How to rank in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude: a practical guide for NZ businesses

"Who's the best accountant in Hamilton?" "Which web designers in Auckland build fast sites?" "What's a good leadership coach for a growing UK company?" Questions like these are increasingly typed into ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude instead of a search box. The answer is a short list of names, and if your business isn't on it, you're invisible to that customer.

This guide explains how AI assistants choose what to recommend, and the practical steps New Zealand and UK businesses can take to show up. It builds on our guide to generative engine optimisation (GEO). If you'd like to see where you stand today, our AI visibility audit tests exactly this, and our GEO and AI SEO service fixes what it finds.

Is there such a thing as "ranking" in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude?

Not in the way there is in Google. There's no fixed list of positions, and two people asking the same question can get slightly different answers. What you can influence is how likely you are to be mentioned, how accurately you're described, and whether your website is cited as a source.

AI assistants draw on two kinds of knowledge:

For "best", "near me", pricing and comparison questions, ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude often search the web, so the steps below focus mostly on being found and trusted in those live searches.

How ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude choose what to recommend

• They can only cite what they can reach. If your site blocks their crawlers, loads key content only with complex scripts, or isn't indexed, you won't be used as a source.
• They lean on search results. Live answers are built from web searches, so pages that already rank well in search engines are more likely to be read. ChatGPT's search uses third-party search providers, including Bing, alongside its own crawler. Gemini is grounded in Google Search, so your Google rankings and Google Business Profile matter most there.
• They look for clear, specific answers. Pages that state facts plainly (who you are, what you do, where, for whom, with what results) are easier to quote than vague marketing copy.
• They cross-check. A business mentioned consistently on its own site, in directories, reviews, media and industry lists looks more trustworthy than one that only talks about itself.

9 steps to show up in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude

1. Let AI search crawlers in

Check your robots.txt file. OpenAI uses OAI-SearchBot for ChatGPT search and ChatGPT-User when a user asks it to visit a page. Anthropic uses Claude-SearchBot for search and Claude-User for user requests. Their training crawlers, GPTBot and ClaudeBot, are separate, so you can allow search access even if you choose to block training. Gemini relies on Google's normal crawler, Googlebot, while the Google-Extended setting controls whether your content can be used for Gemini training and grounding, so think carefully before blocking it. Also check that your hosting or security settings, such as bot protection, aren't blocking them by mistake.

2. Rank in Google and Bing first

Classic SEO is still the foundation. Fix technical issues, make your site fast, and create a clear page for each service and location. For Gemini, Google rankings and a complete, well-reviewed Google Business Profile carry the most weight. Don't forget Bing either: verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools and submit your sitemap, because ChatGPT draws on Bing. It's free and many businesses never do it.

3. Make your business crystal clear

Your homepage and About page should say, in plain words, who you are, what you do, where you're based, who you serve and what makes you different. Add Organization, LocalBusiness or ProfessionalService schema, and use exactly the same name, address, phone and website everywhere.

4. Write answer-first content

Start pages and sections with a direct answer, then add detail. Use the questions your customers actually ask as headings, keep paragraphs short, and add FAQ sections. If someone asks "How much does a website cost in New Zealand?", the page that answers clearly in the first two sentences is the one most likely to be quoted.

5. Include specific, verifiable facts

Numbers, examples, names and dates make content more useful and more quotable: years in business, results you've achieved, the areas you serve, the industries you specialise in. Keep every claim accurate. AI tools may repeat it.

6. Show real expertise and trust

Author bios with real experience, case studies, reviews, credentials and clear contact details all strengthen E-E-A-T, the trust signals both Google and AI tools look for. Read our guide to E-E-A-T for NZ, UK and Australian businesses.

7. Earn mentions on trusted third-party sites

AI assistants trust what others say about you. Get listed in relevant directories, collect Google reviews, appear on industry and "best of" lists, contribute to local media and podcasts, and take part in genuine discussions on LinkedIn and community forums. For New Zealand businesses, NZ directories, local news sites and industry associations are especially valuable.

8. Keep content fresh

Update key pages when your services, prices or results change, and show a "last updated" date on articles. AI search favours current information for anything time-sensitive.

9. Consider an llms.txt file

An llms.txt file is a short, plain-text summary of your business and key pages for AI tools. It's a proposed convention rather than an official standard, and it's not clear how much each assistant uses it, but it's quick to create and does no harm.

Tips for New Zealand and UK businesses

• Be explicit about location. Mention the towns, cities and regions you serve in your content and schema, not just in the footer. "Auckland web designer" and "UK leadership coach" are the kinds of phrases people type into AI.
• Use local proof. Local case studies, clients, reviews and media mentions help AI connect you with your area.
• Get the basics listed. In NZ, keep your Google Business Profile, NZBN details and local directory listings consistent. In the UK, show your Companies House number and registered office, as UK companies are required to.
• Write in your market's English. Use NZ or UK spelling and terms your customers use, so your content matches how they ask.

How to measure your AI visibility

1. Build a prompt list. Write 10 to 20 questions your ideal customers would ask, such as "best SEO agency in Auckland for small businesses".
2. Test monthly. Ask them in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, with web search on, and note whether you're mentioned, how you're described and which sources are cited.
3. Track AI referrals. In Google Analytics, look for visits from chatgpt.com, gemini.google.com, claude.ai and perplexity.ai in your referral traffic.
4. Watch your competitors. Note which businesses are recommended instead of you, and look at what their sites and third-party mentions have that yours don't.

Want help putting this into practice? As an AI marketing agency and consultant in NZ, we can audit your AI visibility and fix what's holding you back.

What not to do

• Don't stuff pages with "ChatGPT" or AI keywords. It doesn't help and makes content worse.
• Don't publish fake reviews or invented statistics. They can damage trust and may breach consumer law in NZ and the UK.
• Don't create dozens of near-identical pages for every suburb. Thin pages rarely get cited.
• Don't trust tools or services that promise guaranteed placement in AI answers. No one can guarantee that.