7 AI Platforms That Matter for Local Businesses

Reading time: 15 minutes

Surmado does not sell AI placements and cannot submit your site to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Meta AI, Grok, or DeepSeek. No one can. We test how these systems already talk about you and give you a plan to improve.

“Should I optimize for ChatGPT or Claude? What about Perplexity?”

This guide breaks down the seven AI platforms tested by Surmado Signal. who uses them, how they discover businesses, and how to optimize for each.

TLDR

ChatGPT is the largest consumer AI by market share. It indexes Bing and Yelp heavily, so using Bing Webmaster Tools and maximizing Yelp reviews is a great way to help. Google’s Gemini uses Google Business Profile more directly, so make sure you get 100% profile completion. Other tools include Grok by xAI, Anthropic’s Claude, and Meta AI.

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Market Overview

Total AI search market share (as of 2025):

Platform	Market Share	Primary Use Case	Typical User
ChatGPT	about 60%	General research, conversational search	Mainstream consumers
Gemini	about 15%	Google-integrated search	Google ecosystem users
Perplexity	about 10%	Deep research, cited sources	Professionals, researchers
Claude	about 8%	Writing, analysis, coding	Knowledge workers
Meta AI	about 4%	Facebook/Instagram-integrated	Social media users
Grok	about 2%	Real-time information, Twitter-integrated	X/Twitter users
DeepSeek	about 1%	Technical queries, Chinese market	Technical users, Asia-Pacific

Key insight: ChatGPT dominates, but Gemini + Perplexity combine for 25% of market. You need visibility across multiple platforms.

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1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Who Uses ChatGPT

Demographics:

• Mainstream consumers (60% of AI search traffic)
• Age range: 18-65+ (broadest adoption)
• Use cases: Product research, local business discovery, trip planning

Typical queries:

• “Which Dallas movers are most reliable?”
• “Best Italian restaurants in San Francisco”
• “Who should I hire for kitchen remodeling?”

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How ChatGPT Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. Bing search results (ChatGPT uses Bing API for web search)
2. Yelp and review platforms (heavily indexed)
3. Google Business Profile (via Bing’s crawl of Google)
4. Curated datasets (OpenAI’s training data through 2023)
5. Real-time web search (ChatGPT Plus with browsing enabled)

Ranking factors:

• Review volume (high weight)
• Brand authority (backlinks, press mentions)
• Yelp presence (strong signal)
• Website structured data
• Recency (older brands favored in training data)

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How to Optimize for ChatGPT

1. Bing Webmaster Tools

• Verify your website: bing.com/webmasters
• Submit sitemap to Bing (ChatGPT indexes Bing’s index)
• Check Bing crawl errors

2. Yelp optimization

• Complete Yelp profile (ChatGPT heavily weights Yelp)
• Respond to all reviews (shows business is active)
• Add photos, business hours, services

3. High review volume

• ChatGPT favors businesses with 50+ reviews
• Volume matters more than perfect 5.0 rating
• Target: 4.5+ stars with 100+ reviews

4. Brand mentions

• Press coverage (TechCrunch, local news)
• Industry awards (“Best of Dallas 2024”)
• Backlinks from authoritative sites

ChatGPT strength example:

“For Dallas movers, Two Men and a Truck has strong reviews (4.2 stars, 3,200 reviews) and is well-established. Veterans Moving America is a highly-rated local option (4.8 stars, 127 reviews) specializing in veteran-staffed teams.”

Why: ChatGPT sees high review volume (3,200) and balances with quality (4.8 stars). Both appear, but franchise gets mentioned first due to authority.

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2. Gemini (Google)

Who Uses Gemini

Demographics:

• Google ecosystem users (Gmail, Android, Chrome)
• Age range: 25-55 (tech-comfortable consumers)
• Use cases: Quick research, local discovery, Google-integrated search

Typical queries:

• “Find movers near me with transparent pricing”
• “Which nearby restaurants have outdoor seating?”
• “Compare plumbers in my area”

Integration advantage: Gemini pulls directly from Google Knowledge Graph, Maps, and Business Profile. making GBP optimization critical.

