How AI Platforms Discover Your Business: 5 Critical Signals

Reading time: 16 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.

TLDR

AI platforms discover businesses through five data sources: Google Business Profile for foundational data, review content for customer validation, website structured data through schema markup, citations and media mentions for third-party credibility, and social signals for real-time activity. You need strength across all five. perfect GBP with zero reviews won’t cut it. Most businesses optimize only one or two signals and leave massive gaps. Signal shows which sources are working and which need attention.

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When a customer asks ChatGPT “Which Dallas movers are most reliable?”, how does it decide which businesses to recommend?

AI systems don’t randomly guess. They analyze five specific data sources. And most businesses optimize only 1 or 2 of them, leaving massive visibility gaps.

This guide explains what AI platforms look for, why it matters, and how to strengthen each signal.

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The Five Discovery Signals

AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.) synthesize data from multiple sources to build a picture of your business. Think of it as five overlapping lenses:

1. Google Business Profile (GBP) - Your foundational data layer
2. Review Content & Sentiment - What customers say about you
3. Website Structured Data - Machine-readable facts about your business
4. Citations & Mentions - Third-party validation
5. Social Signals - Real-time brand activity

Critical insight: You need strength across ALL five signals. A perfect GBP with zero reviews won’t rank. Amazing reviews with no structured data won’t scale.

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Signal 1: Google Business Profile (GBP)

Why GBP Matters to AI

For ChatGPT: Uses Bing search data, which heavily indexes Google Business Profiles For Claude: Pulls from Google’s Knowledge Graph for local business facts For Gemini: Directly owned by Google. GBP is the primary data source For Perplexity: Uses Google Places API for local business information

Bottom line: GBP is the single most important signal for local businesses. If your GBP is incomplete or generic, you’re invisible to AI.

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What AI Systems Extract from GBP

1. Basic facts:

• Business name, address, phone (NAP consistency matters)
• Category (primary + secondary categories)
• Service area (city, neighborhoods, radius)
• Hours, website URL, booking links

2. Description (750 characters):

• This is WHERE you connect features to customer benefits
• AI systems parse descriptions for keywords, differentiators, value props
• Generic description = generic AI recommendations

3. Services list:

• Specific offerings (not just “moving services”)
• AI matches services to customer queries

4. Attributes:

• Veteran-owned, women-owned, LGBTQ+-friendly
• Wheelchair accessible, online estimates, same-day service
• AI filters on these when customers specify needs

5. Q&A section:

• Questions customers actually ask
• Your answers are indexed and surfaced in AI responses

6. Photos:

• Storefront, team, work in progress, completed projects
• AI uses image metadata and alt text (if available)

7. Posts:

• Updates, offers, events
• Shows recency and activity

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How to Optimize GBP for AI Discovery

Generic GBP Description

“We provide moving services in the Dallas area. Residential and commercial. Get a free quote today.”

AI interpretation: Basic mover. No differentiators. No reason to recommend over competitors.

AI-Optimized GBP Description

“Veterans Moving America is a 100% veteran-staffed moving company serving Dallas-Fort Worth. Our military-trained teams bring discipline, reliability, and transparent pricing to every residential and commercial move. Seven-time industry award winner for customer service. Licensed, insured, and locally owned since 2016. Specialties: fragile item handling, senior relocations, last-minute moves. Free on-site estimates with upfront pricing. No hidden fees.”

AI interpretation:

• Differentiator: Veteran-staffed (unique positioning)
• Trust signals: Awards, licensed/insured, since 2016
• Specific strengths: Fragile items, seniors, last-minute
• Customer benefit: Transparent pricing, no hidden fees

Result: When customers ask about “reliable movers” or “transparent pricing,” AI connects these keywords to your business.

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Complete Your Services List

Incomplete:

• Moving Services

Complete:

• Local residential moving
• Long-distance moving
• Commercial office relocation
• Fragile item packing (art, antiques, pianos)
• Senior moving services
• Military relocation (PCS moves)
• Last-minute emergency moves
• Packing supplies & materials

Why this matters: AI matches services to specific customer queries. If someone asks “Who handles piano moves in Dallas?”, you won’t appear unless “piano” is in your services.

