How to show up in ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI answers

More customers now ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Google’s AI Overviews questions like “best clinic for laser in Dubai Marina” or “who builds online stores in Abu Dhabi?”. Business owners want to know how to be in those answers. Here is what is actually in your control, without hype.

First, the honest part

Nobody can guarantee that an AI tool will mention your business. These systems choose sources for each question, and the way they do it changes often. Be wary of anyone selling “guaranteed AI rankings” or secret prompts.

The good news is that the work that helps is the same work that makes you easier to find on Google and more convincing to customers. Google states that the best practices for appearing in its AI features are the same as for Search generally, with no special markup required (see sources).

1. Make sure AI and search crawlers can reach you

AI answers that cite websites rely on search indexes. If a crawler can’t read your pages, they can’t be used.

• Check robots.txt. Make sure you aren’t accidentally blocking Googlebot, Bingbot or OAI-SearchBot, which OpenAI uses to surface websites in ChatGPT search.
• Make content readable without clicks. Important text should be in the HTML, not hidden in images, PDFs or behind scripts that only load on interaction.
• Submit a sitemap in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and fix any pages excluded from the index.
• Keep the site fast and mobile-friendly, because most UAE searches happen on phones.

2. Answer real questions, one page at a time

AI tools look for passages that answer a question directly. Pages that wander rarely get used.

• Collect the questions customers ask on WhatsApp, on calls and in reviews, in Arabic and English.
• Put the answer first. Start with a clear two or three sentence answer, then explain the detail. This article does the same.
• Use clear headings that match how people ask, such as “How much does…”, “How long does…”, “What’s the difference between…”.
• Be specific and local. Mention the areas you serve, your process, your prices or price ranges if you can share them, and what makes you different.
• Show who is behind it. Real team names, experience, photos and case studies make content more trustworthy than anonymous copy.

3. Write proper Arabic, not just a translation

If your customers search in Arabic, give them Arabic pages written for them. Clear Modern Standard Arabic with a natural Gulf tone in headlines usually reads well. Keep the same facts in both languages, and link the two versions with hreflang so search engines show the right one.

4. Help machines understand who you are

AI tools build a picture of your business from many sources. Make that picture consistent.

• Use the same name, phone, address and hours on your website, Google Business Profile, social profiles and directories.
• Complete your Google Business Profile with categories, services, photos and up-to-date hours, and reply to reviews. Google lists relevance, distance and prominence as the factors in local results.
• Add structured data (schema.org) for your organisation, services, FAQs and articles, matching what is visible on the page. Structured data helps search engines understand content; it doesn’t guarantee any special display.

5. Earn mentions on sites AI already trusts

AI answers often cite well-known publications, directories, comparison articles and forums. Being mentioned there, for real reasons, helps.

• Get listed on reputable UAE directories and industry associations.
• Share useful expertise with local media and partners.
• Encourage happy customers to leave genuine reviews.

Avoid buying links or fake reviews. Search engines treat them as spam, and they can damage trust in your brand.

6. Measure what you can

There’s no complete “AI rankings” report, so build your own check:

1. List 20–30 questions customers ask before buying, in both languages.
2. Each month, ask them in ChatGPT, Gemini and Google, and note whether you are mentioned and which page is cited.
3. Watch Search Console for impressions on question-style searches, and track leads that mention finding you through AI tools.

What about llms.txt?

An llms.txt file is a short plain-text summary of your site that some people have proposed for AI tools. It takes minutes to publish and does no harm, so we add one for clients, but there’s no public evidence that the major AI search products rely on it. Treat it as a nice-to-have, not a strategy.

The short version

Let crawlers in, answer real questions clearly and first, write proper Arabic, keep your business details consistent, and earn genuine mentions. That won’t guarantee an AI citation, but it is the most reliable way to make one more likely, and it improves your Google visibility at the same time. Our SEO and AI search team can audit where you stand today.