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How Gemini Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. Google Business Profile (primary source)
2. Google Maps data (reviews, photos, Q&A)
3. Google Knowledge Graph (entity relationships)
4. Google Search index (website content, structured data)
5. YouTube (video content, if applicable)

Ranking factors:

• GBP completeness (100% completion critical)
• Google review quality (not just quantity)
• Maps engagement (clicks, direction requests, calls)
• Website speed (Core Web Vitals matter)
• Proximity (local search heavily weighted)

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How to Optimize for Gemini

1. Google Business Profile (highest priority)

• Complete ALL sections (description, services, attributes, photos, hours)
• Add 10+ photos (storefront, team, work samples)
• Use Google Posts weekly (updates, offers, events)
• Answer ALL questions in Q&A section

2. Google Maps engagement

• Encourage customers to click “Directions” or “Call”
• High engagement signals business relevance
• Verify NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency

3. Core Web Vitals

• Gemini considers website performance
• Target: LCP <2.5s, FID <100ms, CLS <0.1
• Use Google PageSpeed Insights to measure

4. Schema markup

• LocalBusiness schema (address, hours, phone)
• FAQ schema (questions customers ask)
• Review schema (aggregate ratings)

Gemini strength example:

“Veterans Moving America (4.8 stars, 127 Google reviews) is a Dallas-based moving company with 100% veteran-staffed teams. They offer transparent pricing and specialize in fragile item handling. Located at 123 Main St, Dallas, TX. Open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.”

Why: Gemini pulls structured data from GBP (exact address, hours, services) and synthesizes review themes (transparent pricing, fragile items).

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3. Perplexity

Who Uses Perplexity

Demographics:

• Professionals, researchers, knowledge workers
• Age range: 25-45 (tech-savvy users)
• Use cases: Deep research with citations, comparing options

Typical queries:

• “Compare Dallas moving companies by price and service quality”
• “What are the most reliable movers according to recent reviews?”
• “Which local businesses have the best customer satisfaction ratings?”

Key differentiator: Perplexity cites sources, so attribution is clearer (less Ghost Influence risk).

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How Perplexity Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. Real-time web search (Perplexity crawls web directly)
2. Google Places API (local business data)
3. Review platforms (Yelp, Google, Trustpilot)
4. News articles and press (values third-party validation)
5. Business websites (direct indexing)

Ranking factors:

• Cited sources (press coverage, industry publications)
• Recent content (values recency)
• Comprehensive information (detailed website content)
• Third-party validation (awards, certifications)
• Self-promotion (low trust in website marketing copy)

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How to Optimize for Perplexity

1. Publish comprehensive content

• Blog posts, guides, case studies
• Use customer language (keywords from Signal report)
• Include data, outcomes, specific examples

Example:

“How We Helped 500 Dallas Families Move Stress-Free”

• Case study format with real customer outcomes
• Specific details (timelines, challenges, solutions)
• Customer testimonials with full names

2. Get press coverage

• Local news articles (Dallas Morning News, D Magazine)
• Industry publications (Moving.com, Apartment Therapy)
• Press releases for milestones (1,000th customer, 10-year anniversary)

Why: Perplexity cites news articles frequently; if you’re mentioned, you’ll appear in results with attribution.

3. Schema markup (FAQ especially)

• FAQ schema answers customer questions directly
• Perplexity surfaces FAQ content in responses

4. Ensure website is crawlable

• No robots.txt blocks on important pages
• XML sitemap submitted
• Fast load times (Perplexity prefers fast sites)

Perplexity strength example:

“Veterans Moving America is a Dallas-based moving company with 100% veteran-staffed teams, according to their Google Business Profile. They’ve won seven industry awards for customer service and maintain a 4.8-star rating across 127 reviews. [Source: Google Business Profile] [Source: Dallas Magazine, ‘Best Movers 2024’]”

Why: Perplexity cites specific sources, building trust with users. Press coverage + GBP data = strong recommendation.