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Add Q&A Entries

Pro tip: Answer the EXACT questions customers ask AI systems.

Examples from real Signal report:

• Q: “Do you offer same-day moving services?”

  • A: “Yes, we provide same-day and emergency moving services in Dallas-Fort Worth. Call (555) 123-4567 for immediate availability.”

• Q: “Are your movers background-checked?”

  • A: “All Veterans Moving America team members are military veterans who have passed federal background checks. We’re also fully licensed and insured.”

• Q: “What’s your pricing structure?”

  • A: “We offer transparent hourly rates ($120-180/hour for 2-person crew) or flat-rate estimates for long-distance moves. Free on-site quotes with upfront pricing. No hidden fees.”

Result: When AI systems analyze your GBP, they find direct answers to common customer questions and surface them in recommendations.

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Signal 2: Review Content & Sentiment

Why Review Content Matters (Not Just Star Ratings)

AI systems don’t just see “4.7 stars.” They read the actual review text and extract:

• Specific features mentioned (“veteran-owned,” “careful with fragile items”)
• Sentiment patterns (positive language, complaint themes)
• Outcome descriptions (“moved our entire office in 6 hours”)
• Comparisons to competitors (“better than [Brand X]”)

Example:

Review A (4 stars, generic):

“Good movers. Showed up on time. Would use again.”

Review B (4 stars, AI-readable):

“We hired Veterans Moving America for our cross-town move. Their team of military veterans was incredibly disciplined and careful with our antiques. Transparent pricing with no surprise fees. exactly what they quoted. Highly recommend for anyone needing reliable movers in Dallas.”

What AI extracts from Review B:

• Keywords: Veterans, disciplined, careful, antiques, transparent pricing, reliable
• Outcome: Successful cross-town move
• Differentiator: Military background connected to service quality
• Trust signal: No surprise fees (common complaint in moving industry)

Result: Review B contributes to AI visibility. Review A doesn’t.

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How to Optimize Reviews for AI Discovery

1. Request specific, detailed reviews

Generic request:

“If you’re happy with our service, please leave us a 5-star review!”

AI-optimized request:

“We’d love your feedback! If you have a moment, please share your experience on Google. Specifically, mention what made your move smooth (our team, pricing transparency, handling of fragile items, etc.). Your detailed review helps other families in Dallas find trustworthy movers.”

Why this works:

• Guides customers to mention SPECIFIC features
• Uses keywords AI systems index (“pricing transparency,” “fragile items”)
• Frames review as helpful to other customers (increases response rate)

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2. Personal outreach after service

Example from Veterans Moving America case study:

They contacted 50 past customers with this message:

“Hi [Name], thanks again for trusting us with your move in [Month]. We’re working to help more Dallas families discover veteran-owned moving services. If you have 3 minutes, would you mind updating your Google review to mention our veteran team and transparent pricing? Here’s the direct link: [link]. Thanks for supporting a veteran-owned business!”

Result: 32 customers updated reviews. Common additions:

• “100% veteran-staffed” (mentioned in 18 reviews)
• “transparent pricing” or “no hidden fees” (mentioned in 24 reviews)
• “discipline” or “reliable” (mentioned in 15 reviews)

AI impact: Presence Rate increased from 0% to 12% in 30 days because AI systems now associated “veteran” + “reliable” + “Dallas movers” = Veterans Moving America.

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3. Respond to reviews (positive AND negative)

Why AI cares about responses:

• Shows business is active and engaged
• Corrects misinformation in negative reviews
• Adds additional context AI systems index

Example response to positive review:

“Thank you, Sarah! Our veteran team takes pride in treating every move with military precision. We’re glad we could make your relocation stress-free. If you ever need moving or packing supplies, we’re here to help!”

