The UAE leads the world in AI use: Microsoft's 2026 AI Diffusion Report put the share of people using AI at about 70%, against roughly 18% globally. More of your customers now ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI Overviews "which clinic should I go to?" instead of scrolling through ten blue links.
When the AI answers, it names a few businesses. This checklist is how you become one of them.
how AI tools choose who to recommend
Each AI tool searches the web, reads what it finds, and picks the sources it trusts. They don't all use the same index:
- Google AI Overviews and AI Mode use Google's own search index and your Google Business Profile.
- ChatGPT search leans heavily on Bing. One controlled study found 87% of its citations matched Bing's top results.
- Perplexity cites a wide range of sites and favours recent content and community sites like Reddit.
- Claude has its own web search; Anthropic doesn't publish which provider it uses.
So there's no single switch. You need to be findable, readable and confirmed across several places.
the 10-step checklist
1. check what AI says about you today
Ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google the questions your customers ask: "best [your service] in [your area]". Note who gets named. Our AI visibility check writes the questions for you and gives you a score out of 9.
2. let AI crawlers read your site
Open yoursite.com/robots.txt. Make sure it doesn't block Googlebot, Bingbot, OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT search), PerplexityBot or ClaudeBot. Some website firewalls and hosting setups block bots by default, so check those too.
3. complete your google business profile
Google names the Business Profile in its own guidance for AI features. Fill in every field: categories, services, hours, area, photos, and a description that says plainly what you do and where.
4. claim bing places and bing webmaster tools
Because ChatGPT relies on Bing, a Bing listing matters more than most UAE businesses realise. Claim Bing Places (you can import from Google), and verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools so Bing indexes your pages.
5. keep your details identical everywhere
Your business name, phone, area and services should match on your website, Google, Bing, Instagram, LinkedIn and UAE directories. AI tools cross-check sources. Conflicting details make you look less certain.
6. add structured data that matches your page
Schema markup (for example LocalBusiness, Service and FAQ) tells search engines exactly who you are. Google says it isn't required for AI features, but it should always match what's visible on the page.
7. publish clear answers to real questions
Write pages that answer what customers actually ask: prices, process, how long it takes, what's included, which area you cover. Put the short answer first, then the detail. AI tools quote clear, specific passages, not slogans.
8. collect reviews, and reply to them
Reviews are the trust signal AI answers lean on for local recommendations. Ask every happy customer, make it easy with a direct link, and reply to every review.
9. get mentioned on other sites
AI tools trust what others say about you more than what you say about yourself. Local press, "best of" lists, industry directories, partner websites and genuine community discussions all count. Never fake mentions or reviews.
10. check again every month
AI answers change with wording, location and time. Ask the same questions every month and track whether you're named. That's how you know what's working.
what about llms.txt?
llms.txt is a plain-text summary of your site for AI tools. Google says it doesn't need one for its AI features. Some other tools may read it, and it takes ten minutes to write, so it's a nice extra, not a priority.
how long does it take?
Fixes on your own site can be picked up within weeks. Listings, reviews and mentions build over a few months. Nobody can guarantee what an AI says, so measure it monthly instead.
If you want this done for you, our AEO & GEO service starts with an AI visibility audit across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot and Google AI.