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4. Claude (Anthropic)

Who Uses Claude

Demographics:

• Knowledge workers (writers, researchers, analysts)
• Age range: 25-50 (professional users)
• Use cases: Writing assistance, analysis, coding, research

Typical queries:

• “Help me evaluate moving companies in Dallas based on reliability”
• “What should I look for when hiring a local service business?”
• “Compare pros and cons of different movers”

Key differentiator: Claude is more conservative in recommendations. requires strong validation before suggesting businesses.

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How Claude Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. Curated knowledge base (Anthropic’s training data)
2. Google Knowledge Graph (for factual business info)
3. Review platforms (validated customer feedback)
4. Press and publications (third-party sources)
5. Business websites (for context, but not primary source)

Ranking factors:

• Third-party validation (press, awards, certifications)
• Review quality over quantity (Claude reads review text deeply)
• Established businesses (prefers brands with history)
• Clear differentiation (unique value props)
• New businesses (harder to rank without validation)

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How to Optimize for Claude

1. Build third-party validation

• Industry certifications (ProMover, BBB A+ rating)
• Awards (“Best of Dallas 2024”)
• Press coverage (news articles, industry publications)

2. Focus on review quality

• Claude analyzes review content, not just star count
• Target: 25+ detailed reviews (3-5 sentences each)
• Reviews should mention specific differentiators

Example strong review for Claude:

“Veterans Moving America handled our cross-country move flawlessly. Their veteran team was incredibly disciplined. Every item cataloged, wrapped, and loaded with military precision. The upfront pricing estimate was exactly what we paid. No surprise fees. For a family relocating long-distance, their professionalism and transparency made a stressful process smooth.”

Why: Claude extracts:

• Differentiator: veteran team → discipline
• Outcome: cross-country move (scope)
• Trust signal: upfront pricing, no surprise fees
• Context: family relocation (use case)

3. Professional website content

• Case studies with outcomes
• Clear service descriptions
• Team bios with credentials
• Published guides or resources

4. Consistent brand positioning

• Same messaging across GBP, website, reviews
• Claude looks for alignment (not contradictions)

Claude strength example:

“For Dallas moving services, established companies like Two Men and a Truck have extensive track records. If you’re specifically seeking veteran-owned options, Veterans Moving America has strong customer reviews (4.8 stars) highlighting their disciplined approach and transparent pricing.”

Why: Claude hedges with “established companies” (conservative) but provides specific recommendation when user specifies criteria (“veteran-owned”). Requires clear differentiation to recommend smaller businesses.

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5. Meta AI

Who Uses Meta AI

Demographics:

• Facebook and Instagram users
• Age range: 18-55 (broad social media demographic)
• Use cases: Quick questions while browsing social media

Typical queries:

• “Which Dallas movers should I hire?” (asked in Facebook group)
• “Best restaurants near me?” (Instagram search)
• Quick recommendations while scrolling

Integration: Built into Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp.

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How Meta AI Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. Facebook Business Pages (primary source)
2. Instagram business profiles
3. Google search results (secondary)
4. Social mentions (posts, comments, tags)
5. Yelp and review platforms

Ranking factors:

• Facebook page completeness (hours, services, reviews)
• Instagram engagement (followers, post activity)
• Social mentions and tags
• Facebook/Instagram reviews (5-star system)
• Brands with NO social presence (invisible to Meta AI)

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How to Optimize for Meta AI

1. Complete Facebook Business Page

• All sections filled (About, Services, Hours, Contact)
• Regular posting (2-3x/week minimum)
• Respond to messages within 1 hour (shows responsiveness)

2. Instagram business profile

• Bio with clear service description + location
• Highlights showcasing services, testimonials, FAQs
• Consistent posting (3-5x/week)

3. Encourage social mentions

• Ask customers to tag you in Facebook/Instagram posts
• Share user-generated content (with permission)
• Run social campaigns (“Tag us in your moving day photo!”)