What AI extracts:

• Reinforces “veteran team” keyword
• Adds “military precision” association
• Mentions additional services (packing supplies)

Example response to negative review:

“We’re sorry to hear about the delay, John. We had an unexpected truck issue that morning, which we should have communicated better. We’ve since upgraded our fleet and improved our notification system. We’ve issued a partial refund to your account. Please contact us at (555) 123-4567 if there’s anything else we can do.”

What AI extracts:

• Acknowledges issue (builds trust)
• Explains cause (truck issue, not negligence)
• Shows resolution (refund, system improvements)
• Provides contact info (responsive business)

Result: AI systems see you actively manage customer relationships, which contributes to Authority Score.

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Signal 3: Website Structured Data

Why Structured Data Matters

Human-readable website:

“We’re open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.”

Machine-readable structured data:

{
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00"
}

AI systems prefer structured data because it’s unambiguous. No need to parse “9am” vs “9:00 AM” vs “nine o’clock.”

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Schema.org Markup for AI Discovery

What to include:

1. LocalBusiness schema:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Veterans Moving America",
  "image": "https://example.com/logo.jpg",
  "@id": "https://veteransmovingamerica.com",
  "url": "https://veteransmovingamerica.com",
  "telephone": "+1-555-123-4567",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Dallas",
    "addressRegion": "TX",
    "postalCode": "75201",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 32.7767,
    "longitude": -96.7970
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
    "opens": "09:00",
    "closes": "17:00"
  },
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/veteransmovingamerica",
    "https://twitter.com/vetsmovingdfw"
  ]
}
</script>

2. Service schema:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "serviceType": "Residential Moving Services",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "LocalBusiness",
    "name": "Veterans Moving America"
  },
  "areaServed": {
    "@type": "City",
    "name": "Dallas-Fort Worth"
  },
  "description": "Professional residential moving services for families and individuals relocating within Dallas-Fort Worth. Veteran-staffed teams with transparent pricing."
}
</script>

3. Review schema (aggregate ratings):

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Veterans Moving America",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "reviewCount": "127"
  }
}
</script>

Why this matters:

• AI systems can extract “4.8 stars from 127 reviews” without parsing HTML
• Increases confidence in recommendations
• Surfaces ratings in AI responses

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FAQ Schema (Highly Valuable for AI)

AI systems LOVE FAQ schema because it directly answers customer questions.

Example:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Do you offer same-day moving services?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Yes, Veterans Moving America provides same-day and emergency moving services in Dallas-Fort Worth. Call (555) 123-4567 for immediate availability. Subject to crew availability."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What's your pricing structure?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "We offer transparent hourly rates ($120-180/hour for a 2-person crew) or flat-rate estimates for long-distance moves. Free on-site quotes with upfront pricing. No hidden fees or surprise charges."
      }
    }
  ]
}
</script>

Result: When AI systems see FAQ schema, they can directly quote your answers in recommendations.

Example AI response:

“Veterans Moving America offers same-day moving services in Dallas-Fort Worth. Their pricing is transparent: $120-180/hour for a 2-person crew with no hidden fees.”

Where that came from: Your FAQ schema.

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Signal 4: Citations & Mentions

Why Third-Party Validation Matters

AI systems are trained to distrust self-reported information and trust third-party validation.

Self-reported (low trust):

“We’re the best movers in Dallas.” (Says you, on your website)

Third-party validated (high trust):

“Veterans Moving America was named Best Local Mover by Dallas Magazine in 2023.”

AI systems give MORE weight to:

• Industry publications
• News articles
• Awards and certifications
• Directory listings (Yelp, Angi, Better Business Bureau)

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How to Build Citation Signals

1. Industry directories:

• Better Business Bureau (BBB)
• Yelp
• Angi (formerly Angie’s List)
• HomeAdvisor
• Industry-specific directories (American Moving & Storage Association)

Why: AI systems cross-reference multiple sources. If your business appears in 5 directories with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone), it signals legitimacy.

