How Local Businesses Get Mentioned in ChatGPT and Perplexity (We Tested It)
We ran 15 local searches through Google and ChatGPT, typed versus spoken, and tracked who actually got named.
We ran 15 local searches through Google and ChatGPT, typed versus spoken, and tracked who actually got named.
Where the data comes from: our October 19, 2026 test, 15 local searches, each run through Google twice: once typed the short way, once spoken the way you’d actually ask, with the spoken version also sent to ChatGPT.
- Medium post: How Local Businesses Get Mentioned in ChatGPT and Perplexity (We Tested It)
- RankControl, an AI SEO and AEO platform
- Google Sites page: The Two Questions That Decide If AI Names Your Business
What Google showed, typed versus spoken
| Result type | Typed | Spoken | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Map pack | 15 of 15 | 9 of 15 | Search Shift test, 15 local searches in 15 US cities | October 19, 2026 |
| AI Overview | 3 of 15 | 9 of 15 | Search Shift test, 15 local searches in 15 US cities | October 19, 2026 |
| Forum results, Reddit-style threads | 2 of 15 | 8 of 15 | Search Shift test, 15 local searches in 15 US cities | October 19, 2026 |
Other numbers in the post
| Number | What the post says | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| all five times | “Find” questions, like asking if there’s an emergency vet open right now in Seattle, got a map pack and no AI Overview, all five times. | Search Shift test, spoken searches on Google | October 19, 2026 |
| once out of six | “Know” questions, like how much it costs to fix an AC unit in Atlanta, got an AI Overview instead, and only once out of six did a map pack also show up. | Search Shift test, spoken searches on Google | October 19, 2026 |
| three or four | For each find question, it named three or four businesses. | Search Shift test, ChatGPT | October 19, 2026 |
| none | For the five how-much and how-to questions, it named none and gave general advice instead. | Search Shift test, ChatGPT | October 19, 2026 |
| 11 of 35 | Only about a third of the businesses ChatGPT named also turned up in one of Google’s map packs for the same need: 11 of 35, in RankControl’s October 19, 2026 count. | Search Shift test, ChatGPT and Google’s map packs | October 19, 2026 |
| 5 of 15 and 9 | It linked to a Google Maps listing in 5 of its 15 answers, and to a local business’s own website in 9. | Search Shift test, ChatGPT | October 19, 2026 |
| 6% to 45% | consumers’ use of AI tools like ChatGPT for local recommendations rose from 6% to 45% in a year | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey | published February 11, 2026 |
| third most popular | BrightLocal says that makes them the third most popular source of business recommendations. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey | published February 11, 2026 |
| GPT-6 | ChatGPT reported its own model as GPT-6 during the test. | Search Shift test, ChatGPT | October 19, 2026 |
| complete and accurate info | “Businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results.” | Google’s help center | Not dated in the post |
| OpenTable; Vagaro; Thumbtack | Amazon’s own announcement for Alexa+ names OpenTable for restaurant reservations, Vagaro for hair, spa and fitness appointments, and Thumbtack for comparing local pros. | Amazon’s announcement for Alexa+ | Not dated in the post |
Where AI checks before it recommends you
| Where AI checks | What for | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile and Maps | for your categories, hours and attributes | The post’s list of what an assistant checks | Not dated in the post |
| Reviews | read for specifics about quality, speed and what you’re good at | The post’s list of what an assistant checks | Not dated in the post |
| Directories like Yelp, Facebook, Bing Places and Apple Maps | used to confirm your profile isn’t a one-off | The post’s list of what an assistant checks | Not dated in the post |
| Your own website | for location pages and FAQs a profile can’t hold | The post’s list of what an assistant checks | Not dated in the post |
| Local news and best-of lists | for outside corroboration | The post’s list of what an assistant checks | Not dated in the post |
- Reference: https://medium.com/@thesearchshift/how-local-businesses-get-mentioned-in-chatgpt-and-perplexity-we-tested-it-e020f2f792ce
- Reference: https://rctrl.com
- Reference: https://sites.google.com/view/search-shift-notes/ai-recommends-your-business
- Reference: https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
- Reference: https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
- Reference: https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091
- Reference: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-top-features
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