4. Facebook/Instagram reviews

• Request reviews on Facebook (separate from Google)
• Respond to all reviews (shows engagement)

Meta AI strength example:

“Veterans Moving America is a Dallas-based moving company with strong Facebook reviews. Their recent posts show active service in the DFW area, and customers frequently tag them in moving day photos.”

Why: Meta AI prioritizes social signals (activity, tags, engagement). Businesses active on Facebook/Instagram rank higher.

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6. Grok (X / Twitter)

Who Uses Grok

Demographics:

• X (Twitter) users, especially Premium subscribers
• Age range: 25-45 (tech-savvy, early adopters)
• Use cases: Real-time information, trending topics, breaking news

Typical queries:

• “What’s happening with [local business]?”
• “Who are the best local services in [city] right now?”
• Real-time updates (weather, traffic, events)

Key differentiator: Grok emphasizes real-time information from X/Twitter.

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How Grok Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. X/Twitter posts and mentions (primary source)
2. Real-time web search
3. Google Business Profile (for factual info)
4. News and media (breaking stories)

Ranking factors:

• Recent mentions on X/Twitter (within hours/days)
• Engagement (retweets, replies, likes)
• Verified accounts (X Premium checkmark)
• Real-time relevance (trending topics)
• Businesses with zero X presence (very low visibility)

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How to Optimize for Grok

1. Active X/Twitter presence

• Post 1-2x/day (consistent activity)
• Engage with local community (reply to relevant posts)
• Use location tags (Dallas, Fort Worth, etc.)

2. Get mentioned on X

• Encourage customers to tweet about your service
• Monitor brand mentions (respond and engage)
• Share customer tweets (with permission)

3. Real-time updates

• Post about availability (“Crews available for same-day moves today!”)
• Share time-sensitive offers
• Respond to X users asking for recommendations

4. X Premium (optional)

• Verified checkmark increases trust
• Posts get higher visibility in Grok responses

Grok strength example:

“Based on recent X mentions, Veterans Moving America is getting positive feedback from Dallas customers. @CustomerHandle tweeted yesterday: ‘Just moved with @VetsMovingDFW. incredible service from their veteran team!’ They appear to have availability this week according to their latest post.”

Why: Grok pulls real-time social proof from X, values recency (yesterday’s tweet), and surfaces time-sensitive information (availability this week).

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7. DeepSeek

Who Uses DeepSeek

Demographics:

• Technical users, Asia-Pacific market
• Age range: 25-40 (developers, analysts, researchers)
• Use cases: Technical queries, data analysis, Chinese market research

Typical queries:

• Technical problem-solving
• Data-driven comparisons
• Chinese-language business research

Market note: DeepSeek has 1% global market share but is significant in Asia-Pacific and among technical users.

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How DeepSeek Discovers Businesses

Primary data sources:

1. Technical documentation and data
2. Business databases (industry-specific)
3. Google search results
4. Review platforms

Ranking factors:

• Data-rich content (specs, pricing tables, comparisons)
• Technical accuracy
• Structured data (schema markup)
• Chinese-language content (if applicable)

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How to Optimize for DeepSeek

1. Technical content

• Detailed service specifications
• Pricing tables with itemized breakdowns
• Data-driven case studies

2. Structured data

• Schema markup (LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ)
• Machine-readable information

3. Chinese-language content (if targeting Asia-Pacific)

• Translated website sections
• Chinese business directories

Note: For most local U.S. businesses, DeepSeek is low priority (1% market share). Focus on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity first.

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Platform Prioritization Strategy

Tier 1: Must Optimize (80% of AI search traffic)

1. ChatGPT (60% market share)

• Optimize Yelp profile
• Build review volume (target: 100+ reviews)
• Bing Webmaster Tools verification

2. Gemini (15% market share)

• Complete Google Business Profile 100%
• Core Web Vitals optimization
• Schema markup

Expected ROI: 75% of your AI visibility comes from these two platforms.

