:

• Feature founder and team bios on your website.

• Publish case studies and real client testimonials.

• Share behind-the-scenes content that humanizes your brand.

Why it Works: Trust is essential. AI looks for brands with real people and real proof behind them.

5. Optimize for AI Indexing (Technical Best Practices)

Structured, clean content is easier for AI crawlers to read and recommend.

Action Steps:

• Use logical heading hierarchies (H1, H2, H3).

• Add structured data/schema markup.

• Optimize images with descriptive alt text.

• Maintain fast, mobile-friendly site performance.

Why it Works: If your website is easier for machines to parse, it's easier for AI to recommend you.

Final Thoughts

Being the brand ChatGPT recommends first isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about:

• Owning your niche clearly

• Building authority through depth and consistency

• Cultivating trust across multiple digital touchpoints

• Staying human, transparent, and client-focused

Businesses that invest in AI SEO and digital authority now will have a major visibility advantage tomorrow.

Want to become the brand AI recommends first? Partner with One Media Society and let's future-proof your digital presence.

Related Read: Why Businesses Should Build AI-Optimized SEO: A Digital Marketing Blueprint