2. Local press coverage:

• Write press releases for milestones (10-year anniversary, 1,000th customer, new service)
• Submit expert quotes to journalists (HARO, SourceBottle)
• Sponsor local events (gets mentioned in event coverage)

Example:

“Veterans Moving America, a Dallas-based moving company, donated moving services to three military families affected by the recent storm.” . Dallas Morning News, March 2024

AI impact: When AI systems search for “Dallas movers,” they find news articles mentioning you (not just your own website).

3. Awards and certifications:

• Apply for local “Best Of” awards (Dallas Observer, D Magazine)
• Industry certifications (ProMover certification, AMSA membership)
• Google Business Profile badges (Google Guaranteed, Google Screened)

Example from Veterans Moving America:

“Seven-time industry award winner for customer service”

Where to display: GBP description, website homepage, review responses

4. Guest posts and thought leadership:

• Publish articles on industry sites (Moving.com, Apartment Therapy)
• Speak at local business events (quote appears in event recap articles)
• Podcast appearances (show notes mention your business)

Example:

“John Smith, owner of Veterans Moving America, shared insights on [topic] in this episode of the Dallas Business Podcast.”

AI impact: Your name + business name + expertise = increased Authority Score.

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Signal 5: Social Signals

Why Social Activity Matters

AI systems use social signals to assess:

• Recency: Is this business still active?
• Engagement: Do customers interact with this brand?
• Content quality: Does this business share valuable information?

Important: Social signals are the WEAKEST of the five. Don’t prioritize social over GBP, reviews, or structured data.

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What AI Systems Track on Social

1. Brand mentions:

• Customers tagging you on Instagram/Facebook
• Tweets mentioning your business
• LinkedIn posts from employees

Example:

“Just moved into our new office! Huge thanks to @VetsMovingDFW for making it seamless. Highly recommend!”. Twitter

AI impact: Reinforces brand awareness, especially for real-time platforms like Perplexity and Grok.

2. Content consistency:

• Regular posting (1-3x/week)
• Mix of content (tips, customer stories, behind-the-scenes)

Why: AI systems see active brands as more credible than dormant ones.

3. Engagement metrics:

• Comments, shares, reactions
• Shows brand has an audience

Low priority: Don’t obsess over follower count. AI systems care more about engagement rate (10 comments on a post with 500 followers > 2 comments on a post with 5,000 followers).

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How to Optimize Social Signals

1. Consistent NAP across all platforms:

• Same business name, address, phone on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter
• NAP consistency across platforms → AI confidence increases

2. Link social profiles from your website:

<footer>
  <a href="https://facebook.com/veteransmovingamerica" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a>
  <a href="https://twitter.com/vetsmovingdfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twitter</a>
</footer>

Why: AI systems see these links and cross-reference social activity with website claims.

3. Share customer success stories:

• Before/after photos
• Customer testimonials (with permission)
• “Move of the week” features

Example Instagram post:

“This week we helped the Johnson family move into their dream home in Plano! 100% veteran crew, zero stress. Thanks for trusting us with your move!”

AI impact: Reinforces “veteran crew” + “customer satisfaction” signals.

4. Use location tags:

• Tag Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, etc. in posts
• Helps AI systems connect your brand to geographic queries

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How the Five Signals Work Together

Scenario: Customer asks ChatGPT, “Which Dallas movers are most reliable?”

AI decision-making process:

1. Checks GBP (Signal 1):

   • Finds 40 Dallas moving companies
   • Filters for those with “reliable” or “discipline” in description
   • Veterans Moving America appears (veteran-staffed = discipline)

2. Analyzes reviews (Signal 2):

   • Reads review text for “reliable,” “careful,” “punctual”
   • Veterans Moving America has 18 reviews mentioning “reliable”
   • Competitor A has 2 reviews mentioning “reliable”

3. Checks structured data (Signal 3):

   • Finds FAQ schema answering “Are your movers background-checked?”
   • Adds this to knowledge base about your business

4. Cross-references citations (Signal 4):

   • Sees Veterans Moving America mentioned in Dallas Magazine “Best Of” list
   • Finds BBB A+ rating
   • Increases confidence in recommendation

5. Validates recency (Signal 5):

   • Checks social: Last Instagram post 3 days ago
   • Business is active (not defunct)

AI recommendation:

“Veterans Moving America is a highly reliable option in Dallas. They employ 100% veteran-staffed teams, which customers consistently praise for discipline and careful handling. They’ve won multiple industry awards and maintain a 4.8-star rating from 127 reviews. Transparent pricing with no hidden fees.”