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Tier 2: High-Value Targets (18% of traffic)

3. Perplexity (10% market share)

• Publish comprehensive content (blog, guides)
• Get press coverage
• FAQ schema

4. Claude (8% market share)

• Third-party validation (awards, certifications)
• Quality reviews (not just quantity)
• Professional website content

Expected ROI: 18% of traffic; high-value users (professionals, researchers).

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Tier 3: Nice-to-Have (7% of traffic)

5. Meta AI (4% market share)

• Active Facebook Business Page
• Instagram business profile
• Social mentions

6. Grok (2% market share)

• X/Twitter presence
• Real-time posting

7. DeepSeek (1% market share)

• Low priority for most U.S. local businesses

Expected ROI: 7% of traffic; optional unless you’re very active on social.

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Platform-Specific Strengths

If You Have Strong Yelp Presence → ChatGPT Wins

• ChatGPT heavily indexes Yelp
• High review volume on Yelp = strong ChatGPT visibility

If You Have Perfect GBP → Gemini Wins

• Gemini pulls directly from Google
• Complete GBP = guaranteed Gemini visibility

If You Have Press Coverage → Perplexity + Claude Win

• Both value third-party validation
• News articles = higher Authority Score

If You’re Active on Social → Meta AI + Grok Win

• Social activity drives recommendations
• Instagram/Facebook posts = Meta AI visibility
• X/Twitter mentions = Grok visibility

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What Surmado Signal Shows You

Your Signal report includes platform breakdown:

Platform         | Presence Rate | Authority Score | Notes
-----------------|---------------|-----------------|------------------
ChatGPT          | 18%           | 62              | Strong (high review volume)
Gemini           | 4%            | 38              | Weak (GBP incomplete)
Perplexity       | 12%           | 71              | Strong (press coverage)
Claude           | 2%            | N/A             | Very weak (needs validation)
Meta AI          | 0%            | N/A             | Invisible (no social presence)
Grok             | 0%            | N/A             | Invisible (no X presence)
DeepSeek         | 1%            | 35              | Minimal (low priority)

What this tells you:

• Biggest gap: Gemini (only 4% despite Google integration)
  • Fix: Complete GBP, add schema markup
• Biggest strength: ChatGPT (18% Presence Rate)
  • Maintain: Continue Yelp review campaigns
• Opportunity: Perplexity (12%, high Authority Score of 71)
  • Action: Double down on press coverage

Next step: Run Surmado Signal ($25) to see your platform-specific breakdown, then use Solutions ($50) with your Intelligence Token to get platform-specific optimization tactics.

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Bottom Line

You can’t optimize for all 7 platforms equally.

Default strategy for most local businesses:

1. Weeks 1-4: Optimize for ChatGPT + Gemini (75% of market)
2. Weeks 5-8: Add Perplexity + Claude (18% of market)
3. Weeks 9-12: Optionally add Meta AI + Grok (7% of market)

Time allocation:

• 60% effort → ChatGPT (Yelp, reviews, Bing)
• 30% effort → Gemini (GBP, Core Web Vitals, schema)
• 10% effort → Perplexity + Claude (press, content, validation)

Result: 90% AI visibility coverage with focused effort.

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Platform Evolution & Future-Proofing

The AI Landscape is Constantly Changing

2023: ChatGPT dominated with 90% market share 2024: Gemini, Perplexity, Claude gained significant ground (40% combined) 2025: 7 major platforms, with new entrants emerging quarterly

Key insight: What works today won’t work tomorrow. The platforms you need to optimize for will change as:

• New AI assistants launch (Amazon Alexa AI, Microsoft Copilot expansion)
• Market share shifts (Gemini growing rapidly with Android integration)
• Platform capabilities evolve (Claude adding real-time search, ChatGPT improving local recommendations)
• Regional platforms emerge (Baidu in China, Naver in Korea)

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Surmado’s Commitment to Platform Coverage

We monitor the AI visibility landscape and add new platforms as they become relevant:

Current coverage (7 platforms):

• ChatGPT (OpenAI)
• Gemini (Google)
• Perplexity
• Claude (Anthropic)
• Meta AI (Facebook/Instagram)
• Grok (X/Twitter)
• DeepSeek

Platforms on our radar for 2025-2026:

• Microsoft Copilot (expanding from enterprise to consumer)
• Amazon Alexa AI (rumored major upgrade)
• Apple Intelligence (iOS integration)
• Regional leaders (as global expansion happens)

Our platform selection criteria:

1. Market share >1% in U.S. Or target market
2. Used for business discovery (not just chat/entertainment)
3. Accessible to SMBs (not enterprise-only)
4. Stable API/testing capability (we can reliably test)

What this means for you: When you run Signal, you’re testing against the most relevant platforms today. As new platforms emerge and gain market share, we add them automatically. No additional work required from you.

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How to Stay Ahead of Platform Changes

1. Test quarterly (not just once)

• AI platforms evolve rapidly
• ChatGPT’s local recommendations improved 40% in 2024
• Gemini’s integration with Google Maps changed discovery patterns
• Running Signal quarterly ($50/quarter = $200/year) shows you trends

2. Focus on fundamentals that work across platforms

• Strong review content (all platforms value this)
• Schema markup (universal language for AI)
• Third-party validation (press, awards, certifications)
• Comprehensive website content (FAQ pages, guides)

These fundamentals work across ALL current platforms and will work for future platforms.

3. Monitor platform-specific opportunities

• If you’re active on Instagram → Meta AI visibility is easy win
• If you publish regularly on X → Grok visibility follows naturally
• If you have press coverage → Perplexity + Claude reward you

4. Don’t chase every new platform

• Wait for 2-3% market share before optimizing
• Focus on Tier 1 (ChatGPT + Gemini) until perfect
• Add Tier 2 (Perplexity + Claude) once Tier 1 is solid

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What’s Next in AI Search

Emerging trends we’re tracking:

1. Voice-first AI assistants

• Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant getting smarter
• Voice searches = more conversational, longer queries
• Optimization: FAQ pages that answer “how do I…” and “what’s the best way to…” questions

2. Platform consolidation

• Google integrating Gemini into Search, Maps, Android
• Microsoft integrating Copilot into Windows, Office, Edge
• Apple integrating Intelligence into iOS, Siri, Messages
• Meta integrating AI into Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp

Impact: Platform-specific optimization becomes more important (not less)

3. Real-time, personalized recommendations

• AI assistants learning user preferences over time
• Location-aware suggestions (not just location-based search)
• Context-aware recommendations (time of day, weather, events)

Optimization: Fresh content, real-time updates (Google Posts, social media activity)

4. Multi-modal search

• Image + text queries (“show me restaurants like this photo”)
• Voice + location (“find movers near me who can help today”)
• Video content analysis (YouTube, TikTok indexed by AI)

Optimization: Visual content strategy (photos, videos with good metadata)

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Final Recommendation

Start with the platforms that matter TODAY:

1. ChatGPT (60% market)
2. Gemini (15% market)
3. Perplexity (10% market)

These three = 85% of AI search traffic.

Then monitor quarterly with Signal to catch:

• Changes in your visibility across platforms
• New platforms emerging in your market
• Shifts in customer search behavior

Surmado handles platform evolution for you. We add new platforms, update testing methodology, and adjust recommendations as the landscape changes.

Your job: Focus on fundamentals (reviews, schema, content, validation). Our job: Track which platforms matter and how to win on each.

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→ Related: How AI Platforms Discover Your Business | Understanding Your Signal Report | Review Management for AI Platforms

Next Steps

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