Why you won:

• GBP optimized for “reliable” keyword
• Reviews consistently mention “reliable” + “veteran”
• Structured data provides FAQ answers
• Third-party validation (awards, BBB rating)
• Social shows active business

Why Competitor A lost:

• Generic GBP description
• Only 2 reviews mention “reliable”
• No structured data
• No press mentions or awards
• Last social post 6 months ago

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Prioritization: Where to Focus First

If you have <1 hour/week:

1. Complete GBP 100% (description, services, attributes, Q&A)
2. Request 15 detailed reviews mentioning your differentiators

If you have <5 hours/week:

1. GBP optimization (above)
2. Add FAQ schema to website (5-10 common questions)
3. NAP consistency audit (ensure same info across all directories)

If you have <10 hours/week:

1. GBP + FAQ schema (above)
2. Review campaign (personal outreach to 50 past customers)
3. Local directory listings (BBB, Yelp, industry-specific)
4. Monthly social posting (1-2x/week)

If you have budget:

1. Hire SEO specialist to add schema markup ($500-1,000 one-time)
2. PR campaign for local press coverage ($1,000-3,000)
3. Google Ads to drive reviews (retarget recent customers with review request)

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What Surmado Signal Measures

Surmado Signal tests all five signals by asking AI systems real customer questions and analyzing:

• Which businesses appear (discovered)
• How strongly they’re positioned (Authority Score)
• Which platforms mention you (ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini)

What you learn:

• Presence Rate: Are AI systems discovering you? (Tests Signals 1-4)
• Authority Score: Are AI systems confident in recommending you? (Tests Signals 2, 4, 5)
• Platform variance: Why are you strong on ChatGPT but weak on Claude? (Different signal weights)

Next step: Run Signal ($25) to see which of these five signals are strongest/weakest for your business.

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Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Optimizing only one signal

Example: Perfect GBP, but zero reviews.

Result: AI systems see your GBP but have no third-party validation. You appear in searches but aren’t recommended.

Fix: Strengthen all five signals, not just one.

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Mistake 2: Generic content everywhere

Example: GBP description, reviews, website all say “great service.”

Result: AI systems can’t differentiate you from competitors.

Fix: Use specific, unique language (“veteran-staffed,” “transparent pricing,” “fragile item specialists”).

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Mistake 3: Ignoring structured data

Example: Beautiful website, no schema markup.

Result: AI systems struggle to extract facts. Human visitors see great content; AI sees unstructured text.

Fix: Add schema.org markup (LocalBusiness, FAQ, Service, Reviews).

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Mistake 4: Inconsistent NAP

Example:

• GBP: “123 Main Street, Dallas, TX 75201”
• Website: “123 Main St, Dallas, Texas, 75201”
• Yelp: “123 Main Street, Dallas, TX”

Result: AI systems are unsure if these are the same business. Lowers confidence.

Fix: Pick ONE format and use it everywhere (including punctuation, abbreviations).

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Bottom Line

AI discovery is NOT magic. It’s five measurable signals:

1. Google Business Profile - Your foundational data (HIGHEST PRIORITY)
2. Review content - What customers say about you (HIGH PRIORITY)
3. Structured data - Machine-readable facts (MEDIUM PRIORITY)
4. Citations - Third-party validation (MEDIUM PRIORITY)
5. Social signals - Recency and engagement (LOW PRIORITY)

Most businesses optimize Signal 1 only. If you strengthen all five, you’ll outrank competitors who haven’t figured this out yet.

Next step: Run Surmado Signal to see which signals are strong/weak for your business, then use Solutions to get a tactical roadmap for improvement.

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→ Related: Understanding Your Signal Report | Review Management for AI Platforms | FAQ Pages for AI Visibility